Why won’t my Jaw Harp make any Noise? 

I don’t know how I ended up here, but here I am.

So, not technically a "Snoopy" but probably just repackaged as a different brand I really started to wonder why I wasn't progressing at all after almost two years with it. I watched this one and had a $40 Glazyrin Samurai shipped to me the next day. And yeah... That's no joke. I could hear it instantly in my head the first time plucking the reed. So, I gotta say dude... just for that alone. Thank you.

Snoopy harps are a plague upon the instrument. Great alternatives in this video, great job!

The faces you make when playing tells me you know lots of things I don't

Legit just bought this a few days ago and this video popped up on my recommended. Explains a lot now

If dollars weren't so god damn expensive I would buy any of those harps.

I received my Snoopy Harp as a gift from my wife. She knows I'm a huge Snoopy & Charlie Brown fan. True love, that wife.

I bought a really cheap harp at a general store a week or two ago and I've had a lot of fun with it but it's definitely not very good. It came in very different packaging but looks identical and is also extremely quiet and has a narrow range. I'm glad it's not just me that can't play loudly.

I was about to buy a Snoopy and thankfully stumbled across your channel. My childhood memory of trying to play the harp was plagued with these same issues but the sound brought me back for another go. I expect this time around to be more successful and look forward to the Ghorka arriving. Thanks so much for the information.

Thank you so much for this video! That evil Snoopy harp almost made me completely give up on playing jaw harp entirely. Now I have a wonderful Small Morchang from your website and it is so much fun!!! My toddler loves it and I think we will be getting further into the hobby in the future. If it weren't for this video, I would have completely missed out on these fun instruments.

I bought a very similar one a few years ago, eventually gave up on jaw harp altogether as I was convinced I just couldn’t play. Last year I got a Potkin harp, and couldn’t believe the difference. Now I’m completely hooked, got my next one on the way as we speak. That cheap amazon harp almost stopped me from playing altogether.

This explains why my dad and I haven't managed to get quality sound from our own cheap Snoopy harp-like imitation since it showed up 20 years ago. Time for an upgrade soon. Thanks for the clip mate, cheers 🤙

First try on it sounded like 1st few notes of Prodigy Firestarter intro, lol😆. Weird Just got my Glazyrin Ascetic from you guys & I love it. Thank you so much🤙

Your comparison brought memory when I learned to type. Half the class got the new electric IBM's and the rest of us got the real old fashioned manuals. When the semester reached halfway, we switched. At first it was like switching from a mini bike to a dirt bike. I couldn't believe the power. I had to develop a light touch. And now today I use a stylus. Speed not as fast but do ok. Accuracy is the problem with cell phone screens for typing.

I saw and bought a Snoopy harp at a pawn shop a couple of weeks ago. After repeatedly failing to get sound and damn near breaking my teeth for like the tenth time I got frustrated and literally just bent the tongue over 90 degrees and threw it in the garbage. After a couple minutes I decided I shouldn't throw $5 away so easy and bent it back roughly to its original position. Somehow that kinda fixed it and I got a little bit of sound when I breathed real heavily while plucking. Then I noticed in someone else's tutorial they were gripping the hell out of their harp, so I did the same and that really helped by squeezing the huge gaps tighter. I actually did order the gold one you showed at the end yesterday though. Just gotta wait for shipping and deal with my half busted Snoopy until then now.

I got spoiled with the $70 to $140 jaw harps and then tried the cheaper harps $30 range and wow what a difference but learning on the cheaper harps might actually force you to develop better skills because they are less forgiving with their reeds being more flexible. But it is kind of cool switching between them because you begin to appreciate how the harps are so different and there are things you can do with the smaller/cheaper harps that just aren't possible with the larger ones. I suspect that collecting jaw harps could easily turn into an addiction. I also took your advice and purchased quite a few of the harps you suggested in another video that ought to be arriving within the next week or two (various Ghorka and Drymba). I'm already a big fan of the Glazyrin style of harps which is what I started playing on. Unfortunately some of the harps you had suggested are sold out so I tried to pick something close to your suggestions, either going higher or lower with their pitch, larger or smaller in size, and in some cases going from steel (sold out) to brass (still in stock). I might have to try out some of the Indian jaw harps after watching you play one of them in this video. I'm even giving the Clackamore a try which sounds super cool. Ok I'm totally Jaw Harp Crazy...having a blast and I love watching your videos, please keep them coming.

