It is distributed under various names among most peoples of the world. The most commonly used names: shankobyz, aura, komuz, khomus, doromb, drymba, zubanka, vasang, morchang, pymel, vyvko, tumra, kubyz, vaniyar, maultrommel, kousyan, .
In the English-speaking world, the jew's harp also has many names: jew's harp, jaw harp, mouth harp, Ozark harp, marranzano pancake, Omaha Flapjack.
When playing, the harp is pressed to the teeth or lips, the oral cavity serves as a resonator. Changing the articulation of the mouth makes it possible to change the tone and timbre of the instrument. In addition, the position of the diaphragm introduces new shades of sound.
Usually made of metal or wood. In Russia, jew's harps are most widespread in Yakutia, Tuva and Altai.
Types of Jew's harps
There are two main types of jew's harps - plate and arched:
Jew's harp is a thin, narrow wooden or bamboo, bone or metal plate. Its tongue is cut out in the middle of the record (for example, Vietnamese).
Arc-shaped (arc) harp forged from an iron rod, in the center of which a thin steel tongue with a hook at the end is attached.
On the territory of Russia, arched harps are the most common.
There are jew's harps with several reeds ( Chinese Koushiang).
Russian harp
According to the Brockhaus and Efron dictionary, this instrument was found among the Russian people in the 2nd-20th centuries, especially in the Volga region. This custom was almost lost, but there are masters who are reviving the traditional Russian harp.
In excavations carried out on the territory of Novgorod the Great since 2003, 6 jew's harps dating from the 13th-14th centuries were found. One of the finds is presented in the State Historical Museum (Hall 9. Ancient Russian city. (XI - first half of the XIII centuries)). However, despite the attempts of craftsmen to revive the traditional Russian harp, at the moment there is not a single reconstruction of the samples found during excavations.
The chronicles also mention the jew's harp as a military musical instrument, but the word "jaw's harps" found in them probably means another musical instrument, more suitable for military music, and not the harp mentioned above.
