Mulling a Blevins cross-strung harp — anyone out there with experience?

[Janis Cortese]

Hello to all — I posted a while back as a pianist who was thinking about entering the harp world, and I’m still on that path. Right now, I’m mulling two very divergent options, a Ravenna 34 and a Blevins 34/24 cross-strung. The pros and cons are as follows:

1) Ravenna 34:
Pros: Very frequently used, consequently a large knowledge base of people who are also on the same harp. Also a great deal of educational information about similar harps, so lots of learning materials. Low cost! Cons: Difficulty in modulation. Probably won’t keep me happy forever.

2) Blevins Xenith 34/24:
Pros: Modulation modulation modulation! Yippee! Laid out 7/5 like a keyboard, probably less of a learning curve for a lifelong pianist. Can probably be an only harp for quite some time if not forever. Less maintenance, no need for action regulation. Cons: Larger cost, and relative lack of educational materials. I will probably be on my own with learning this one, and there is much less information available online in terms of proper handshape, avoiding buzzing, etc.

(Pedal harps are simply out because of their cost, both of purchase and of maintenance.)

So aside from cost, the biggest issue I have with a cross-strung is that there are many times fewer resources available for learning how to use one, and I can’t reassure myself with oodles of posts here and elsewhere telling me how great they are, unlike the Ravenna which really seems like an excellent quality-vs-cost decision for a lever harp. There are also no oodles of books for cross-strungs of a similar level to the many “learn how to play lever harp” books.

However, I really do think that the Ravenna wold drive me bats in short order since I’m so used to writing highly chromatic music. (This is what I keep telling myself when I realize that I have the money for a Ravenna 34 NOW but would have to wait for a few months before being able to get a Xenith. NOW is nice, but I don’t want to make a major decision based on impatience.)

As a result, I’m wondering who here plays a cross-strung and what they might be able to tell me about resources and even just the peculiarities of playing an instrument that’s somewhat off the beaten path. As a pianist, I think the layout of a 7/5 like the Xenith would be somewhat intuitive for me, but … how do you avoid buzzing on a harp with the strings interlaced? What kinds of music CAN’T or shouldn’t be played on them? What kinds of music work best? (I’m seeing LOTS of Bach online, which thrills me.) How stable are they to tune? What are the biggest maintenance issues? Did you go straight to a cross-strung or start with a lever harp?

I know this is a lot of questions, so thanks for any information you can share. 🙂

[iris-linkletter]

I know little about the cross strung except they are lovely to hear when played well. I have a dusty Crescendo new to me but just 2 years old it is Sapele wood and sounds lovely …I am a beginner harpist (June 2013), I love the harp I have never really thought beyond as in a forever investment looked months for one in exception condition and very pleasing sound. (I live over 2 hours from immediate hands on repair help so it had to be reliable,) Good luck when you decide.

[Angela Biggs]

I’ve never played a cross-strung either, though I do find them intriguing.

I wouldn’t worry about what kind of instrument you’re “supposed to” start on. Get the one that captivates you the most, and you’ll spend more time playing it. It sounds like that’s the cross-strung, so go for it!

I don’t think buzzing on a cross-strung should be an especially big issue. Like a single-course harp, the strings will certainly be placed far enough apart that they won’t hit each other when plucked, even where they cross; and you don’t typically reach through the centerline to play the chromatic, so managing buzzing from your fingers shouldn’t be any different from a “regular” harp. I believe this is one of the advantages of a cross-strung harp over a multi-course inline chromatic harp (such as a triple-strung with the chromatic course in the center) — you don’t have to reach through.

Cross-strung harps are more balanced from an engineering perspective, since they have strings pulling on both sides of the neck, so they should hold their tune as well or better than a traditional lever harp. Though of course that can depend on the harp.

As for the cross-strung lacking a proliferation of “how-to” books, that shouldn’t matter. You only need one to give you the gist of the thing, and you probably won’t even finish that one — you’ll want to move into playing performable music ASAP!

