Newb Question: Name for a Harp Sound

[ScottChi]

Hi all,

I have a “full time plus” career, but have been obstinately learning to play the harp for a year or so. I’m still at the “Music 101” level, so please bear with me.

In some harp recordings I’ve heard, there is a sound that starts out like an arpeggio but it winds up resembling a full chord. It’s as if the notes of the chord are deliberately staggered (only briefly) before they combine. The sound is not used in general for playing chords, but to embellish the melody line.

I find the effect of hearing a sequence of these very impressive.
Can someone tell me what this sound might be called? I’d like to find out more about how it is played, and what notation is used.

Unfortunately I could not find an example after a brief search online. I can post a follow up the next time I find it.

Thanks,

Scott C.

[Alison]

We say it is a ‘spread’ chord like a ripple, usually upwards but often downwards and denoted by a wavy line in front of the chord, although Debussy had his own notation. Note that the word Arpeggio is the italian for “harp-like” – well check this out. The variable speed of the execution is what matters and we pay a lot of attention to this in every piece. Once you know what to look for you can’t miss it. Understanding this is probably taken as a given in a site like this…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arpeggio

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