1. Abafif - Bonton (Northern Philippine)
2. Agas kumys - Bashkir wooden
3. Agach-kubyz - Bashkir metal bow-shaped
4. Agach-kumyz - Bashkir onion-shaped
5. Akiz Tamburasi - Turkish
6. Alibaw - Filipino
7. Al pynir - Selkup (Tyumen, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk) “mouth hammer”
8. Aman tobshuur - Mongolian
9. Aman khuur - Mongolian
10. Amankhuur - Buryat
11. Ang Quok - Cambodian
12. Aping - Javanese (Oceanian)
13. Arpa de boca - Spanish for "mouth harp"
14. Jewish harp - broken English
15. Ata - Burmese
16. Aura - multi-tongued, consists of several jew's harps mounted on a metal disk
17. Afiv - Northern Filipino
18. Babore - Hausan (Nigerian)
19. Bambaro - Nigerian
20. Bandureles - Lithuanian metal in the shape of a horseshoe
21. Bandurelis - Lithuanian metal in the shape of a horseshoe
22. Bandurka - Lithuanian
23. Begnankre - New Guinea
24. Belembaupachet - Guamian (Oceanian)
25. Berimbau - Portuguese
26. Bivba - North Welsh (British)
27. Bivbo - Vendian (South African) metal
28. Biggung - Filipino
29. Binayo - Nepali
30. Birimbao - Spanish
31. Bombarde - Swiss
32. Bombon Pumbune - Oceanian
33. Brnkačka - Slovak metal
34. Brumbize - Slovenian
35. Brumladeo - Vendian (South African)
36. Brumle - Czech
37. Brummeisen - Austrian
38. Buglin shaman - Mongolian
39. Bungkau - Malaysian metal
40. Vanni-yayai - Koryak “tooth drum”
41. Vanni-yayar - Chukchi “tooth drum”
42. Varam-tuma - Chuvash “mosquito”
43. Vargan - Russian
44. Vargas - Latvian
45. Varkhan - Chuvash
46. Wasang - African
47. Verimbao - Spanish metal horseshoe
48. Virgan - Ukrainian
49. Vyvko - Nenets "buzzer"
50. Vych rank - Nivkh (Khabarovsk, Sakhalin) metal
51. Gagana - Assamese (Indian)
52. Guimbarda - Spanish
53. Genggong - Sumatran (Indonesian) archaic
54. Guimbarde - French metal
55. Gnagnararrone - Sicilian (Italian) metal
56. Gogo - Sumatran (Oceanian)
57. Gon-kap - Tamang (Nepali)
58. Ghoraliyau - Rajasthani (Indian)
59. Dambrelis - Lithuanian metal
60. Dan moi - Vietnamese
61. Dzhigach-ooz-komuz - Kyrgyz wooden
62. Jozhap - English "jaw harp"
63. Doromb - Hungarian
64. Doromba - Ukrainian metal
65. Drimba - Romanian
66. Dreamball - Serbian metal
67. Drnkachka - Czech metal
68. Dromb - Romanian
69. Dromba - Romanian
70. Dromboae - Romanian
71. Drombule - Serbian metal
72. Drombula - Serbian metal
73. Drong - Romanian
74. Drond - Romanian
75. Drondi - Romanian
76. Drumblya - Slovak metal
77. Drumeltsa - Slovenian
78. Drumlya - Polish
79. Druri bewe - South Nya (Indonesian)
80. Drymba - Ukrainian, Belarusian, Moldavian
81. Duri - Nya (Indonesian)
82. Zhygach ooz komuz - Kyrgyz wooden
83. Zagada - Hausan (African)
84. Zamburak - Iranian
85. Zanforgna - Swiss
86. Isithokotholo - Zulu (South African)
87. Isturmant - Welsh (British)
88. Yirin - Sakai (Malaysian)
89. Kabas - Mari
90. Kanga - Nivkh (Khabarovsk, Sakhalin) with a wooden or metal tongue
91. K "api - Tibetan bamboo
92. Kezyl pinyr - Selkup (Tyumen, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk)
93. Kingai - Ulch (Khabarovsk) iron
94. Kobza - Belarusian metal
95. Kobyz - Turkmen metal
96. Kobyz-tyunyur - Altai
97. Kovyzh - Mari
98. Kokin - Chinese
99. Koma - Tanzanian (East African)
100. Kom-i - Limbu (Nepali)
101. Komos - Altai
102. Komuz - Kyrgyz wooden
102". Komuz - Turkic
103. Komyzh - Mari
104. Komyz - Kazakh metal
105. Komys - Chukchi
106. Con hle - Sedang (Vietnamese)
107. Kong kle - Vietnamese
108. Kongipkavun - Evenki (Siberia, China) metal
109. Kondyvkon - Evenki (Siberia, China) bone
110. Konnapill - Estonian metal “frog instrument”
111. Kopuz - Uzbek and Tajik wooden
