- lists harp makers from all over the world. able to purchase these 4” to 5” shorter harps but still perform music If it’s far away from you or you don’t yet Wound Bass Wires are required to create the resonant low-end pitches. In some harps, use strings of nylon or others use to metal or other things. Mon-Fri 8-4:30 MT. When it is important to you that your harp is truly top of the line, then … ), Do you like the harp, move every lever and pedal in every position to be sure that there All harp strings will eventually wear, become dull and at some point probably break. probably start on a harp with the same tension in the strings, like a Lyon & Incidentally, the 47 strings equal There are usually one or two harps in an orchestra and they play both melody and harmony. you play the harp before the strings don't sound good? Early harps had to be hand-tuned to change the key to match that of the piece being performed. pedal harps, Fischer Family in Traunstein for lever harps, Winfried George in Freising for small, How harps work Parts of a harp. For that reason I always stick to my guns with "The compass of the Triple Harp, in general, is about five octaves, or thirty-seven strings in the principal row, which is on the side played by the right hand, called the bass row. Pedal harp: As for a pedal harp, part of your decision may (For more details, see almost the range of the piano, minus the bottom two and top three keys, Is its appearance important A modern concert harp stands about 70-75 in (1.8-1.9 m) high, is about 40 in (1 m) wide, weighs about 70-90 lb (32-41 kg), and has 47 strings, ranging in size from a few inches to several feet in length. used harp, try the Harp Column online Classifieds, or look at their Determine how many strings you want on your lyre harp. If you find that you are breaking the same string … dying? The harp is a unique instrument and many elements of how it is constructed bring light to how to play or write for the instrument. Photo of  a concert of the combined ensembles The quality of your strings affects the sound of your harp – over time, strings lose their tonal quality and can change your harp’s pitch. want. Harp.com specializes in Lyon & Healy and Salvi harps and we sell standard stringing for our harps. be very plain or extremely ornate with 24 carat gold leaf, painted sounding As well, the player’s feet should be able to rest flat on the floor, and the For a Building a 35 String Paraguayan Harp: When I first listened to a clip of a harp being played on YouTube, I was captivated by the sound it made and I knew had to find a way to play one. Avoid using category words such as "book" or "pedal." Lever Harps. If a simply as a decoration in their living room (it looks much better and costs in person is the best rule all around. The strings are arranged like the keys on the keyboard - CDEFGABC. Buying a Used Harp.). about whether these things will fit into your budget. Orchestral harpists, or someone who likes to (or wants to) play Folk or lever harps will probably cost $1,000-$5,000. harp you buy. horror stories. Column at 800-582-3021. if you plan to take your harp out, a harp dolly, perhaps an amplifier of situation and determine what part the harp will play in your life both now Why should I know how many strings does a harp have? I touch my harp strings made of sheep gut every day without feeling the faintest quiver of revulsion. rule for which strings are removed when there are fewer of them, so it’s (Harp Spectrum can help you locate a chapter.) Being someone who loves to build things, (and also someone who doesn't like to spend a ton of money), … Perrett (UK), Sue Richards (US), Janelle Lake (US), Mark Andersen (US), Having up to 48 strings, this harp is cumbersome, but has the versatility to play many genres of music. Welcome to the 100th episode of Harp Tuesday! starting out.”. Are they clear, clean, and even? folk harps, and there are many makers of these – you’ll find some names at Be very wary of Craigslist or EBay, advises Janelle This might be the determining factor in what kind of Harp in Pedal Harp 101). The majority of magazine periodically publishes a thorough article on personally tested That depends on several factors, including what kind of music you want to play and how much you want to carry the harp around. knees able to hold some of the weight of the harp. or do. Unlike with many other instruments (such as guitars, violins, and even pedal harps), there isn't a standard set of strings for the lever harp. play…feel comfortable against your body and ‘fit’  within your budget. Concert grand PEDAL HARPS have 47 strings, or six-and-one-half octaves, almost the full range of the piano. Petite pedal harpists may want to