A reduced air leakage harmonica reed unit contains a reed plate and a plurality of reed sections. The plurality of reed sections is attached to the reed plate with a fastening mechanism and positioned within a body of the harmonica. The reed plate consists of a plate body and a plurality of receiving slots that traverse through the plate body. The plurality of receiving slots are aligned with a U-shaped channel from each of the plurality of reed sections. Thus, air that is drawn or blown travels through the U-shaped channel from the plurality of reed sections and through the plurality of receiving slots. Since the U-shaped channel is precisely cut, air leakage is minimized and high quality sound is produced by triggering a vibrating membrane.

A device includes two or more units, with each unit connected to one or more other units, each of which includes a cap, a tube coupled to the cap and a reed coupled to the tube. Each tube generates at least one sound frequency and can also include harmonics of that single frequency. Airflow through the body oscillates the reed to produce an audible tone from the device.

A wind instrument such as a harmonica has a mouthpiece with one or more air channels, an electric power source, and a means for generating an electrical output signal from strain gages exposed to airflow in the channels. First and second strain gages having variable flow-induced resistance are bonded to a flexible substrate and suspended within an air channel, which includes a divider shelf for directing a first airflow to the first strain gage and a second airflow to the second strain gage. Complimentary strain gages are mounted to an opposite side of the substrate for inverse flexure to enable temperature correction for the first and second strain gages. When a user forces air through a channel in a direction biased to one side of the divider shelf a difference signal is generated by the first and second strain gages and detected by comparing their outputs. The difference signal can be used to adjust a variable control signal in applications such as volume control, dimming lights, or bending notes generated by the harmonica.

A wind instrument such as a harmonica has a mouthpiece with one or more air channels, an electric power source, and a means for generating an electrical output signal from strain gages exposed to airflow in the channels. First and second strain gages having variable flow-induced resistance are bonded to a flexible substrate and suspended within an air channel, which includes a divider shelf for directing a first airflow to the first strain gage and a second airflow to the second strain gage. Complimentary strain gages are mounted to an opposite side of the substrate for inverse flexure to enable temperature correction for the first and second strain gages. When a user forces air through a channel in a direction biased to one side of the divider shelf a difference signal is generated by the first and second strain gages and detected by comparing their outputs. The difference signal can be used to adjust a variable control signal in applications such as volume control, dimming lights, or bending notes generated by the harmonica.

An attachment for a harmonica or a pulmonary harmonica may include a resistance band or modified comb which increases respiratory resistance from the typical open holes of harmonicas. The resistance band or modified comb may prevent a broken reed from being inhaled into the mouth.

A wind instrument such as a harmonica has a mouthpiece with one or more air channels, an electric power source, and a means for generating an electrical output signal from strain gages exposed to airflow in the channels. First and second strain gages having variable flow-induced resistance are bonded to a flexible substrate and suspended within an air channel, which includes a divider shelf for directing a first airflow to the first strain gage and a second airflow to the second strain gage. Complimentary strain gages are mounted to an opposite side of the substrate for inverse flexure to enable temperature correction for the first and second strain gages. When a user forces air through a channel in a direction biased to one side of the divider shelf a difference signal is generated by the first and second strain gages and detected by comparing their outputs. The difference signal can be used to adjust a variable control signal in applications such as volume control, dimming lights, or bending notes generated by the harmonica.

Accumulated saliva, other liquid and/or debris is removed from the interior of a harmonica by placing the harmonica in a carrier and twirling the carrier in an orbital path. The saliva, other liquid and/or debris is ejected from the holes or the harmonica by centrifugal force.

According to an embodiment, a reed for an aerophone, the reed including a plurality of plastic sheets laminated in a lamination direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the reed is provided, and an elastic modulus in the longitudinal direction of at least one plastic sheet of the plurality of plastic sheets is greater than an elastic modulus in a direction perpendicular to both the lamination direction and the longitudinal direction of the at least one plastic sheet.

A chromatic harmonica with reduced air leakage in which a flexible mouthpiece replaces the conventional rigid mouthpiece, and a low friction valve slide replaces the conventional valve slide, thereby allowing the low friction valve slide to move horizontally when played without binding, and which eliminates the need for a gap between the mouthpiece and valve slide through which air leaks. For the chromatic harmonica with a flexible mouthpiece to function properly, a new button configuration is added. The button is disposed in the rear portion of the chromatic harmonica. A bar is attached to the button at one end of the bar, and the other end of the bar inserts into an opening in the valve slide. The button further comprises a cylinder, around which a spring is disposed. The cylinder inserts inside of a hole on a side of the chromatic harmonica adjacent the rear.

A reduced air leakage harmonica reed unit contains a reed plate and a plurality of reed sections. The plurality of reed sections is attached to the reed plate with a fastening mechanism and positioned within a body of the harmonica. The reed plate consists of a plate body and a plurality of receiving slots that traverse through the plate body. The plurality of receiving slots are aligned with a U-shaped channel from each of the plurality of reed sections. Thus, air that is drawn or blown travels through the U-shaped channel from the plurality of reed sections and through the plurality of receiving slots. Since the U-shaped channel is precisely cut, air leakage is minimized and high quality sound is produced by triggering a vibrating membrane.