Play That Funky Music...

Next to a good meal, nothing makes a stay in the outdoors more enjoyable than music — especially if you’re making it yourself. I like to take some kind of instrument with me on trips, usually either my guitar or harmonica. But now I have a new one: a mouth harp.

I was at a rummage sale when I spotted it. At first, I thought it was a blanket pin I could use with my wool blanket as a cloak or wrap. But on closer inspection, I realized it was a mouth harp, and I was over the moon with excitement. I had seen these in movies, knew they existed, and had always wanted one. Well, here was my opportunity! I snatched it up before anyone else could and paid the man.

The history of the mouth harp is about as simple as the instrument itself. Versions of it appeared nearly 4,000 years ago in China before eventually making their way into Western Europe by the late 1400s, and later into North America during the Fur Trade era. Used as trade goods, they found their way into the hands of Indigenous peoples, soldiers, trappers, and colonists alike. Their small size and ease of use made them a perfect addition to a possibles pouch or coat pocket.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first: you do not hold it between your teeth — you hold it against your teeth. The mouth harp uses your mouth as a resonant chamber. By placing the frame gently against your teeth, slightly opening your jaw, and plucking the metal reed, vibrations travel into your mouth and back out again. The tone changes depending on the shape and volume of your mouth. By moving your tongue and changing the shape of your mouth, you can create surprisingly beautiful music.

With this versatile little tune maker, you can either be the center of attention or quietly play along with others. As long as you understand the tempo of a tune and have a feel for the note range, you can play almost anything.

Personally, I’ve been working on cowboy tunes and old hymns. I can do a pretty respectable Home on the Range and Amazing Grace! The whole idea is to have fun, learn something new, and enrich your experience in the outdoors.

Imagine sitting around a campfire as the evening rolls in… the fire crackling while the soft old sounds of the mouth harp fill the air.

Ahhh… music to the ears!