日本同人社团
About KENBAN-Harmonica
"KENBAN" means a keyboard in Japanese. And "KENBAN-Harmonica" means the keyboard-harmonica in directry transration. Because of no correct word in English, this instrument calls each product name. In this website, I call it "KENBAN-Harmonica".
History
This instrument is so young, but here are some different opinion about the root. A point of view as a musical instrument in Japanese music education, a wind instrument with free-reed and a keyboard is made by Suzuki Musical Inst.MFG. Co.,Ltd. in 1961.
According to a website "What a Wonderful KENBAN-Harmonica World", it can be asked for a "Clavietta" in Itary.
In Japan, no one can be an adult without blowing this instrument in a primary school.
Charactoristics
The sound, lower sound is like the accordion, higher sound is like the soprano sax.. This instrument has some differert way to hold. Some kinds of mouthpiece can be changed, by changing it can decide a style of playing. Almost all package of KENBAN-Harmonica has 2 kind s of mouthpiece. One is a long pipe to play on a table, and another is short one to play standing.
Mechanizm
It is quite similar as the harmonica and the accordion. By vibrating some "free-reed", a thin metal plate, this instrument can make sounds. The difference from harmonica is that all sound makes by blowing (not drowing) and that a note is decided by a key.
This instrument can make loud sounds because it has a system to transform breath into sound perfectry. And also a keyboard is easy to decide a correct note.
A free-reed is on some pieces of a "reed plate". And free-reeds are on the back of keys. When you push some key, it means you opened the way of breath to make sound, and by browing you can make sounds.
Almost all parts can be divided by screw, you can devide them by a plus screwdriver.
Water is drown by opening the water valve like the brass instruments.