Dan Moi - bass

Lips Jew's Harp from Vietnam. The Dan Moi is the traditional Jew's Harp of the Vietnamese mountain people H'mong.

This is the bigger sister of the Standard Dan Moi Jew's Harp. She is bigger and has a lower sound. She is further available in several clean tunings.

Hand-made by a small number of excellent local craftsmen, this brass instrument captivates even novices by being easily playable and having a brilliant sound, rich in overtones. Playing the Dan Moi Jew's Harp is effortless and enjoyable.

In contrast to other types of Jew's Harps, the Dan Moi must not be pressed against ones teeth to produce its full and warm sound. Rather, the instrument is gently rested against the player's lips with one hand while the other plucks the tip of the reed softly.

Moreover, the Dan Moi Jew's Harp affords players with an almost unlimited range of possibilities for the creation of sound effects since mouth and tongue are given considerably more freedom than with other types of Jew's Harps. For example, you may try a simple echo effect by temporarily and rhythmically removing the Dan Moi from your lips, or try a tremolo by moving the tip of your tongue inside your mouth while playing.

The Hmong craftsmen work the Dan Moi Jew's Harp so carefully that the slit between frame and reed is barely visible. This ensures a wide variety of sounds, especially in the high ranges.