Kouxian

The kouxian is a member of the plucked idiophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 121.2). Learn how it makes its sound and explore related instruments.

How the kouxian makes its sound

In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the kouxian belongs to the plucked idiophones (lamellophones): flexible tongues or lamellae are plucked – the mbira, kalimba, music box and jaw harp.

More broadly it is one of the idiophones, where the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.

Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.

From Wikipedia

Kouxian (Chinese: 口弦; pinyin: kǒuxián; lit. 'mouth string') is a general Chinese term for any variety of jaw harp. The jaw harp is a plucked idiophone in which the lamella is mounted in a small frame, and the player's open mouth serves as a resonance chamber.

Chinese jaw harps may comprise multiple idiophones that are lashed together at one end and spread in a fan formation. They may be made from bamboo or a metal alloy, such as brass. Modern kouxian with three or more idiophones might be tuned to the first few tones of the minor pentatonic scale.