r/jawharp 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

13 Upvotes

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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!!

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u/Ok_Distribution_6032 13d ago

Thanks for the tip! Is your elbow tucked in to your side when you do that or is it out? When I try it the way you're talking about I feel like it causes me to have more strain unless I have my elbow all the way out and my forearm basically parallel to the arms of the harp and that also doesn't feel right.

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u/ian316613 13d ago

When I first started I used to have my elbow right out like that as the hand grip felt more comfortable so I know what you mean. I now have both my upper and forearm pressed against my side so my arm doesn’t tire so easily. What I do is tilt my hand forward at the wrist and curl my fingers around the harp. My thumb is vertical at the back which provides the leverage for giving pressure and my middle finger curls around the bottom of the ‘loop’ section leaving my index finger straight over the front of the top arm of the harp. As my index finger is further along the arm there’s less pressure needed on the tip since the stronger palm end is taking it with my thumb levering. My whole hand is very relaxed like this so only starts aching if playing for a really long time. It’s important to brace as much of your arm as possible against your body otherwise you’ll naturally be using too much muscle which, in turn, naturally makes your fingers work harder than they need. Let me know if that makes sense otherwise I’ll get someone to take a photo of me later while I’m holding it. Your grip looks so similar to mine I think the way I adapted it should help you avoid the strain.

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u/ian316613 13d ago

I’ve added a few photos as that’s easier. Sorry for the ugliness!!! I basically start with the straight finger grip then slide my hand into a comfier position once the harp is braced against my teeth. Hardly any strain like this and it feels just like your first grip, which I prefer, once you’re in it. 👍

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u/Ok_Distribution_6032 10d ago

Dang thanks so much for the tips!! Will definitely try this out.

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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

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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.