Jew's harp
or humming iron
(Collection Oriwohl)
Another ancient instrument which served as a stimulus for the use of reeds is the Jew's harp, which can be traced back to Celtic-Roman times in Europe.
It also originates from Asia and is known to many cultures in its worldwide distribution. It can be made of wood or metal.
On a Jew's harp, the reed is not set in vibration by wind, but by hand. A Jew's harp is tuned to a certain tone. By shaping the mouth cavity, the desired overtones of the always of the fundamental tone, which is always present.
As contrast to this a wooden tongue is depicted. This is not made to vibrate by a finger, but by blowing on it with pressure wind.
While the finger-stimulated tongue of the Jew's harp causes the surrounding air to vibrate, the wooden tongue does exactly the opposite. Pressure wind moves the tongue and a tone is produced when the tongue interrupts the pressure wind periodically in the oscillation channel (recessed rectangle). Both principles produce periodically vibrating air, i.e. a tone.
The jew's harp tone can be formed in the oral cavity, because the air contained therein is excited by the tongue of the Jew's harp. This is not possible with the wooden tongue, which has to be blown itself. Its tone can only be changed in volume, depending on how strongly the wind blows.
The first reeds built into keyboard instruments around 1800 resembled were similar to the lower, slender Jew's harp:
A metal bow that ran metal bracket, to one end of which the reed was attached. In the baroque period the Jew's harp even found its way into court music and was given its own comdispositions.
An Asian jew's harp made of wood of today's production.
Back side
With this design, the reed is not struck with the finger at its freely end of the reed, but indirectly on the left side of the reedplate (supporting frame) on the left.
Profile view
