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Dark sounding first harp?

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Home Forums Harps and Accessories Dark sounding first harp?

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #75741
    Donna Pick
    Participant

    Maybe a harp is not the instrument I need, but I’ve always had this dream of playing a small harp.

    #75742
    tony-morosco
    Participant

    Dark is subjective. The range of the

    #75743
    barbara-brundage
    Participant

    If you are going to have lessons, I’d start by finding a teacher. Lots of teachers have harps to rent inexpensively to students and once you’ve been playing a bit you’ll have a better idea of what you want in a harp sound, and whether you even like the sound of any small harp.

    #75744
    william-weber
    Participant

    A folk harp seems to be what you seek. As was observed by others, darkness is relative. Darker sound comes from a big deep soundbox.

    #75745
    Geri McQuillen
    Participant

    I’m not really sure from your post how small a harp you are thinking about, but I bought a Denwar Chieftan a couple of years ago, 26 nylon strings, concert spacing.

    #75746
    sherry-lenox
    Participant

    I don’t know where you are, but there’s a Troubadour at Virginia Harp Center that sounds like chocolate and plays like a dream. It isn’t small though.

    #75747
    Karen Johns
    Participant

    Musicmaker’s offers their Limerick model- a 26 string lap harp- with optional low C tuning. This harp packs a lot of projection for it’s size, and in my

    #75748
    tony-morosco
    Participant

    Yes, I prefer (generally) the sound of gut over nylon. However I do string both my lever and pedal harp with nylon in the upper octave. Not so much because of breakage issues, but I find I get more sustain and a clearer tone with nylon on those very thin strings. But for the rest I’m gut all the way (except my electric which uses carbon strings).

    Some harps have no problem going from nylon to gut and others can’t do it. Gut produces more tension so it depends on how the harp was built. Always check with the maker to see if it is possible to switch out without danger of hurting the harp.

    As for breaking I’m not sure how much of a problem that is. I so rarely break a string no matter what type. The advantages of living in a fairly constant climate.

    #75749
    Karen Johns
    Participant

    Thanks for the quick response, Tony! One more question: How far above middle C do you go with your gut strings?

    Karen

    #75750
    tony-morosco
    Participant

    Through the second octave E. From first octave F and up I use nylon.

    #75751
    holly-kemble
    Participant

    Welcome to the wonderful world of harps and harp music! You will enjoy this ride very much.

    I also prefer darker, fuller tones. My harp is an Aberdeen Meadows from William Rees Harps in Rising Sun, Indiana. This harp has 36 strings and the low note is C two octaves below middle C. The tone is dark and rich in the lower strings without being muddy, and the upper range just sings……never with a ‘plinky’ sound. (Is ‘plinky’ a word???)

    I also *really* like the 32 string Irish harp from Craig pierpont at Another Era Lutherie in Edmonton, Kentucky. It hyas 32 strings, the lowest is the E,

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