Gourt > Arts > Music > Instruments > Jew's Harp
The Jew's harp is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. It is also sometimes called a jaw harp or juice harp, among other names, and has no particular connection with Jews or Judaism. Another name used to identify the instrument especially in scholarly literature is the older English "trump".
The instrument is a lamellaphone, which is in the category of plucked idiophones: it consists of a flexible metal or bamboo tongue attached to a frame. This tongue is placed in the performer's mouth and plucked with the finger to produce a note. The note thus produced is constant in pitch, though by changing the shape of his or her mouth and the amount of air contained in it the performer can cause different overtones to sound and thus create simple melodies.
There are many theories for the origin of the name Jew's harp (see the external links below), one being that it may derive from its popularity amongst Eurasian steppe-peoples like the Khazars, perhaps being introduced to Europe from that direction. Another explanation proposed is that it is a corruption of "jaw harp", while a less likely explanation espoused by some is that its name comes from "juice harp" from the amount of saliva produced when played by amateurs. Both of these explanations lack historical backing, as both the "jaw" and the "juice" variants appeared only in the late 19th and 20th centuries. It is interesting to note that many names of the instrument, in English or other languages, refer to other musical instruments, cordophones, membranophones, or aereophones largely included.
More on [ Jew's harp ]
listening to "Tran Quang Hai improvizes with the Yakut Khomus Jew's harp" â« http://blip.fm/~fykjv
sho1ch (SH01ch) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:41:50 -0000
listening to "Tran Quang Hai improvizes with the Yakut Khomus Jew's harp" ♫ http://blip.fm/~fykjv
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://www.reverbnation.com/c./poni/6541703 http://ff.im/aVmpd
jenskas (Jens Mügge) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:13:04 -0000
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://www.reverbnation.com/c./poni/6541703 http://ff.im/aVmpd
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://lnk.ms/4Jm7v http://ff.im/aVmpb
jenskas (Jens Mügge) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:13:04 -0000
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://lnk.ms/4Jm7v http://ff.im/aVmpb
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://www.reverbnation.com/c./poni/6541703
jenskas (Jens Mügge) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:45:24 -0000
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://www.reverbnation.com/c./poni/6541703
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://lnk.ms/4Jm7v
jenskas (Jens Mügge) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:45:24 -0000
Posted a new video: "Jew's Harp Medleys" http://lnk.ms/4Jm7v
put some Jew's Harp in my latest joint.....
rjbaker2000 (R.J.Baker) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:21:36 -0000
put some Jew's Harp in my latest joint.....
Jew's Harp - Picture and straightforward description of its construction and how it's played.
MHN Instrument Encyclopedia - Jew's Harp (or Jaw's Harp). Background of the name, the instrument's heritage, general description, and simple instructions on how to play.
The Jew's Harp Guild - How to play, newsletter, discussion group, details about its annual festival, and store.
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