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Welcome! I started out as an adult with a small harp and completely on my own. I love the online harp communities I’ve found, and I’m glad you’ve joined us. 🙂 Enjoy your harp!
I look forward to hearing your new one once it settles in!
Yep, still love my wire harp. 🙂 As we get more used to each other, the voice just gets better and better. (Sooooo glad you pointed me to that ad!)
It’s not insane to branch out to other instruments! I came to harp after piano and guitar, and I think the skills and techniques of all of them work together to help me with the others. So I say, go for it! Pick up guitar, too!
A different way to achieve harpish musical portability may be with a 29-30ish string harp, or a small double-strung if that interests you–Both hands would have 3 octaves to play with, even on the smallest 22-note harp, and the frame is nice and compact. 🙂
If you do a forum search for “harpsicle” you’ll find lots of entries. 🙂
Recently, there’s been talk about them in the “Roosebeck harps” and “Cardboard harp kit quality” threads.
Good luck, and happy harp-shopping! 🙂Hi Laura,
I agree with Wil and Biagio, in that a small wooden harp will be more sturdy and versatile in the long run. Definitely buy the “most” harp you can.That being said, I played a Waring cardboard harp for a year, and it sounded nice. Like, slightly better than my old mid-east harp–and I lucked out and had a good one of those! It’s soft and mellow, and yes, (actually could be a good thing in the dorms) low-tension, but I didn’t have any problems with my cardboard. It didn’t fall apart or get ruined or anything, and I lugged it around on the bus and through the rain (inside a plastic bag), out to the beach– it was still in new condition when I passed it on to a friend and her daughter after months of that treatment. (I decorated the soundbox, and then waterproofed it with polyurethane spray, and I sealed the wood the way the instructions told me.)
When I went to college, I took my guitar. It took up much more space than the little harp would, and it wasn’t a problem in my dorm. If it’s something you want to have around, you make space for it. 🙂
Anyway, I hope that’s helpful. A wooden harp will surely last you longer, and being able to have levers is always a plus. Like the others said, look for used ones and you might find a great deal! But if you only have $150 or so, you would do very well with a cardboard, in my opinion. 🙂My two cents on “young people” and carrying cash: we don’t. I put it in quotes, because I’m not a 20-something anymore… 😉 but I still don’t know many people my age or younger who regularly have cash on hand.
On the other hand, I DO like to tip when I see street performers, but where I live, that is not a common occurrence. I lived in the UK for a while, and it seems cash is used much more there than in the USA. Also, regulations for buskers- in most places- are far less restrictive (or even nonexistent) than in many US cities, so I got to hear LOTS of street music. I loved that. 🙂Hi all- I’ve been working on Baloo Baleerie for a little while and made another video. I promise I won’t post every video I make on this thread–haha– but as this one is directly related to Biagio’s suggestion, I’m sharing. I hope you all had a good weekend!
Thanks, Balfour and Randal! I love how this harp sounds, too. As I’ve gotten better at keeping it in tune, I just don’t want to put it down! (Though, of course, the rest of life calls anyway-haha)
I’m just dying to hear Mae’s double, too! I should probably get started on mine soon… 🙂Thanks, Biagio! I’ll have to learn Baloo Baleree to go along with it then. 🙂
I do love how the slow, simple tunes can just ring out. It’s been peaceful in the evenings here while I practice them.Well, I just bit the bullet and made a short video of myself playing this harp. I’ve been kind of avoiding it, because I’m such a beginner and I don’t really have the proper technique down yet. I also like to have things as polished as possible before sharing this is definitely not polished! I had the harp pretty well tuned when I started, but after a few tries–in a different, slightly colder room to where it was tuned– it kind of started to go out a little. Oh well. Enough of my justifications, here is a bit of what it sounds like. Have I mentioned that I love this harp? I do. I promise it sounds better in person. 😉
Hi Wil,
You’re right, I’ve got the harp now. I haven’t had a chance to get any work done with it yet, as it has been a crazy week and I’ve had other projects I needed to finish first. It’s calling me, though! Once I get through the hours of sanding, I’m looking forward to decorating and finishing it. 🙂 The wood (cherry) looks great, and has some really nice curly grain on the neck.
Anyway, I’ll get on it as soon as I can!I’m still excited to hear your harp, too, Mae! I hope you’re having fun with it. 🙂
I finally (FINALLY) heard from Stoney End that my double Brittany is ready, and that I should have it by Tuesday! Yay! Mine is coming assembled already, but I have to do all the sanding, some shaping, and hardware installation. I’m excited to get started on it, though I know it will take me a while to get it done… and maybe by the end I will feel like I never want to see a piece of sandpaper ever again… haha 😉
