Free Reed Instruments

Jaw Harp (aka Jew's Harp, Juice Harp, Mouth Harp, Vargan, Ozark Harp, Murchunga, Guimbarde, Mungiga)

The jaw harp is classified as a lamellophone, where it has a metal or bamboo reed attached to a frame. The jaw harp is likely from Siberia and is classified by whether or not the frame and tine are one piece, the shape of the frame, the number of tines, and the way that the harp is played.

 

The earliest history of someone playing a jaw harp is from a 3rd century BCE Chinese drawings and curved bones found in Shimao fortifications in Shaaxni, China from pre 1800 BCE.

 

Accordion

The accordion is a musical instrument that is played by compressing and expanding a set of bellows while pressing buttons or keys on the instrument. The bellows draw air through metal reeds, which are mounted inside the instrument, creating a distinctive sound.

 

The accordion is believed to have originated in Europe in the early 19th century, and it quickly became popular in folk and traditional music throughout the continent. It was later adopted by musicians in other parts of the world, including North and South America, where it has become an important part of many different musical genres.

 

Accordions come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with different numbers of buttons or keys, and are often classified according to their type of reed system, such as diatonic, chromatic, or piano. The diatonic accordion is commonly used in traditional folk music, while the chromatic accordion is used in classical and jazz music. The piano accordion is the most widely used type and is popular in many different musical genres, including polka, tango, and Cajun music.

 

Concertina

The concertina is a small, portable instrument that is played by pressing buttons or keys to open and close air chambers, which produce sound by vibrating metal reeds.

 

The concertina was invented in the early 19th century in England, and it quickly became popular in both folk and classical music throughout Europe and America. It comes in a variety of sizes and types, including the English concertina, which has a rectangular shape and a range of up to six octaves, and the Anglo-German concertina, which has a hexagonal shape and a diatonic scale.

 

The concertina has a distinctive sound that is often described as bright, lively, and melodic. It is commonly used in traditional folk music, especially in Ireland, where it has become an important part of the Irish music scene. It is also used in classical and popular music genres, and has been featured in many film and television soundtracks.

 

The concertina is known for its versatility and portability, which has made it a popular instrument for solo performers, small ensembles, and large orchestras alike. It has been used by many notable musicians throughout history, including the composer and conductor John Philip Sousa and the folk musician and songwriter Woody Guthrie.

 

Harmonica

The harmonica is a small, portable wind instrument that is played by blowing air through reed chambers while manipulating the sound with the player's mouth and hands. It is also known as a mouth organ or a harp.

The harmonica is believed to have originated in Europe in the early 19th century, and it quickly became popular in folk and blues music in the United States. It comes in a variety of sizes and types, including diatonic, chromatic, and tremolo, each of which produces a unique sound.

 

The diatonic harmonica is the most widely used type and is often used in folk, blues, and rock music. It is commonly played in a technique called "cross-harp" or "second position", which involves playing the instrument in a key that is different from its natural key to achieve a distinctive bluesy sound.

 

The chromatic harmonica has a button-activated sliding mechanism that allows the player to play all the notes in the chromatic scale, making it suitable for playing a wider range of music genres.

 

The tremolo harmonica produces a distinctive vibrato sound and is commonly used in traditional folk music.

 

Pump Organ

The pump organ, also known as the harmonium, is a keyboard instrument that produces sound by blowing air through reeds using a set of bellows operated by foot pedals. The pump organ was developed in the 19th century as a more portable alternative to the larger pipe organs that were commonly found in churches and concert halls.

 

The pump organ has a distinctive sound that is characterized by its warm and expressive tone, which is often described as being similar to that of a choir or orchestra. It is often used in religious music, as well as in traditional folk and classical music, and has been used in many different cultural contexts around the world.

 

The pump organ is often used in solo performances, but it can also be played as part of a larger ensemble or orchestra. It has been used in a variety of musical genres, including gospel, bluegrass, and classical music, and has been featured in many film and television soundtracks.

 

One of the benefits of the pump organ is that it does not require electricity or any other external power source, making it a popular instrument in areas where electricity is not readily available. However, it does require a certain amount of physical effort to operate the foot pedals and pump the bellows, which can make it a challenging instrument to play.