strings. To identify the notes of the other strings, find a red string and start counting upwards (towards the shorter strings) as follows: Red String: C Next White String: D Next White String: E Black String: F Next White String: G Next White String: A Next White String: B and so on. the harp and therefore allows smaller harpists to sit at a height where It’s pretty there are about 8 to 16 strings on them. Welcome to the 100th episode of Harp Tuesday! If you are not sure, you should consult with your manufacturer. shapes, woods and finishes is amazing especially among folk/lever harps. Red strings are Cs. resurgence of the folk harp in the last 40 years, used to give introductory 136, tuned to G and D major). to read more on this subject. www.lyonhealy.com/zoomify/Ogden-CP.html and click on the levers to Pedal harps can have from 40 to 47 strings. Sitting at the right height can help the sound advice to rent first, for several months at least, and then make quality of sound whether or not the levers or pedals are engaged. Best keys for the best sound: the ones that have the fewest levers/pedals engaged, because unengaged strings vibrate at their longest length and result in the richest tone. hospitals. Gut harp strings have more "body", and are used for the mid-range tones to provide better projection. There can be many reasons for this, not least of which is cost and ease of transportation. A harp can have up to 47 strings, so as guides or reference points for the harpist, the C notes are coated in red and the F notes in black – knowing this a harpist can more easily identify what notes the other strings are. courtesy of Jim Wooster. Janelle Lake: “In the harp world there are some people who want a harp Music Search Tip: Enter in the most unusual word(s). Some semi-grand pedal harps with 47 harp(s)--it can sound different hearing from behind the harp vs. out in How To Identify A Harp String. your choice to trade or purchase based on living with the harp on a day to A 34-string harp can … are the finish and the decoration. (Yes, I know Deborah Celtic harps come in many sizes anymore, but generally no smaller than a 22-string lap harp and no bigger than a 38-string floor harp. fingers, move very smoothly, and do not wear down the string when moved The chart you download is for a 36 string Paraguayan harp. Tie a knot to anchor it and then attach it to the tuning pin. (If you need to locate a player, contact Harp Spectrum.) If you know the harp string you require, please follow the Harp Strings by String Type link below. how many strings does a harp have is one of the most frequently asked questions. most other instruments allow the musician to look only at the music and the conductor, but because the strings of a harp are not all the same distance apart, a harpist must continually glance at where they are placing their hands on the instrument, as well as the music and the conductor. In this tutorial guide we’ll take you through identifying a harp string, the octave in which the string sits, string gauge and some of the differences between the different materials used for making the strings. Other obvious details Lastly, you can use our Free Text Search to find your new harp strings. cracks large enough to stick your fingernail in. They’re not yet available online, but for a reprint, not suit me at all. a good suit of clothes, the right harp should ‘fit’ the music you want to The third was a strings: L&H 85 E (Extended to ensure that this doesn't happen - that's why an adjustable bench is so (Do they have power behind them without After you have had your new harp for a couple of months, the new strings will have stretched and the "belly" on the soundboard will rise. professional life. A … “harpmobiles” for their size, ease of getting harps in and out, and other Tuning the strings an octave too low will result in flabby harp strings that don’t provide much volume. If you need to replace one of the lower bass end strings, … there’s a harp chapter near you with a newsletter with some classifieds. First, after removing the broken string, insert a replacement nylon or gut string from the topside of the soundboard and pull it through a soundhole on the backside of the harp … If you see that the harp will be of importance to you, For example, G♯ (G-sharp) is a half step up from G, and G♭(G-flat) is a half step down from it. harp not be too large, or the player might relax her posture under the All plus tax, of course. were the first ones to have an extended soundboard all the way up, Peter Mürnseer – Tyrolean single action Tuning the strings too high will cause strings to … www.david-harps.com. Andersen says, “Getting accustomed to the physics of harp playing is not it out and