Finally, somebody who understands the science of the jaw harp. I used to buy smaller, more delicate ones and then customize them for maximum sound quality. Try some Les Paul-style licks (How High the Moon). So much potential!

Thank you! Found an old harp that I got as a kid, like 45 years ago maybe. It's definitely the Snoopy or one of similar low quality. We never could figure out how to play it, and now I know why. Because it sucks! LOL

Jamie man your thumbnail and seeing the title just made my day brother..That snoopy harp has ruined so many people's hopes, teeth and ideas of what they think a real harp is supposed to be for too many years. Buy a real harp ya'll this is the man to talk too

I'm just about to get a new jaw harp for Christmas. I was planning on getting a Snoopy harp but thanks to this video, I'm getting a Glazyrin Lighthouse instead.

The snoopy harp was my first ever one, loved it, not very good but loved it

The first harp I bought was the snoopy jaw harp. Then in a couple of months the hobby lobby one. Then I saw this video so I bought the compass and then the paval potkin. No regrets.

I remember learning how to play the jaw harp when I was a kid. At least I could get a sound. I recently bought my daughter the Snoopy harp and couldn’t produce a sound. I thought it was just me!

Got that one or one similar from cracker barrel. Didnt do anything besides bloody my lips trying to every imaginable method to make noise. Always just assumed I was an idiot. Picked one up off of Amazon recommended... holy crap what a difference. Thanks!

I've been playing my snoopy harp for years now and I love it haha. I gotta finally upgrade. Never had any problems with it. Couldn't get sound for about 30 minutes, then I figured it out

so i found basically the snoopy jaw harp repackaged in a gift store at a museum and it makes three noises "bing" "bong" and "louder" if i breath on it

Found this video specifically because I bought a snoopy harp at my local music store and wanted to know why I couldn't make it work Good thing I kept the receipt

I got my harp earlier today and found this video while looking for tutorials. I wasn't making any progress, and my heart dropped when you showed the harp on screen and it was the exact same one I have but rebranded as a "Real Bluegrass Jaw Harp." It has a picture of a cowboy playing it on the front in red and blue ink. I'm only 13 and I'm lucky that I found out it was fake this early on will hopefully get it refunded. Thank you, man. You saved me a lot of disappointment.

I own one of these awful things...my instrument is harmonica but I love the jaw harp. It was gifted to me. I’m planning on upgrading soon as I’m sick of knocking my teeth and getting headaches.

Few things are more painful than when that middle bar slaps a tooth.

Gday Jamie , great vid mate , here in Oz I bought what was labeled a blues harp made in Illinois USA , it only cost me $13 but looks identical to the Snoopy Harp , I’m definitely only a beginner but can’t get any sound from it , the gaps are huge and yes the reef is off to one side , think I’ll hang it somewhere and buy a Gohka tailless from you ASAP , cheers looking forward to ya live stream tomorrow 👌🏼

I got my first it was on sale for like $7.75 on Amazon saving like 8 something. It's built like the Snoopy I would say. It has that little bend and it's thick but I was able to manipulate iby placing my fingers certain way.. I was able to get a decent amount of noise out of it but it's not very loud. I wish I could pluck with two fingers like you were. Took me about an hour and was able to get different variations of sound and some what do the a i o u . I could just send it back but like a challenge and I don't think you're supposed to be able to just pick one of these up and start jamn

Wish I had researched this and watched your video before wasting my money on this a week ago lol.

A Snoopy Harp is how I chipped a tooth, and I swore to never play Jaw Harp again... 20 years later I've gotten over my fear of chipping teeth and invested in a few Glazryins and have been having a blast - more importantly, I've been more careful and haven't slipped and chipped a tooth yet.

I accidentally set this to 2x speed at one point and it is the funniest thing I've ever seen

I noticed a similar sound issue from the jaw harp I inherited, and it has large gaps so it's pretty muted like the Snoopy. I also noticed that the breathwork is much more airy on the snoopy, like a weakly played flute. However I suspect mine might be handmade by my great granddad, so i'm holding onto it. Either way thank you for the demonstration and recommendations, it's nice to hear an instrument before buying.

Yeah, i got a re-packed Snoopy in my stocking, without really knowing how they work i started bending the frame in towards the reed not much better. Just ordered one from the harpery with case to see for myself the real difference in quality.

