ok, this has nothing to do w/ whistles (please forgive me), but I was wondering if any of you played the harp. I wish to purchase and learn to play the Celtic lap harp and would like any advice on which harps are good for beginners. also, if there are any good tutorials or books of beginner-level harp music out there I would like to know what they are.
http://www.songsea.com/harp.htm
[ This Message was edited by: ysgwd on 2002-04-29 00:56 ]
Sylvia Woods has a wonderful store and website with everything you could ever want for harps. She has an extensive inventory of harps, as well as many books and recordings. She puts out a detailed catalog on a fairly regular basis, and her website is
Sylvia is very knowledgable about harps and is thoroughly delightful person…very helpful with any questions you may have.
How much do you want to pay, and do you want to play nylon or wire strung?
If you really want a lap harp, there’s a lot of junk out there. (Beware – a lot of companies sell what they call a lap harp which is really a small psaltery.) It’s very difficult to get any body into the sound with short strings. Believe it or not, the best I’ve played is the Shepherd Lap Harp from Music Makers, which can be found at http://www.musikit.com . The kit is $350 with a pre-drilled neck, finished is about $700; sharping levers are about $5-10 apiece. The kit is very easy to assemble, I’ve made two. This harp weighs SIX POUNDS.
Music Makers have a unique feature in that the bottom of the soundboard is not attached near the pillar. This allows for a much greater amplitude in the vibration so it provides a richer sound.
The best place to look for harps and harp info on the web is http://www.tns.lcs.mit.edu/harp/ . It has links to about 30 online stores that sell harps. In addition to the shops already mentioned, you’ll want to check out Melody’s and Lark in the Morning.
Charlie
Why a lap harp? They are very limited; you may be attracted by the size, transportability, “cuteness”, but once you get going on it you’ll want a bigger one. I’d recommend a 25 or 27 string harp as minimum size, if you can afford it.
Where do you live? There are several good makers both sides of the Atlantic, but it’d be easier to buy one your side of the pond.
I agree re Sylvia Woods - she can definitely advise. Also - go for it! Harps are beautiful instruments to play (I played for years but relapsed due to shoulder injury).
to answer some questions: I am a college student and therefore do not have a lot of money, so I wouldn’t want to pay more than several hundred dollars. I have no idea what the difference is between nylon and wire strings, except that one kind is made of nylon and the other is made of wire. I live on the East Coast. I want a lap harp mainly because they tend to be a little cheaper and are more portable (after 11 years of playing a baby grand piano, I am really attracted to portable instruments!)
hope that helps those of you who asked me questions. thanks to all for your help so far!
The difference between wire strung and nylon is the amount of sustain. A wire strung harp will ring longer than nylon, and requires learning to dampen the string with your hand to prevent the sound from getting muddy. Everyone I’ve talked to says wire strung is harder to learn and play.
I will add a little to what DanD said. The nylon-strung harp is what we tend to think of as the harp sound – Sylvia Woods, Derek Bell (of the Chieftains) et al. play nylon harps. The wire-strung harp sounds totally different. It is kind of plinky and far-off sounding. The first time I heard Patrick Ball, I thought he was playing a hammered dulcimer.
As for playing them, the nylon harp is played with the fleshy parts of your fingers, while the wire strung is played with the nails, like classical guitar.
Wire strings are under a lot more tension, so the harps must be very well-constructed. I saw one once that evidently had been made directly from a nylon harp plan, and this thing was hilarious – the soundboard looked pregnant, there was no tension anymore on the bass strings, and the whole pillar was kind of listing to one side. Best not to buy a cheapo wire-strung harp.
OTOH, as pointed out above, a decent nylon lap harp can be had within your price range.
Charlie
I have been considering two harps from Song of the Sea (thanks, ysgwd, for endorsing it!), and I was wondering if any of you had opinions on them. they are the Rosewood Heather Harp and the Noteworthy Woodworking County Clare Harp. I can’t tell if the strings are wire or nylon (though I’m hoping nylon b/c that seems to be what I’m after). tell me what you think! http://www.songsea.com/harp.htm
The rosewood Heather harp looks too good to be true for the price, but it was my favorite SOS option, so I would be interested in the opinions of others as well–I’m just shopping for fun, mind you. It is very scary for a beginner to buy a multi-thousand dollar instrument, but so many beginners waste money on cheap instruments and just have to upgrade anyway.
The best of luck to you, LadyAshling.
Will you have a teacher?
P.S.
Chas, I attended a live performance of Patrick Ball, and I also thought his harp sounded like a hammered dulcimer–and then I was mesmerized by his fluent damping technique.
Lisa
[ This Message was edited by: ysgwd on 2002-04-30 16:50 ]
LadyA - I’ve looked at the pics and I’m a bit iffy about the Rosewood harp. It looks a bit flimsy in the photo. Stoney End make excellent harps and the Blevin looks good too. The Noteworthy appear okay in the pics.
IMHO (speaking as a harper of many years experience), I always favour wire strung harps, simply because they sound much nicer (they’re no more difficult to play). However, I use steel wire not brass wire (unlike Patrick Ball). Wire is higher maintenance and less durable, and brass in particular needs constant tuning. Nylon is better for transporting around and if the harp is solid with a good soundboard the tone is bright too.
To correct a couple of earlier postings: Derek Bell plays a gut-strung harp, not a nylon one, and all three types (gut, nylon, wire) are usually played with the fingerpads (though some such as P Ball do use fingernails, which gives a very “twangy” sound). Best one of all to listen to is Alan Stivell - buy “Renaissance of the Celtic Harp” by him, and you will be inspired for life! It really is a must-buy album, no matter how penniless you are (good for whistlers too - it’s the original album of the “celtic genre”, released 1971). Good luck!