Kortier Virtual Pedal MIDI harp

[eva-murphy]

I would love to hear from anyone who has tried out David Kortier’s Virtual Pedal MIDI harp. The strings don’t have to be tuned to any particular note, and the pedals (which in the photo on his website, resemble sticks) have tension that is adjustable via elastic bands. I would imagine the “feel” is quite different from any pedal harp, and I have never tried one, but I am intrigued! How much of a stretch is it for a pedal harpist to try to play this harp?

[barbara-brundage]

It’s been a long time (about 5 years) since I had the chance to play one, so things may have changed, but it was a blast to play with it, Eva. You could set it up so that some strings were percussion and some strings were bowed strings and some were winds and so on–so much fun!

The pedals did make me nervous at first, but once you get used to the difference in the motion needed it was fine.

If you ever get a chance to try one, do it! It’s wild.

[barbara-brundage]

Should have mentioned that the smallness of the pedal box and the tight spacing was as disconcerting at first as the actual pedals themselves.

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