Eastern and Western free reed instruments: Acoustics, history, and culture

There are two families of free reed instruments. Mouth‐blown instruments employing free reeds coupled to pipe resonators have been used throughout East and Southeast Asia since ancient times. The sheng, sho, khaen, and bawu are typical examples. Details of the origin and development of these instruments are not known, but are closely connected with the history and prehistory of a multitude of ethnic groups. The instruments of the Western free reed family are of modern origin, originating in Europe around 200 years ago. These include the reed organ, harmonium, harmonica, and the accordion-concertina family. This paper explores significant differences in the acoustical design of the two groups of instruments and surveys historical developments of each, including examples of possible connections and influences between the two families. Interesting developments involving the two families of free reed instruments occurred as elements of their original musical cultures became mixed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.