112. Kordaun - Evenki (Siberia, China)
113. Kubing - South Philippine bamboo
114. Kubyz - Bashkir
114". Kubyz - Volga Tatar and Bashkir metal
115. Kuluzun-khomuz - Tuvan
116. Kumikaye - Udege (Primorye, Khabarovsk) wooden
117. Kumyz - Bashkir and Tatar
118. Kunga - Orochsky (Primorye, Khabarovsk) metal
119. Kungai - Orochsky (Primorye, Khabarovsk) metal
120. Kungkai - Udege (Primorye, Khabarovsk)
121. Kunka - Nanai (Khabarovsk) metal
122. Kunkai - Udege (Primorye, Khabarovsk) metal
123. Kunkan - Oroch (Primorye, Khabarovsk) metal
124. Kunkakhi - Negidal (Khabarovsk)
125. Kunkon - Evenki (Siberia, China) metal
126. Kunkha - Nanai (Khabarovsk) tin with a sharp needle-shaped tongue
127. Kupas - Chuvash
128. Kuchi-biwa - Japanese
129. Kha-wang - Thakahi (Nepali) metal
130. Kha-rnga - Tibetan "mouth drum"
131. Kengipkevun - Evenki (Siberia, China) metal
132. Lokangavava - Madagascar
133. Mabu - Solomon Island (Oceanian)
134. Marranzana - Sicilian (Italian) metal
135. Maultrommel - German "mouth drum"
136. Machinga - Sunuvar (Nepali)
137. Machunga - heavenly (Nepali)
138. Modu-guitarra - Basque (Spain, France)
139. Mondtrom - Dutch
140. Morsang - Indian
141. Morsing - Indian
142. Morchang - Indian
143. Mosugitarra - Basque (Spain, France) metallic
144. Mosumusica - Basque (Spain, France) metallic
145. Mukkuna - Ainu (Sakhalin Russian)
146. Mukkuri - Ainu (Hokkaido Japanese)
147. Muksu-guitarra - Basque (Spain, France)
148. Mungiga - Swiss "mouth fiddle"
149. Mundharmonica - German 19th century.
150. Mundharpe - Danish metal
151. Munniharppu - Finnish
152. Munnspill - Norwegian
153. Munnharpa - Icelandic
154. Munnharpe - Austrian "mouth harp"
155. Munharp - Norwegian
156. Munchang - Indian metal in the shape of a horseshoe with a long tongue
157. Mursang - Indian metal in the shape of a horseshoe with a long tongue
158. Mursing - Tamil (Indian)
159. Murchang - Indian metal in the shape of a horseshoe with a long tongue
160. Muultrummle - Swiss "jaw drum"
161. Muchang - Indian metal
162. Muchanga - Bengali (Indian)
163. Myny - Nanai (Khabarovsk) iron
164. Ni au kani - Hawaiian
165. Organ - Ukrainian
166. Panar - Evenki (Siberia, China) wooden
167. Pang Teu Ying - Vietnamese
168. Panga - Ulch (Khabarovsk)
169. Pangar - Evenki (Siberia, China) wooden
170. Pangipkavun - Evenki (Siberia, China) metal
171. Parmupill - Estonian "bumblebee instrument"
172. Pirgipkavun - Evenki (Siberia, China) wooden
173. Pokakakaka - kuka island (oceanic)
174. Pol pinyr - Selkup (Tyumen, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk) with a wooden tongue
175. Purgivkevun - Evenki (Siberia, China) wooden
176. Purgip-kavun - Evenki (Siberia, China) wooden
177. Pussipeli - Finnish metal
178. Pymel - Ket (Krasnoyarsk) wooden
179. Pyml - Ket (Krasnoyarsk) wooden
180. Pymyl - Ket (Krasnoyarsk) wooden
181. Pynyr reed - Selkup (Tyumen, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk) iron, bone with ornament, bamboo
182. Pengivkevun - Evenki (Siberia, China) metal
183. Rab nkas - Burmese
184. Rbaor
185. Rbiba - Swiss
186. Rebaorbe - Swiss
187. Rinding - Javanese (Oceanian)
188. Roria - New Zealand bamboo
189. Ruria - Maori (New Zealand)
190. Sa trunfa - Sardinian (Italian)
191. Saga-saga - Sumatran (Oceanic)
192. Sekebeku - South African
193. Sergech kubos - Chuvash
194. Setyoli - Sotho (South African)
195. Scacciapensieri - Italian “doom banisher”
196. Suna da bukka - Romanian
197. Suupeli - Finnish "jaw instrument"
200. Suup-tumran - Khanty and Mansi
201. Suuharppu - Finnish "jaw harp"
202. Suyak-chang-kobuz - Uzbek and Tajik bone