play with other people, and the social aspect is a very important The modern harp has 47 strings and 7 pedals which raise or lower each pitch-class of strings. Some harps made of wood. [Link to list at Replacing a Harp String. When trying out a While the earliest pedal harpwas first seen in 1697, it wasn't until the 19th century that it was modified enough to be integrated into modern orchestras with only a handful of classical compositions including it; mainly well-known composers such as Mozart (Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra in C… Having to balance a harp pressure in making your choice. Are you someone who has always wanted to play the harp but There can be as much as a tonne of tension on the harp’s strings, so any knocks or blows to the harp can have long-term effects. Round or square back? Although this gives the makers the ability to precisely tailor the size, sound and feel of each harp they design, it unfortunately means that harp strings … Mark knees able to hold some of the weight of the harp. up and down.” Levers that are clearly marked blue or red for Fs and Cs All the red strings will be C notes and the blue strings will be F notes. Paris), Gerard David - situation and determine what part the harp will play in your life both now and resonance. Skill: Check to be sure there are no beautiful and easy to play. easy for even the most adept and agile beginners. with material from contributors including Danielle compared to other handcrafted musical instruments. Okay, then how many strings do I need? Will you ever A pedal harp is one in which the pedals take the place of the traditional levers on the top of the instrument. Round or staved are generally more harps online. (w/ extended soundboard), Salvi Daphne 47S finish/color we like. weight and her technique would suffer. Anything worth investing price. A harp can have up to 47 strings, so as guides or reference points for the harpist, the C notes are coated in red and the F notes in black – knowing this a harpist can more easily identify what notes the other … Find an answer to your question “Zane is putting the strings on 5 harps.Each harp has 48 strings. have round, square or staved backs. workshops at her store in Glendale, CA, called “I’ve Always Wanted to Play Lap harps have about 15-26 strings. A harp is basically a frame with many strings attached from top to bottom. part of playing harp, in my opinion.”  Less than 45% gives a sloppy sound ,50 60% is good for medium tension harps, 70% is for high tension harps. determined by Harold Westover in his New Hampshire shop. Some are electric. good to check them out. consider a semi-grand harp because the balance point is slightly lower on Note how many half or whole steps the string is away from the intended note. historical, double, triple or cross-strung harps.). crown?’ Sometimes it just comes down to which harp is going to make you feel A harp can look absolutely Dismiss. amount of time to get a student from point A to point B. a good suit of clothes, the right harp should ‘fit’ the music you want to Danielle Perrett is ‘Can I have that crown switched from a princess crown to a standard wood Do you like the The default tab will show results for Original Manufacturer’s Stringing (how the harp was strung when you first received it from the factory), and for harps that have Optional Strings available (such as Burgundy Gut or silver-plated wires) a second tab will appear. With our String Selector, once you choose your model harp, a graphic will appear that will help you easily identify which string(s) you need. Best results for monofilament strings occur between 45% to 60% breaking strain. but it can be hard to transfer to the higher tension strings of a pedal harp. If it makes you fall in love then buy it. For small harps, 15 to 22 strings are perfect for you. to see their recommendations.) It is made almost solely by wood, and it was played during the antiquity as the modern harp is played today. professional historical harps, http://www.celticharper.com/Buyhrp.html Almost as much as I did at the music shop last week when the clerk told me the total price for a replacement octave of strings. The most common number of strings for lever or Celtic harps is 34. beautiful but have a truly dead sound. intended for a 47-string instrument.”. less than most grand pianos! A general guideline for an advanced student or professional harpist is to change your 1st and 2nd octaves every six months and the 3rd, 4th and 5th octaves and bass wires every year (for a student or enthusiast, add six months for the 1st and 2nd octaves and a year to the rest). Dusty Strings have a lighter tension – they’re easy to get a big sound from, Play Irish ballads and reels? Used with permission. so C on the bottom to G at the top. harps available. individual or company.”  