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Hi, Sam: I did read through your blog and was quite impressed. Like many adult beginners, I’m not a competition level performer,
Just got back from a local antique mall where I found a music cabinet with 14 shelves, 20″ wide and 11″ deep – and it was only $50! Looking forward to sorting out all my stacks of music tonight!
Cheers,
Andy
Hi, Sheila: I would suggest that you consider just saving up for the Ravenna instead of skipping up to a 29 string harp, then having to save up again for the 34 string harp. It’s easier to start and stay interested and enthusiastic if you start with a good harp. It will sound better and may well have levers that function better than a cheaper model. The Ravenna is a good instrument to start on, and it would be less expensive in the long run than getting a 29-string, then upgrading again in a short time. Of course, many of us wind up with more than one harp, so there is no one path to take!
Cheers,
Andy
I agree with both Tony and Kay. I have a Thormahlen Serenade model that I love. I’ve also had an Ogden and tried the Ravenna. You might go to the Atlanta Harp Center website as they have soundclips of both the Ravenna and the Ogden posted. There really is a difference in sound and feel between them, so it depends in great part on the music you want to play. Hope this helps,
Andy
Hi, Shelby:
I wouldn’t be concerned with what this girl said. Little harps are NOT lame! I currently have a concert grand and a 36-string lever harp. Both have their good and bad points. While I love the voice and projection of my concert grand, I hate taking it anywhere! My lever harp is wonderfully portable, and has a sound I’m more than happy with. I play it at least as much as my bigger harp. Plus, with their different voices and often lighter touch, smaller harps are much better for Celtic or folk music than a concert grand. The important thing is that YOU like your harp!Cheers,
AndyAs someone who works full time for a non-profit charity and plays harp on the side, I understand both sides of this issue. While I have played for some charities, I’ve not ever gotten any additional gigs through doing so. If you believe in a particular cause and do your homework on the organization, I think it’s great to make a personal decision to support a non-profit by donating your service or reducing your fee if you are comfortable doing so and believe in the cause you’re supporting. I can attest that while some non-profits may be run by the wealthy interested in throwing a big party, there are also a great many who are doing critical work in our communities. The homeless shelter that I’m the full-time grant writer for conducts several fundraising events each year, and we make every effort to keep costs down – for example, we get all of the catering donated – so that as much of the funds raised as possible go into providing direct shelter, food, case management and medical care for homeless men, women and children. So, I think that first and foremost you should ask yourself if the cause is one you believe in, do your research on the non-profit and how well they manage their funds, and ask yourself if you can afford to donate to them. It’s a very personal decision, and you should never feel obligated to do so just because they ask.
Hi, Catherine:
Sorry, but I haven’t tried the Classic on either of my Camacs. I’d be interested to hear myself from anyone that has tried them.I can’t speak specifically about the difference, but I can say that I’m on my second Camac harp (first a Clio, now an Athena), and on both, I switched from the Camac strings they came with to Burgundy, and liked them much better. There was some slight inconsistency in the color from one string to another, but the sound, to me, is fuller and richer on the Camac harps than the Camac strings…and much cheaper.Hope this helps,
AndyI hate to admit it, but mine are random piles. That way I can be assured that whatever I’m looking for is on the bottom of the biggest stack…
Andy