203. Taavetin harppu - Finnish "David's harp"
204. Temir ooz komuz - Kyrgyz arched iron, copper, bronze or brass with a steel tongue
205. Temir-komuz - Kyrgyz metal
206. Temir-komyz - Kazakh metal
207. Temir-komys - Tuvan metal
207". Temir-komys - Khakass metal
207"". Temir-komys - Gorno-Altai metal
208. Temir-kubyz - Bashkir and Tatar metal
209. Temir-khomuz - Tuvan
210. Temir-chang - Uzbek forged metal
211. Temir-chang-kobuz - Uzbek metal
212. Temur khuur - Western Mongolian metal
213. Tendor - Madhya Pradesh (Indian)
214. Terrilbakanun - Evenki (Siberia, China) wooden
215. Tivtiv - Chinese
216. Timer kumyz - Bashkir metal
216". Timer-kumyz - Bashkir and Tatar
217. Tympanum - Romanian
218. Titapu - Kuka Island (Oceanian)
219. Toi - Laotian
220. Tomra - Khanty
221. Tong - Vietnamese
222. Toung - Vietnamese
223. Tremmi - Swiss
224. Tremolo - Swiss
225. Trimmi - Swiss
226. Trimpy - Swiss
227. Tromp - Scottish metal
228. Trompa - Basque (Spain, France)
229. Trumbla - Romanian
230. Trump - Basque (Spain, France) metal
231. Trumpad - Irish metal
232. Tumra - Mansi bone
232". Tumra - Khanty wooden or bone
233. Tumran - Mansi
233". Tumran - Khanty bone
234. Then - Vietnamese
235. Tyumur khuur - Mongolian metal
236. Ulibaw - Filipino
237. Ulibao - Kalinga (Filipino)
238. Umsha-kovyzh - Mari
239. Utete - Samoan (Oceanian)
240. Khamys - Yakut
241. Khozon - Nivkh (Khabarovsk, Sakhalin) wooden or iron
242. Khomus - Yakut metal with one to three reeds
243. Khomys - Yakut
244. Hoen-tung - Thai
245. Huang - Chinese
246. Khulsan khuur - Western Mongolian bone, horn, bamboo or wood
247. Khuluzun-komys - Tuvan bamboo
248. Khuluzun-khomus - Tuvan
249. Khur - Buryat
250. Huulipeli - Finnish "lip instrument"
251. Huuliharppu - Finnish "mouth harp"
252. Khuur - Buryat, Mongolian
253. Zinforgna - Swiss
254. Chaydoromb - Hungarian metal
255. Chang - Pakistani metal
256. Changi zanona - Tajik
257. Chang-kavuz - Uzbek metal
258. Chang-kobuz - Tajik metal
259. Chang-komuz - Uzbek-Afghan
260. Changu - Sunuvar (Nepali)
261. Chinforna - Romanian metal
262. Shanforna - Romanian metal
263. Sheivele - Lithuanian metal
264. Shynkobuz - Karakalpak (Uzbekistan, Afghanistan) metal, popular among women
265. Yyash-khomus - Tuvan wooden
266. Ego - Indonesian (Oceanian)
267. Yunggotan - Malaysian
268. Juring - Indonesian
269. Yuring Rangguin - Temiar (West Malaysian)
270. Juuta laisen harppu - Finnish
271. Juutalaisharppu - Finnish metal "Jewish iron harp"
272. Yash-khomuz - Tuvan
273. Riolina - Colombia | Riolina - Colubia
The Yakut khomus (Jew's harp) is an ancient musical instrument of the peoples of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), which is more than 5 thousand years old. It is distinguished by a characteristic “cosmic” sound: since ancient times it was considered an instrument of Yakut shamans. The Yakut khomus still retains its sacred meaning today and is used in various rituals. Therefore, in Yakutia it is not just an instrument, but a real symbol of the national culture of the Sakha people. Local craftsmen have carried through the centuries the secrets of making sonorous, colorful jew's harps. Despite its small size, it allows you to produce mesmerizing sounds that imitate the sounds of nature.
Khomus - musical instrument
There are several varieties of khomus - a Yakut musical instrument. In ancient times, the Yakut harp was made of wood or bone, and the prototype was a tree broken by lightning. When there was a gust of wind, it made mysterious sounds. In the old days, such a tree was considered sacred and its chips were carefully preserved.