I don't see the rekha hybrid marching on your site - I'm obsessed with the sound and would like to purchase! Can you advise?

I just bought my first and it sounds pretty good it's loud enough for me it has a ks stamp in it I think I'd the brand maybe it's had but it's sound is strong and not full of muted

Snoopy is pretty much the reason I even bought this thing. They shouldn't be allowed to use snoopy on the box for their crappy harp.

I love that's one which has Deep vibration you were saying not saving teeth hope you get...what's the name of that model ??

Dang, all sold out. Will you be restocking. (The one I have is a Snoopy-as you describe.)

Growing up before modern day tech we followed fads. Each new school term would have a new fad. First came remote controlled cars, then pen watches followed by digital watches along with stunt kites. Digital watches that beeped on the hour soon followed. Then Radio controlled cars and Donkey Kong game and watches along with PacMan and Casio VLtone. Then one school term came along and everyone was into Redicut rugs and jews harps. I now know they're called Jaw harps. I live and learn.

I have a Trophy Music Co. "Classics". It appears to be exactly like the Snoopy. I can't get much out of it at all.

Hi i am from blue grass and my name is ariel you gave me that jaw harp and i want to say thank you

I always put mail in my mouth. Before my dog does

I always wondered what that instrument was, finally found out a few years ago, and saw one in a shop today. Totally bummed it makes basically zero noise. Do i bend it so the frame is closer to the tongue?

Hey! Do you know how a guy can get a Chancellor these days? It looks like Mark isn't managing the site anymore and I cant figure out where to source one reliably! Thanks!

Yea this is unfortunate, I was only interested in learning harp because I was given one of these as a gift and was hoping to make use of it

I saw this video here and I was like, damn must be a crap jaw harp if it does that, so I clicked the video and he pulled out exactly what I had 🙃

OK's so I kinda wish I saw this vid 1st BUT I did get that same one but called a different thing but same design and such. My tip to make the sound is squeeze the harp together slightly to close the gap between the reed

Ah , turns out I'm just shit woth my one😂

I have a good Russian made khumus that sounds great, but I do have a cheap one my Dad gave me when I was a kid. I love it because he gave it to me, but it plays poorly. Is there a way to fix this?

My tailed indian morchang wasn't making much noise, until by the end of this video, observing your motions I got it sounding much louder! Does having a long moustache effect the playability?

After commenting on that last video I think I found my problem. That crappy harp looks just like mine

I was playing along, and I chipped my tooth

I have a small harp from Amazon and it works real well. However, I have had a larger brass one for years….”Made In England” and cannot get a sound out of it. It gives a quiet dull hum but nothing like a Jews harp sound. Is it me or the harp?

I bought one similar too that, it came in the male with a bent frame and bent reed. Grabbed a pair of pliers and five minutes later I have sound again

He says Pavel Potkin harp 5:30. But the youtube text generated Powell pokemon. Which is bad, because you would have to catch them all.

I have a Morchang from Rajasthan, Mohanlal ji lohar made especially for me. I saw you have one in your collection too. I've been seeing a lot of your tutorials for practice. But I'm stuck on a few sounds. Can you help with a video on basic mouth, throat exercises or other little things that can help me work on the variety of sounds, break down the complex sounds you do and compose a rhythm. Maybe it's too much I'm asking for. But letme know if you can help, please :)

I should be tidying my room

As a jaw harp player for around like 5 ya ears now(sorry I haven’t featured much of it on my channel) I kinda got the snoopy one to work. But you are right. They suck

You can sdd a card to a video only after its uploaded. So now that youu're video is posted you can add that card to it in RU-vid Studio.

I actually have that one and mine works just fine

Okay, mystery solved! I got my harp from a historical site gift shop (not saying which, they don't deserve any hate), and I couldn't get it to work. Check some of your videos, and the INSTANT you pulled it out of the box, I recognized it immediately! So, yeah, $5 gift shop jaw harp. Maybe not the smartest choice. Teeth are still hurting. What would you recommend for a beginner? Edit: Ignore that last bit, JUST found your top 5 beginner jaw harps video!

My friend gave me theirs and I just thought I was doing it wrong

So many of the beginners harps are sold out on the site! I really wanted a harp that came with a case and had to go with the pavel potkin which is fine but not what I really wanted. Hopefully you'll restock soon.

The snoopy harp sounds like a didgeridoo

just ordered one for 35 supposed to have a deeper tone gonna get zooted n try to learn🤣 i’ve been wanting to ever since one of my favorite skaters started doing videos on it!

