Not so simple
The harmonica is a young instrument, first coming into the world in Germany in 1812. Even more recently, it has expanded out into various kinds of harmonica, including chromatic, chord, and bass. Chuang says that the harmonica is light and easily portable, which are both strengths and weaknesses. “Harmonicas might be easy to play, but they’re quite quiet and there’s no resonance, which makes it hard to make them sound really nice.”
He also jokes that it’s an instrument very susceptible to the climate. The chromatic harmonica, for example, isn’t particularly easy to drain water out of, so that when it gets cold, the condensation tends to accumulate, blocking airflow and all but silencing the instrument. Before performing, he uses all kinds of measures to warm the harmonica up, from heaters and hair dryers to simply holding it tight and using body heat.
However, the difficulty of the harmonica is what makes it so appealing to many—the structural limitations of the instrument essentially make the player part of it. Li Jang, who has a special soft spot for the harmonica, excitedly comments, “Your mouth is the resonance chamber, so every player around the world produces a different sound, a sound that faithfully reflects the player’s own personality.” And while there isn’t really much in the way of music written specifically for harmonica, Lu I-chen, who has a foundation in piano, has spent a great deal of time exploring composition. On top of that, being so quiet, the harmonica needs the help of a sound system to amplify it, but most sound engineers aren’t very familiar with the instrument. Chuang has done intense study into the sound systems and technologies best suited to getting the most powerful sound from little harmonicas. The group take their own equipment to performances, as well as having their own recording studio in a small workshop on Jilin Road, Taipei.
Li Jang, meanwhile, went from knowing nothing about musical staves to becoming the group’s composer, writing their pieces “Oasis,” “Labyrinth,” and “The Map Painter.” The decision to form a quintet came because “adding one more person changed everything. Starting with four higher-pitched instruments, we added a rhythm instrument, and that let us produce more rigorously complete music. It opened up some new possibilities, and made both performing and writing more challenging and more fun!”
Li Jang, Chuang Chu-ti, Yang Chih-hui, Lu I-chen, and Lin Ying-chih (left to right) play a song in the relaxed atmosphere of their band office. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)