(Originally posted on July 8, 2006)
Encouraged by my recent experience with a “Kalimba Assembly Kit,” I went in search of my next item. I settled on a particular instrument, acquired it, and am now in the process of practicing.
It’s the Jew’s Harp. It’s the instrument famous for the “boing” sound effect heard in cartoons and in the theme song of the anime “Dokonjō Gaeru” (The Gutsy Frog).
Instruments have various characteristics, but for this selection, I focused on sound production. Some instruments, like the piano, allow anyone to produce a sound easily. Others, like the violin, trumpet, or shakuhachi, are difficult to produce a sound on at all.
Additionally, there’s the perspective of expressive power in sustained tones. The Jew’s Harp is a unique instrument in this regard. While plucking the spring with it held to your mouth is the trigger, the real essence of the Jew’s Harp lies in manipulating the overtones while the spring vibrates.
You manipulate the overtones floating above the “boing” sound by changing the shape and volume of your oral cavity. It’s even possible to play diatonic scales and pentatonic scales in multiple keys, albeit approximately.
This sonic world is just like Tuvan throat singing (Hoomii). That is also a performance method where a fundamental tone (“bwoah~”) is produced with the vocal cords while overtones are emphasized with the oral cavity. In the case of throat singing, producing that “bwoah~” sound is difficult, but with the Jew’s Harp, the instrument handles that part for you.
Regarding this overtone manipulation, I think people who are good at whistling might grasp the knack for it easily. The higher the overtone, the more subtle the adjustment of the oral cavity needs to be, and I felt this required a sense of tongue control very similar to whistling in a high register.
Of course, beyond enjoying it as a melodic instrument, it can also be played as a small but aggressive rhythm instrument.
For example, if you play while opening your throat and breathing lightly and rhythmically, the presence of the sound changes dramatically, which is quite impactful. With some creativity, you can express the diversity of a drum set with a Jew’s Harp, so I encourage you to try it.
The Jew’s Harp I purchased was made in Hungary, but this family of instruments is said to exist in a huge variety of forms, from Far East and Southeast Asia, through China, all the way to Europe (the Mukkuri from Hokkaido is part of the same family).
Perhaps it’s just my own ignorance, but while it’s said to be one of the most primitive instruments in human history, there seems to be little awareness in Japan that it is something to be played as a musical instrument. Why not try experiencing the Jew’s Harp not as a “mere sound effect generator,” but as a true musical instrument?
