Harps and Harpering

Trad Irish Music
1

Anyone know anything about Harps and Harpering? I don’t know why, but I would like to learn Harp sometime in the future, but never have had the resources to check it out.

Thanks! :slight_smile:

2

Hi Whistling Elf, you might want to check in your area for any harp groups or Irish clubs that teach harp. In some instances they may have beginners harps that you could rent when signing up for classes. Or you might be connected to someone who has a harp for sale.

My ex-wife is a harper and that is how she began. She first used a small harp that someone lent her, then she bought a student grade harp which she used for two years. Then a commissioned harp that cost a small fortune. WHOA has nothing on harps when it comes to purchasing.

There is tons of stuff on the net, and I think Yahoo has several groups.

MarkB

[ This Message was edited by: MarkB on 2003-01-30 10:07 ]

3

Try the WORLDTRAD site at http://www.worldtrad.org. under the Heading INSTRUMENTS->HARPS.

Kevin Krell

4

Thanks all;

Personally, I wouldn’t want to end up playing the larger harps or anything; I’m just thinking about a small Lap Harp; something small, portable, and something that I can accompany as well as play melody on. Nothing too complicated.

hmm. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m crazy. lol.

5

Nah! You’re not crazy. Musicmakers have kits of harps in all sizes including Lap Harps.Quite a few people in Windsor and Detroit have bought the kits and have had no trouble building them.

http://www.musikit.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

MarkB

6

i have a small harp, 22 strings, full levers.. its portable, made by some unknown, but it holds a lovely tune.. alas it takes a bit of devotion to learn, like any instrument, and i’m fighting between getting good at flute at the same time.. both are so drawing.. for me, the harp takes a little more concentration, since both hands are often doing what seems to be completely seperate things (especially in irish tunes).

dont give up though, harps sound so very lovely, and they can play almost any sort of music style.. you can play celtic, but also blues, jazz, rock, country, whatever suits you :wink:

good luck!

7

Elf… have you considered a mountain dulcimer? It has the sound of a hammered dulcimer, but is a strumming instrument. It is about the easiest thing to play that I have tried! They are cheap on e-bay