Playing Mouth Harp

1. Finding the Centre

The mouth harp is an instrument of alignment — a wonderful tool to bring mind, body, spirit and heart together. Through the language of the heart and the song of the body, one learns to connect, to express, to enjoy life — to find meaning and direction, and to create harmony.

While sitting in an upright posture, the mouth harp or jaw harp is held in place between the teeth and lips. A finger is used to elicit the one note of the instrument. This one note can be given diverse expressions by combining strumming, plucking and breath.

Breath is the most important part of playing a mouth harp. One keeps the awareness on the Inhale and Exhale at all times. Correct Posture or Sitting Straight is key. It is an instrument of Meditation and Pranayama. Its simple acoustics lead one into a journey within. It can further open one to many different areas of our awareness when played with a balanced mind and heart. The focus stays on the inhalation and exhalation at all times, and these are synchronised to deliver the tempo and rhythm.

Some mouth harps are designed to be played on the teeth and some on the lips.

The Five Steps

Drinking Water . Singing and Chanting . Pranayama Exercise . Ninja Ring - Acupressure . Feel the physical centre of your body . Feel the heartbeat, pulse, rhythms . Feel the directions . Keep Smiling

Always be aware to play keeping the back straight

2. Posture

3. Breath

Always breathe through the mouth . Be aware of every Inhale and Exhale . Breath Exercises (Full Deep, Abdominal, Beak Breath)

4. Grip with observation

Traditional ways to hold . Modernised ways to hold

5. Plucking Techniques

Traditional ways to pluck . Double plucking

what will
you learn ?

5 Steps ~>

Learning from Varun Lulla

Style

History & Culture

Design

Workshops and lessons focus on connecting sound with breath. Once this is established playing ‘freestyle’ is encouraged to gain comfort levels and mastery. Folk and classical music styles from around India will be touched upon.

Participants will be exposed to knowledge and various findings from India and across the world connected with the instrument.

The Morchang has been used cross culturally to train animals and birds. For instance, players in Siberia and Mongolia use the instrument to communicate with horses and eagles. Participants may therefore even experiment with playing in the presence of horses, elephants and bison.

Training & Communication with Animals

The design of this unique instrument varies according to country and cultures around the world. Even within these, you can find local differences! Design shapes can be round, triangular or straight. Design elements can include lizards, fish, dragons and more.

Varun Lulla has a lot of care and reverence for the moorchunga. Therefore it is truly a unique and special experience for anyone who learns from him. He is patient and methodical, having developed a five-step program to make it easy for anyone to pick up the basics.

Exercise

Try this out! Feel the heartbeat in everything! Watch everything breathe!

(Do not shoot in the dark, Aim! Aim Hight!)

Aim: See oneness in all directions and is be grateful for it.

Alignment - Centering Exercise and Shortcut Reminder!

1st is Observation, Just to allow ourselves to observe.

2nd from observation comes Awareness, just to notice everything,

3rd from this noticing everything, we develop appreciation

4th Appreciation brings us into a positive vibration,

5th which brings us to oneness.

5th Oneness brings us to gratitude.

6th Brings us to empathy.

Discover the Transformative Power of Sound

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Discover the Transformative Power of Sound

We are occasionally providing Sound Sensitization and Healing sessions for people of all ages with learning disabilities (children and seniors with special needs).

Besides private one-to-one sessions, workshops have been conducted at the Yantra Healing Festival in Mumbai, at The World Mouth Harp Festival in Goa and at the Matheran Green Festival. Sessions are tailored for individuals and groups ranging from music lovers to corporate clients to children.

Sound Sensitization and
Sound Healing

Led by Varun Lulla and guest collaborators, our sessions blend traditional wisdom with contemporary learning. From ancient instruments such as the Morchang, Kalimba and Sullur to modern instruments including Guitar and Keyboard, participants are guided through engaging, hands-on learning that nurtures both technical skill and personal growth.

Align yourself

Music and The Human Body

Our human body responds to the frequencies of sounds. Playing and listening to specific patterns of notes can bring about a change in our body’s vibrational frequencies. Therefore, when we feel like we are ill or generally not feeling in harmony within ourselves, we can use musical instruments to ‘fine-tune’ ourselves. The workshops will bring about an awareness of a system of knowledge that correlates musical notes for each body centre.

The mouth harp is a breath instrument. Through the breath, we return to ourselves — to our own heartbeat. Together with the instrument, we merge with the rhythm within. Finding our inner sound, carried by the heartbeat, can take us to the rhythm divine — beyond ourselves, and yet, ironically, to a place entirely familiar. The place of source. The unstuck sound. The place where it all began. Back to the body, where mind, spirit and heart dance together, where all the senses meet, and all worlds become one.

Music and The Human Body

Our human body responds to the frequencies of sounds. Playing and listening to specific patterns of notes can bring about a change in our body’s vibrational frequencies. Therefore, when we feel like we are ill or generally not feeling in harmony within ourselves, we can use musical instruments to ‘fine-tune’ ourselves. The workshops will bring about an awareness of a system of knowledge that correlates musical notes for each body centre.

Workshops Gallery