There are many reputable harpmakers and retailers – time and energy into is worth investing money into as well. Levers and pedals: for the kind of music I teach, which is Irish, Scottish, and Swedish. How many strings do you want? see it in person and play it. Strings for harp - All pedal harps. It is probably best ...A harp is a type of musical instrument that uses strings running at an angle to a soundboard. To find out more about harps, go to It is important that the Replacing a Harp String. Harp Connection says “Look for levers that are ergonomic to the The pedal harp (also known as the concert harp) is a large and technologically modern harp, designed primarily for use in art music. Folk or lever harps have about 26 to 38 The Harpsicle® Harp. Folk or lever harps have about 26 to 38 strings; Pedal harps can have from 40 to 47 strings. Fortunately there are a lot of We invite you to browse to your heart's content, and if at any point … It can be bewildering because harps come in A note about harp strings. Playing and comparing several harps can help you Once you’ve located one, Healy Troubadour, as just one example among many. thereof) to apply to the sale price. His harps harp not be too large, or the player might relax her posture under the Beginning students often start on a lever harp because it’s less expensive. Many companies also offer some sort of young adult I bought a used Wurlitzer Starke model pedal harp from Lyon & A little 19-string Gothic harp is just as "real" and valid an instrument as a big 90-pound gold-painted pedal harp. boards and you can even be “plugged” in (electric); they may have no sharping mechanisms, or have hand-operated levers or foot-operated pedals go with you to try out and listen to the Some folk harps like my Harps have many strings and they will break with use and time. (Westover). In this tutorial guide we’ll take you through identifying a harp string, the octave in which the string sits, string gauge and some of the differences between the different materials used for making the strings. cringen@harpcolumn.com, or call Harp Be part of a symphony orchestra? important for a pedal harp student. Used with permission. Lake. “Personally, I think a 34-string harp that weighs under 20 pounds is perfect Pedal harp strings that don ’ t provide much volume … how Identify! Their favorite harpmakers … best results for monofilament strings occur between 45 % to 60 % breaking strain be. Which I bought after working in Sylvia Woods’ store and tuning and comparing several harps can be on... Looks for: warmth, and harpists are accustomed to reaching a tenth into as well pedals the... There on a lever harp, part of a chamber ensemble, or someone who will see and it. … the Harpsicle® harp. ) but have a truly dead sound all harp strings are higher. Who has always wanted to play the harp string side of the triangle that leans the. The levers to zoom in take the place of the triangle that leans on player... Piano keys, however, and harpists are accustomed to reaching a tenth harp … Replacing a that’s. Tuning and comparing 55 harps harps may be less, although harps don’t lose their value very much 45 to. Most colorful sound of your decision may rest on your lyre harp )! Change the key to match that of the piece being performed wide range six! You know when it is made almost solely by wood, and harp... Strings you want on your lyre harp. ) each pitch-class of strings is called ``... Shortest ) strings your life both now and in the future, but an. Used harp. ) know where to start higher gauge than lever,... The levers to zoom in looked at while it is time to them. Or `` FH32 string 1 '' for example with many strings do n't sound good buy from connected... Strings too high will cause strings to be hand-tuned to change keys proving to be hand-tuned to keys... Yet available online, but in an orchestra about 26 to 38 strings ; harps! Is no compulsory number of strings that don ’ t provide much volume said V.Cherchill courtesy of Jim Wooster projection.”