How does he get the double sounds?

Bought the Snoopy Harp's cousin - The Trophy Blue Grass Jaw Harp. As with the Snoopy Harp, very stiff and very quiet. No fun at all. Then I discovered your RU-vid videos and soon purchased a Potkin standard from The Harpery. Lots of fun, but what to do with the Blue Grass harp? After watching your video on constructing a harp, I used some of your techniques to modify the Blue Grass harp. I used a Dremel with 80 grit to thin the reed and polished it with 400 grit. I narrowed the gap and polished the inside edges to refine and even the gap out. I also tightened the connection where the reed joins the harp. End result, the reed is more responsive and the sound, while still softer than the Potkin is much improved (and bassy). Not great, but good and better than throwing $8.50 into the garbage.

What harp do you recommend for someone who is a beginner, but wants to buy one a little more quality that will last a long time and won't need to be replaced as the player advances in skill?

THANX

I don’t see any place on the Harpery to ask for a morchang to be tuned to g2

what about the blue grass one

So the one I got is essentially like the snoopy. I have to breath so hard to get sound that seems all you hear. I saw your web link but there’s lot to choose from. What’s a good beginner one that has a good ol blue grass sound?!

Mine works so well and it’s a snoopy

hi,I've started to play my "snoopy" jaw harp a lot recently and always thought that the sound was off,now where I live I can't buy nor order one as shipping here is too expensive and the country I live in is pretty poor,most people don't know what a jaw harp is and refer to it as to a thing they heard in an old movie,my sad question is,is there any way I can tune my harp to have a better noise because I'm playing this one for about 2 months and can't have any advance with with...I don't want to break it,even thought about making one myself,but again I'm not sure about those details and stuff so that info would really be good from someone who's an expert with them,thanks in advance :)

If I squeeze the rounded bits of this snoopy together in a vice and take out some of the gaps, do you think it'll work.. Or shall I hang it on a wall hook and buy a better beginner's twanger...

I busted my tooth on a snoopy today 😂

t.h.x. also for this Vid from you:-) now im known who i play a jaw harp.-) tongue and breath in and out? Right?.-))

Hi there! I'm willing to buy a Glyzrin beginner harp on the Harpery site. Will it ship to Canada Quebec?

Any solutions to making the Snoopy Harp actually resonate? Mine produces none what so ever not even a little.

So if you slightly squeeze/ crimp that end part together, better results?

Its a first note fn160 i have one got it as my first one to actually play it you put the back of the frame to your teeth i modified mine after the first 5 muinuits and i closed those gaps up i centered the reed and it really loudend and livened it up it also made it more responsive to breathing the stiffness isnt quite a problem for me but i do wish they were looser

I bought my first jaw harp yesterday and its a repackaged Snoopy by the look of it.. The description you gave fits this one perfectly.. I can hardly get any sound out of it (although Ive only just started and after a couple of hours later- still nothing..) The gap between the reed and the frame differs from 1mm to almost 3mm.. I take it thats too wide.. What would you or anyone else suggest as a good beginners harp???

So is it normal that I've only been playing less than a day and get really good noise out of the Snoopy harp

Sorry but he started playing and I thought Australia was starting to invade

what is the best jaw harp for someone with a small mouth. the one i have i cant play because its just a little to wide for me. i have a Grover it kinda looks the the snoopy harp a bit

I’ve recently purchased a “Snoopy” Jaw harp at a market stall in the French Quarter. I’ve watched this, and many other Jaw Harp tutorials countless times and any time I attempted to play, I can’t make any noise. I pluck the harp with it placed against my teeth and I only receive a faint metal grinding sound. Please help. What am I doing wrong?

the one I bought as a kid was even worse, the schylling jaw harp. it looks identical and it doesn’t make any sound at all

I squeezed my $5 schylling jaw harp very lightly and it snapped.

I just want to know why my jaw herp broke 4 of me teeth with one swipe

Snoopy

Does the Ghorka Tailess and Rekha Hybrid have flexible reeds?

Of course my mom bought me the Snoopy one

Mine is not working right it’s not making any noise

I'm sure with some tweaking with some pliers I can fix the gaps and if not I'm out 5 bucks so I'm not really all that worried

yee haw

I have a Mauro jaw harp but I still can barely get a loud noise out of it why is that?