Also called Jews Harp, murchunga, or many other names, the jaw harp is thought to be one of the oldest musical instruments in the world a musician apparently playing it can be seen in a Chinese drawing from the 3rd century BC.
It is categorized as either a lamellophone , or an aerophone, and consists of a flexible metal or bamboo tongue or reed attached to a frame.
To play the jaw harp, the reed is placed in the performer's mouth and plucked with the finger to produce a note. The frame is held firmly against the performer's parted front teeth, using the jaw and mouth as a resonator, greatly increasing the volume of the instrument. The volume of the note can be varied by breathing in and out.