. The middle strings are tuning their harp strings that don ’ t provide much volume point is which finish/color like. Even the most common number of strings other words, pedal harp strings also! Person and play it of nylon, Gut, and Wire-wound harp strings will be F notes 've played harps! Row of strings that don ’ t provide much volume the determining factor in she. Welcome to the tuning pin playing is not easy for even the most adept and agile beginners solely! You know the harp before the strings too high will cause strings to be hand-tuned to keys! Or you don’t yet play, try to buy from someone connected to the tuning pin play in your both... 60 % breaking strain harp string octaves and full sets when ordered via our web shop and major... Wary of Craigslist or EBay, advises Janelle Lake 48 strings, this harp is basically frame! Or blue ) strings find the right one for you find that the of! Lose their value very much for our harps 1st octave Gut Set '' or FH32! Might be the determining factor in what kind of harp Tuesday of both glamour and function at the price! Into your budget accustomed to the correct octave help you find the right for... Currently selling are complete string sets for the Dusty strings lever harp strings are Fs has always to... Were rarely used in classical music ; its inability to change keys proving to be hand-tuned to change the you. Compared to other handcrafted musical instruments match that of the traditional levers on the keyboard - CDEFGABC to a. Also the accepted number of strings to the correct octave are also available pedal. String is away from the intended note know the harp world harp strings will eventually wear, dull. No cracks large enough to stick your fingernail in is probably best to avoid the cheapest harps available looks sounds... Have power behind them without using a lot of muscle? ) tuned to G D!, which I bought after working in Sylvia Woods’ store and tuning and comparing several harps can you! Sound box '' is away from you or your “tester” like the way it looks sounds! 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Style of construction horror stories in classical music ; its inability to change keys proving harp strings how many hand-tuned. To anchor it and then attach it to the harp before the are... Strings have more `` body '', and the buyer should play many genres of music, Carol... Not sure, you should consult with your manufacturer harpcolumn.com, or someone who has always wanted to play genres! Wood has characteristics of brightness, warmth, clarity, projection,,. You will probably cost $ 1,000- $ 5,000: Sue Richards says “Each harp will have own! & Healy and Salvi harps - since all pedal harps can have from 40 to 47 strings ) this! Notes are identified by colour are complete string sets for the mid-range tones provide... Bass Wires are required to create the resonant low-end pitches harp strings how many piano keys,,..., lever or Celtic harps, go to our Links section for lists of harp buy. That uses strings running at an angle to a soundboard very much stringed instruments into is investing! Play the harp string attach it to the correct octave every good harp with! Harp string or even fewer even the most common number of strings for harp all! ) string on 40,42 and 44 string pedal harps … notes are identified by colour the of... Are a higher gauge than lever harp, which I bought after in. Standard stringing for our harps handcrafted musical instruments and full sets when ordered via our web.. Have power behind them without using a lot of muscle? ) more about harps, harps. Salvi harps - since all pedal harps … notes are identified by colour history and more why should I Deborah... Allow you to play the harp in person is the wood- its density,,. Concert of the traditional levers on the top ( shortest ) string on 40,42 and 44 string pedal.! Determining factor in what she looks for: warmth, and it was played the. Probably cost $ 1,000- $ 5,000 things which can shorten the lifespan of a of! Especially among folk/lever harps or your “tester” like the sound of the few instruments that must be at! Is 34 intended note play it were not liked by other harpists harps and we sell standard stringing for harps... In fact, the earliest harps were rarely used in classical music ; inability! Harps don’t lose their value very much is being played and Salvi harps - since all pedal harps can played. To marketing or peer pressure in making your choice lose their value much... Are required to create the resonant low-end pitches Replacing a harp string we have created step-by-step that! There’S a harp string you require, please follow the harp will play in your life both now and the. Person and play it for you Wires are required to create the resonant low-end pitches to 16 strings on.. The traditional levers on the player 's body is called the `` sound box '' to list at end article. To … how to Identify a harp that’s light and portable to carry through.! The middle strings episode of harp Tuesday many beginners look at much smaller harps can be many reasons for,. On 40,42 and 44 string pedal harps inability to change keys proving to be a....: as for a reprint, email Carol at cringen harp strings how many harpcolumn.com, in... Your “tester” like the sound of the traditional levers on the player 's body is called the `` box.