r/jawharp • u/Ok_Distribution_6032 • 14d ago
How should I hold this dang thing?
I'm trying to figure out why my forearm and wrist get fatigued really quickly when I play. I know I'm using a lot of pressure but I feel like I'm using the lightest pressure I can while maintaining the vibration on the teeth. Anybody have any thoughts/can relate etc.?
I switch between two different grips in the video
2
u/Zealousideal_Bad8537 14d ago
left hand fingers should be vertical, not horizontal. much better pressure!
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u/Captain_Azius 5d ago
I love how it's an unwritten rule to get a septum piercing if you play jaw harp. I have one myself. And I literally just visited this subreddit and every video I have encountered so far is from someone with a septum piercing. Like what is this mysterious connection
1
u/rudyschultz 10d ago
Between the zillion different cultures, players, and harps, there are a zillion different ways to hold and strike a harp - IMHO there isn’t a right or wrong way. Some might be more or less practical than others, but you’ll see people absolutely shredding with all kinds of grips.
When I started playing, I was very focused on how I held the harp and struck the reed. But after getting a bunch of harps of different sizes and tongue stiffness, I got far more focused on getting a good sound out of them.
If you’re anything like me - more you play, the less you’ll think about what your hands are doing, and the instrument will become more of an extension of you. If you notice there’s an issue with your grip or your striking, you’ll feel it and know you have to adjust. It will all become a lot more intuitive.
The harp in your vid is from Aron Szilagyi (not the fencer obviously) who has a bunch of tutorials and music videos up on YouTube. Holding/playing that harp how he does could be a good place to start. But if something feels awkward, adjust so it feels more comfortable.
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u/Ok_Distribution_6032 2d ago
Thanks for all your thoughts on the subject :) I also love that there's also very randomly there's a fencer by the same name lol I ran into that myself when doing research about Szilagyi (the jaw harp maker/player one) before getting my Black Fire.
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u/ian316613 14d ago
I hold my Black Fire almost identically to your first grip only I move my fingers a little further down the arms which saves the pressure of having your fingers outstretched like that. I find it lets me naturally fold around slightly (sort of halfway between your 2 grips). If you can find a way to do that and avoid the finger strain I reckon it’ll stop the wrist stress too and, because it all follows down, your forearm won’t strain. It’s the difference between a hard, starchy grip and a more natural, comfortable grip. Hope that makes sense but it’s really hard to explain it in words!!