Swollen and aching thumb and hands

[Lily-White]

Hi Gregg,

and THANK YOU!!! You made my day, sending me all these beautiful things. The link and everything worked perfectly! 🙂

I feel spoiled… 😀

I have asked Rees Harps about that white Brilliant harp, but as you said, it’s not cost-effective for them to do it even for an extra charge. Salvi’s Minerva in gold and white is just GORGEOUS!!! A chocolate bar isn’t enough for her, she makes me want to eat a large layer cake! You and Balfour have to help me finish it though… 😀

I also like Salvi’s Daphne in white! Did you see that? It’s my dream harp. I’ll attach the picture below. Based on my inquires, Salvi is the only manufacturer who would make any harp for me in white for en extra charge. I have looked at Gaia. And Daphne, but Gaia is more realistic. But first I have to see what my skin and my fingers / hands can take.

Ah, right, you asked about my hands. Thank you so much for your concern! They are a bit better, I just have to be careful not to use them too much. They need to rest. Aargh!!! I’m not famous for being the most patient person in the world, so I guess this is a golden opportunity for me to practice that for a while, instead of the harp… 😉

Last but not least, Kristine Warmhold’s arrangement of Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro”. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! I love it! I have done everything possible to find Puccini lever harp arrangements, but it has been almost impossible. You can find “Musetta’s Walz” and that’s about it. And now you serve me this! 😀 I already tried to google to buy the sheet music for Kristine Warmhold’s arrangement, but no luck so far. I won’t give up!

Monsieur de Quervain is complaining, my hands need a rest from the keyboard now.

I can’t thank you enough Gregg, what a community this is! And you too Balfour!

Take care, both of you,

– Lily

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[balfour-knight]

Lily, that white Daphne is so beautiful! We have a white Subaru Outback that we call “Snow Bird” and that car makes us think of you desiring a white harp! White is beautiful for a car AND a harp!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour and Carol Lynn

[Gregg Bailey]

Hi, Lily,

That white Salvi Daphne IS stunning; wow!! <3

I was thinking, since you’re ending up having hand swelling even from playing a medium-tension folk harp, I’m wondering if a Grand Harpsicle (in white stain!) would perhaps be a good choice for you, even as just a 2nd harp to have that would be MUCH easier on the hands. As I mentioned, I have a Salvi Gaia, Dusty Ravenna 34, and Rees Grand Harpsicle (natural maple finish) as part of my floor harp collection, and I love them all for different reasons. The tension on the Grand Harpsicle is much lower, and the spacing is much narrower than the others, so you would have to get used to that, but I find that I’ve been able to adapt to the various tensions and spacings of my different harps. The sound of the Grand Harpsicle is much smaller, of course, due to the much smaller soundbox, but it does come with a built-in pickup, and it sounds pretty good through a proper amplifier! I also love that it could be used for harp therapy in situations that would require a harp to be strapped to your body, such as strolling through a hospital ward, as it’s even designed to be wearable with a strap if needed (12 lbs), and its base is detachable.

By the way, have you seen the stunning photo of the Harp Twins playing white Grand Harpsicles? I’ll provide a link separately.

Of course, your teacher likely wouldn’t care for a Grand Harpsicle, but I could see you having one, even just to do more of your initial practicing/learning on.

At this point, due to the troubles you’re already having with hand swelling, I would NOT recommend the Gaia (pedal-tension), as the tension is much higher on it than your Ravenna. Maybe you could consider something like a Gaia in the future if your hands get strong enough for that.?

Also, MusicMakers makes a “Ballad” 34-string model which has relatively low tension and narrow spacing, and it would have a larger sound than the Grand Harpsicle. It probably has a little more tension than the Grand Harpsicle, also, but probably less tension than the Ravenna. Unfortunately, while they do offer 7 different stains, none of them are white!

Balfour and I would have no problem helping you eat that large layer cake to celebrate a white harp, haha!

By the way, I noticed in the Comments section of Kristine’s Puccini video (if you click “Watch on YouTube”) that she is taking pre-orders for that arrangement; it may even end up being in a book; I’m not sure. I have her email address, as I ordered some of her PDFs of compositions for small harps last year.

That’s good to know that your hands are a bit better.

Balfour, you are right that white is an excellent color for both cars AND harps! 😀

Photo link to follow (Harp Twins)!

-Gregg

[Gregg Bailey]

As promised, here’s the link to the photo of the “Harp Twins” playing WHITE Grand Harpsicles:

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a02485b4c0dbf10274ce3e9/1516167857663-5BLSVPP1E0SD212VO3DR/Harp+Twins+white+Grand+2.jpg?format=1500w

Isn’t that such a magical-looking photo?!?

-Gregg

[balfour-knight]

Thanks for all that, Gregg! Beautiful photo of the Harp Twins!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour

[Lily-White]

Hi Gregg,

The picture is beautiful! <3

Thank you so much for all the information! You can’t find information like that on the internet…

My doctor said that the problems I’m having with my hands might be just a beginner’s thing. I have been using muscles and doing movements I’m not used to. And I have been practicing way more than you should in the beginning :D. The doctor said that his hands wouldn’t have been able to take all that, he was surprised I wasn’t worse… So I’m hoping for the best! And I will wait and see before buying a harp. But I keep my eyes and ears open all the time about what’s out there. In order to learn, but also because I love to look at harps and read about them. So what you wrote was very interesting! You have quite a collection of harps – and first hand experience!