For beginner-level music on a cross-strung, I’d skip to the back of any music book that’s labeled “beginner harp,” where there will probably be some pieces in keys other than C. You won’t have to stick to the beginner books for lever harp; since you don’t have to worry about lever changes, which are generally considered more advanced in lever-harp world, you could even start out with beginner music for pedal harp.

I’m really interested to see how this goes for you — which harp you pick, and how you progress if you choose the cross-strung. Please come back and let us know!

[Charles]

Janis, you should get the harp with the largest range you can afford.
Blevins and Dusty String make great harps!

I finished my Pleyel inspired 7/5 cross strung last October. It diatonic range is 5 octaves.
Robinsons harp shop created my string sets.

I’ve been working my way through The Cross-Strung Harp Method by John Metras.
Verlene Schermer has several great books for the cross strung chromatic harp as well. I ordered these books on line from Melody’s music.

Unlike a single string band harp ( lever,pedal or wire strung) you’ll have to get comfortable with hand independence. For example if you were playing the F major scale on the cross strung your left hand would reach up to play the B flat but your right hand would have to reach down to play the B flat. Once you get comfortable with the hand shapes and placing fingers out of sequence order you will be off and running!

Not having to flip levers, or deal with moving parts while having all 12 tones in an octave is Awsome!
However, I do enjoy my other harps and I suspect at some point in time you may find yourself adding another harp to your collection.

Hope this was of some encouragement and help to you.

[Janis Cortese]

Do you find that you have to play more softly to prevent the strings from buzzing against one another at the cross-over?

ETA: Hand independence shouldn’t trouble me much; I’ve been on the piano since I was a kid, so different fingerings for each scale are par for the course for me. 🙂 Thanks everybody for your information and encouragement!

[Charles]

The technique is different from a single course harp., Rather that pulling the strings back towards you with your 4,3,and 2 fingers you actually pull the stings out from the middle of the instrument to prevent the strings from banging together. Hand independence really gets tested in the right hand. There are lots of times when you place chords with the 3 finger at the root and 4 finger on the third and the fifth with the 2 or 1.

[Janis Cortese]

Have you noticed any large-scale fingering principles at work on the cross-strung? On the piano, most of the fingerings for the scales are done in a way that centers 2-3 or 2-3-4 over the two groups of black keys, meaning that on the way down, you will cross over with 4 onto the Bb, and 3 onto the Eb (usually).

[Charles]

Janis,
The 7/5 layout has different fingerings for just about every scale it’s similar to scales on piano with the exception that you don’t use your pinky finger.

The 6/6 layout ( I’ve never played one ) from what I’ve read only has two sets of fingerings for all scales.

You will have to cross over and under on all scales.

You really need to find someone in your area or an area where you plan to visit who has a cross strung so you can get your hands on it. It will take a while to get use to looking at the stings to get use to it. With your piano background I have a feeling you will progress quickly.

Cross stung is a bit more difficult than a single course harp. Having the ability to change keys at will is awesome. But there is a trade off. You can only play glissandos in C major/a minor or in the pentatonic scale. I find single course lever or pedal harp is easier as far as just playing goes. I set the levers or pedals and play flip a lever or pedal for an accidental every now and then. Yes flipping levers and pushing pedals takes planning but I’d rather set the levers or pedals for a piece I’m playing the key of E major and play the F#,C#, G# and D# on the F, C,G, and D strings rather than have to find those strings on the cross stung. I’m not saying it can’t be done because it’s my goal to be comfortable in every key on the cross strung as I am on piano. But with dead lines it’s good to have options. I think the key is to know what the instrument can do and use it to it’s maximum effect.

There is a Yahoo group called Harpers Crossing that deals with all things cross strung
Check them out.
Charles

[Janis Cortese]

Thanks everyone for the information. 🙂 I’ve set myself a savings deadline and hope to be back here shortly afterwards.

[Reidun]

listen & watch to cross-strung on youtube:
Pleyel harp (7/5) PAOLA CHATELLE
6/6 harp : Mirjam Rietberg

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