Today, traditional Yakut khomus is made of iron. It has a horseshoe shape, consists of a rim and two tapering “cheeks”. A steel tongue begins from the middle of the rim, passing between the “cheeks”. Where the cheeks end, the tongue folds over to form a knee and a curved tip. This vibrating plate creates an unusual crackling sound. The musical instrument khomus can have from one to four reeds. A single-reed harp plays one note. The vibration of the tongue is created by breathing and articulation. Rhythm is no less important - it depends on the technique and skill of the player.
The mystique of the Yakut khomus lies in the fact that playing it requires complete concentration. Only in this case is the harmony of sound achieved, and the music is perceived not only by the ears, but also by the whole body. The harp is also used for self-contemplation: when the frequency of air vibrations coincides with the vibrations of the human body, complete unity with it is achieved.
The Yakut khomus is a shamanic instrument. In their rituals, shamans used mainly instruments with a low, booming sound. It was believed that the sound of the Yakut musical instrument khomus is woven from cosmic vibrations and is an instrument connecting a person with the upper world. Vargan was often decorated with national ornaments. Some sacred meanings of the patterns on the Yakut khomus have not yet been solved.
It's no secret that many of you would like to know how to play the khomus. Playing the khomus is always an improvisation that reflects the inner state of the player. However, it is necessary to master basic skills so that the sounds produced by the jew's harp merge into a harmonious melody.
Holding the Yakut khomus correctly is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. With one hand you need to take it by the ring, press the outer cheeks tightly to the teeth. The tongue should pass freely between the teeth without touching them. Sounds are produced by vibrations of the tongue: to do this, its curved tip is struck with the index finger.
Basic techniques for hitting the tongue
To do this, you need to rotate with a relaxed hand, touching the tongue in front with a bent index finger. It is necessary to control the strength and tempo of the blow depending on the rhythm. You can hit the tongue with your finger and move the hand back - you get a reverse strike.
Breathing technique when playing khomus
Breath plays important role in the formation of melody. If you slowly and carefully inhale air into yourself, the sound of the jew's harp will lengthen. Exhalation does not affect the sound, but, in combination with proper inhalation, it increases the force of vibration of the tongue. Additional features gives the use of aperture. If you use it to “pump” air, you can get a stronger and deeper sound.
Music control
The sound can be changed using the organs of speech: vibration of the tongue, movements of the lips. So, if you wrap your lips around the body, the sound will intensify.
Playing the Yakut khomus is accessible to everyone. The main thing is to understand how to play the khomus, train systematically, be persistent and have a great desire to master the jew's harp.
The sound of the Yakut khomus in timbre and sound is in many ways consonant with the national style of singing. After all, throat singing, often found among the peoples of Siberia, has much in common with playing the Yakut khomus. Particularly noteworthy is the interweaving of speech into the music, when the khomus player seems to sing through a harp. Having merged with the harp, the khomus player himself temporarily becomes a musical instrument.
For the Yakuts, playing the khomus is a deeply personal, intimate event. Yakut shamans used it to heal people and drive out evil spirits. Also, this instrument often accompanied love confessions, when the most intimate feelings were expressed through it. Yakut khomus was especially popular among women - there was even a special genre of khomus songs. After the revolution, interest in the instrument weakened, it was even banned due to associations with shamanism, but recently this folk tradition is reborn. Often, masters conduct training where they tell everyone how to play the Yakut khomus.
Khomus Museum
There is the only khomus museum in the world. It contains more than 2 thousand exhibits telling about this amazing instrument.
Among them are Indian, Mongolian, Tuvan khomuses and many other national instruments. carefully preserves the spiritual heritage of various peoples. It hosts conferences, lectures, meetings, and excursions aimed at preserving and developing the instrument.
Video about khomus
Watch the video and see how beautiful the Yakut khomus sounds in a modern performance by the khomus master, Olga Podluzhnaya. The rhythmic playing of the Yakut khomus simply fascinates a person:
Photos of Yakut khomuses
Vargan is a widely used tool nowadays. Its name means “mouth” (vargos) from ancient Greek, and this is not surprising, since this human “organ” takes on the most important significance during the game.