And thanks for the precious tips about the sheet music for Kristine Warmhold’s arrangement! 😉

You are SO right, white is an excellent colour for MANY things! I love that Balfour has a white car! I’m between pianos at the moment, playing a very affordable rental keyboard I’m not exactly amazed by…
Today I finally ordered a new piano and you know what? Yep! It’s WHITE! <3

– Lily

PS. This will be my third attempt to submit a reply. I should have saved the first ones temporarily, but I didn’t… My first answer was long, they have gotten shorter every time… I hope they won’t all pop up later! Anyway, I have saved this one and will try again. Third time’s a charm 🙂

[Gregg Bailey]

Hi, Lily,

I’ve learned to “Select All” and then “copy” the text of my posts before sending them (even when composing an email) just in case the original gets lost!

Anyway, I know you will be so glad once you can practice much more without worrying about how your hands will hold up! I’m just curious–have you felt any hand pain or discomfort when practicing, or has the pain always been the next day?

-Gregg

[Lily-White]

Hi Gregg,

I practiced for about one month without any problems. Then one day I just noticed my hands were swollen, but I didn’t make a big deal about it. And the next morning I woke up with pain in my hands and arms… I saw a doctor because I immediately associated it with the harp and got scared I’d have to quit. I’m glad I did, he was so optimistic! 🙂

Now I’ll copy even this short message 😀

I was about to write “have a nice evening”, but I guess it’s not evening where you are…

– Lily

[balfour-knight]

Lily, sorry you had so much trouble posting, but thanks for persevering and getting it to work.

My gorgeous grand piano is satin black, and would go well with your Ravenna, but I have seen beautiful white pianos, too! How exciting to be getting a new piano! I know you will enjoy it as well as your harp.

Have a nice evening–it is 7:00 p.m. here, and we are now on Daylight Savings Time, so it is still very light. I have no idea what time of day it is for you, though.

More Hugs,
Balfour and Carol Lynn

[Lily-White]

I already got Kristine’s book with the sheet music for Puccini’s O MIO BABBINO CARO for lever harp! Thanks to you Gregg!!! 😀

And Balfour, yes, it certainly is exciting to get a new piano! I’ll have to wait a few weeks before it arrives – another golden opportunity for practicing my patience… 😉
I had a first choice, but I decided to go with my second one. More affordable, but I love it! This way I have a budget left for my own harp, when I’m ready to make a decision.

A Huge Hug back to both of you,

Lily

[Gregg Bailey]

How nice that you were able to get Kristine’s Puccini sheet music, Lily! I’m so glad I shared her video with you. I bet you can’t wait to start working on it!

-Gregg

[balfour-knight]

Lily, you will love playing “O Mio Babbino Caro” on the harp. I play my version of it often by ear and by memory, and it sounds amazing on both of my harps, in several different keys. Enjoy it when it is safe for you to play again! We don’t want you to further injure your hands. Have you tried applying soothing Aloe Vera Gel to your hands? I do this every day for my arthritis and to help heal my harp calluses.

Harp Hugs to you and Gregg,
Balfour

[Lily-White]

You are both SO right, as a huge Puccini fan, I cannot wait to play O Mio Babbino Caro, but it still has to wait for a while. But the sheet music will be here for me, as soon as I’m ready. 🙂

I’m very sensitive – in every possible way! 😀 – so I can’t use stuff like Aloe Vera. But I have very good creams I use several times a day. I haven’t got calluses at all, but I use creams for atopic and sensitive skin, with very good results! Thanks anyway for the tips, Balfour!

Gregg inspired me to look at and listen to different harps the other day. Online, but anyway. And there was one lever harp that really caught my eye – exactly like the Ravenna34 did before (and the rental guy got one just for me, he is such a wonderful person!). Anyway, the one that I’m looking at now happens to be a Dusty Strings harp as well! It’s simply called FH36S (desperately in need of a more loving name! 😀 ). But it sounds wonderful. At least online… I liked it in walnut, the sound is warm, but bright at the same time. That’s what made me fall in love with the Ravenna as well, I guess it’s a typical sound for Dusty harps. I love it!

Anyway, this FH36S also has the perfect height for me. And 5 octaves, from C to C!!! I have already played one piece in which I would have needed those two extra strings (I played those parts an octave lower, no problem, but those 2 extra strings would be nice!). String tension exactly as my Ravenna, and you can get it with Camac levers (I have them on my Ravenna and would take them again).

I can’t forget this harp, so it’s definitely a contender for me! Compared to the Salvi Gaia, that I have been looking at before this, the strings of this one would probably suit me and my skin and hand issues much better. In addition to all the nice features above, it does have a nice price tag as well though. That’s why I settled for my second choice piano… 🙂

Gregg, as you have so many harps, maybe you have a FH36S as well? I would ask how the sound is compared to the Ravenna 34. It’s just that you have gut strings on your Ravenna, if I remember correctly, so it’s different from mine… And you Balfour? You have played everything, it seems! 😀

That’s a novel I wrote, so sorry! But I can’t get that harp out of my mind… <3

I would just have to persuade them to make it in white for me – or settle for the walnut…

It’s 10.50 pm here now, so I say have a nice evening! Or good night! (I’m a night owl…)

– Lily

[balfour-knight]

Lily, look on these forums for “DS FH36S vs. Ravenna 34” and read my post. Cherie is my favorite lever harp of all time!

I bet your skin cream contains some aloe vera, since that is THE healing plant of all time. It is even in the Bible! We grow the live plants here, and have some pure aloe vera gel in bottles for traveling!

Good night now,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

[Gregg Bailey]

Hi, Lily,

I do have the optional lever gut strings on my Ravenna 34 from 4G up to 2C. I don’t have an FH36S, but Balfour does in cherry (which he absolutely adores), and he owned a Ravenna 34 in the past, as well. Someone else here on the HC forum (Gwen) asked a similar question this morning, and Balfour posted a response. So neat that two different people would ask that question in the same day on here! 😀

Isn’t looking at harps online so much fun?!

I bet that white piano will be stunning!

-Gregg

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