A Simple Stringed Instrument....

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Hello, all - today, I'd like to share a bit of my Native American culture with you.

Let's make an interesting, and easy-to-put-together musical instrument, used by many tribes in America.... the mouth bow.

Take any kind of wood branch - not too green, as you don't want it to be too easily bent, and not too dead, as you don't want it to be too easily broken - and make it about the length of your arm. If you've got any whittling skills, that helps - smooth out all the rough spots, until you get a good, straight (within reason) stick. Willow is particularly very good for this.

Now, take some string - some like nylon because it makes a nice sound - I like to use natural fibers.... sinew, or artificial sinew (made from natural fibers) is best, in my humble opinion. Some people like to use hemp cord - I like that stuff too - but give it a good rub-down with some bee's wax.

Tie one end tightly around one end of your stick, and then, carefully bending the stick, tie the other end of the string around the other end of the stick - it should look like a bow when you're done.

That is pretty much all there is to this instrument's construction, besides decoration - but how to play it?

Well, you place one end of the stick in your mouth, firmly grasping it on the stick's end with your teeth. See to it that the string is untouched by any part of your mouth (biting onto the part that's wrapped around the stick is fine), so that you do not interfere with the string's vibration. Hold the other end of the bow with one hand, and with the other hand, pluck the string - you might even use a guitar pick, a smoothed down piece of bone, or a flat chip of rock, or whatever.

Now, this here operates along the same lines as a jaw harp - you know, those twangy ol' thangs that we often hear cowboys play with on those old western shows? The shape of your mouth, and changing the shape, changes the sound this makes, much in the same way as the good-old jaw harp. Also, opening and closing the throat changes the volume and depth. Finally, with the hand that holds the other end of the bow, by increasing or decreasing the bend in the bow, you change the pitch and tone of this wonderfully versatile little stringed instrument.

To decorate and personalize your mouth bow, wrap with leather string, tie on some colourful feathers and/or claws, bone hairpipe beads, beads of other types, painting, woodburning, or even whittling - but see to it that you do not cut too far into the body of the instrument, or it will snap to pieces.... any whittling should well be done before you bend the bow for tying on the string - you may also decide to keep any whittling to just the bark layer, creating patterns and designs in that way.

A well made mouth bow can be a beauteous piece of artwork indeed - and a functional one to boot - it makes music. A good one is one you'll keep for a very, very long time. Great at pow-wows or camping trips, and around a campfire. Have fun with it.

That's it for today's post, everyone - have a good night! ^_^

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