The main defining characteristics of the instrument:
- plucked;
- reed.
Origin story
Experts usually classify the jew's harp as belonging to the family idiophones. These tools are special in that the source of sound is the body of the device itself. The “trembling” itself is carried out due to the mechanical energy provided by the player. A tightly stretched membrane or string is used. It is interesting that some researchers believe that idiophones are the oldest type of musical instruments; it is to them that we owe the birth of an entire art direction.
Ethnologists report that similar musical mechanisms were present in all world cultures and are widespread, only modifications vary. Few people know that many percussion instruments can be classified as idiophones, but drums are not suitable, since they contain membranes, which are the source of sound.
This family (idiophones) can be divided into the following categories:
- drums;
- plucked;
- friction;
- wind idiophones.
An interesting variety is the “Aeolian harp”, which is powered by nature. Let us list some folk idiophones that were characteristic of ancient Russian culture:
- beanbag;
- ratchet;
- snaffle;
- shepherdess;
- ruble, etc.
During the emergence and spread of all the listed instruments, the first models of the jew's harp began to appear. In different nations it had its own name. Initially, auxiliary materials were used for production - wood, bone, etc. Then, with the advent of metal, metal jew's harps appeared, which began to be made from a variety of alloys in order to obtain a specific sound. The metal frame began to be called an arc, and in general the instrument began to be classified as a new class - arc-shaped.
There were also all-alloy models:
- copper;
- bronze;
- iron;
- silver, etc.
Types of jew's harps
In fact, experts divide all organs into two large types: lamellar and arcuate. In the CIS, only the second type can be found; the first is practically not common. Lamellar is a plate, narrow and thin, into which a tongue is inserted, right in the middle. It is less popular because it is an eastern, Vietnamese variety, where it is called “dan moi”.
The arched harp is found both in Russia and in European countries. This is a bent wire, a base into which a tongue is inserted, which has a special hook at the end for ease of play. Otherwise, such a tool is called an arc or forged one. There are jew's harps that have several reeds, first of all it is worth mentioning the Chinese - "Kosuyan" and the Yakut "ikki".
Let's try to list the ethnic harps:
- Cambodian (Angkut);
- Altai (komus);
- Bashkir;
- Tatar (kubyz);
- Belorussian;
- Nepali (murchunga);
- Hungarian (dormb);
- Russian (zubanka), etc.
Jew's harp design
The design of the jew's harp is extremely simple. This is probably why it is called the simplest, most primitive instrument. A forged body and a tongue fixed in it, which is pulled back by hand so that it begins to vibrate. In wind harmonicas there is a similar principle, but there the reed is bent by passing an air flow through it. Of course, each type of ethnic body has its own design features, this ultimately affects the sound - it can be both “heavy” and very “thin”. Some professionals can recognize certain types of jew's harps by ear.
Sound
Despite its design simplicity, Jew's harp has a unique sound, while to many it seems unnatural, computer-generated, electronic. The instrument is considered self-sounding. Perform traditional melodies on it, as well as some dance rhythms that were used to create a ritual atmosphere in ancient times. Now these vibrating sounds have been studied and researchers note that the jaw's harp has a rich timbre and range of sound production, with a range of frequencies from the lowest to the highest 16-20,000 Hz. Now in many countries of the world there is a revival of this instrument; it is included in all kinds of ethnic music ensembles, and is also used as a percussion addition.
There are precedents for using the jew's harp as a solo instrument. The jaw harp is inexpensive, so everyone can afford to have this simple device at home. The sound is produced using the hand, and the instrument is secured in the mouth. There are many various techniques that allow you to achieve amazing results. The specific sound of the jew's harp is highly valued nowadays, but it cannot be customized or changed; for this you need to use other materials for the body and reed. In general, the instrument deserves the highest praise, and is rightly called “the progenitor of all musical instruments.” On the Internet you can find many training videos for beginners that will give you the basics for a primitive game.
You can
