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old thread, I know, but was just coming across it..
I always used a korg type tuner, and was thrilled when those little clip on pick ups became available because sometimes the tuners would just not pick up the higher notes. These days I find myself using an app on my iphone when it’s just me – sometimes just for one octave and doing the rest by ear (at times adjusting the pedals so I can make sure Cb matches B, etc.). If I’m playing with a piano I like to try and tune to it (by ear), because you never can be sure if the thing has been tuned recently – for years as a child I practiced on a piano that was 1/4 a step flat. It was perfectly in tune with itself – it’s just that A wasn’t 440. So that’s probably why I’m more inclined to make sure I match the piano.
I know very little about stretch tuning, so I’m definitely going to read up about it.I recently came across computer disk storage containers on amazon. Got them for storing craft supplies are discovered that harp strings fit in there. Plan to use it for my older strings – the ones that probably shouldn’t even be used they’ve been around so long – and keep newer strings in my string bag.
One thing about harping in snow is once the snow starts to melt. During the days when the sun comes out and it is warm the snow will start to melt, but at night it can get back below freezing again, and that melted snow will turn to ice. The clear/black ice (it’s called ‘black ice’ because it is so clear it just disappears on top of asphalt) can be scary-you slip and fall and didn’t even realize it was under your feet until it’s too late. So be sure to be careful of ice when moving the harp!
Did you restore the Clark yourself? I have one I got on ebay that needs some work. I even have a case for it (got the case separately on ebaymaybe a year or more before the harp to use as a hard shell case for my lap harp).
Does this harp make any sounds on its own at all? I would think that just plucking a string would make some sort of note-and if it didn’t match what came out of the computer it might be too much for my ears.
Just tonight I was searching ebay for harp music! I have found some cool stuff there over the years-love used copies with fingerings and notes marked in it-they may not work for me, but I find it interesting. If I’m looking for something pre-1900 I use google books to search and see if there is a (free) digital copy out there. I’m not sure, but I am thinking the Library of Congress website has some music scanned in as well. I recently was looking for volume 2 of John Thomas’s “Welsh Melodies” – no digital copy could be found, and the closest library that had it was hundreds of miles away. Finally found it on abebooks.
For more modern things, I will go to harp.com, Vanderbilt, or Melody’s Traditional Music Shop.
I don’t mind playing from fakebooks and doing my own arrangements, so I will sometimes get those on amazon. I’ve purchased digital sheet music from websites before as well.I have a string bag that I purchased maybe 10-15 years ago that I keep most of my strings in. They no longer sell those specific bags, but some shops carry the Bow Brand string bag. I’m thinking of getting a new/additional string bag, and am thinking some of the items designed for scrapbook or quilting storage might work. I found a small craft storage bag at Tuesday Morning a couple of years ago and inside I stashed a tuning key, lever adjustment tools and some strings.
My first harp teacher was very concerned that when students purchased their first harp they get one with standard spacing so that it wouldn’t be an issue. For lessons she had a celtic harp and one or two pedal harps to play on I started with a Troubador IV. I don’t remember any major difficulties switching between home harp and lesson harp – maybe changing levers but it wasn’t so much of an issue that I remember it now.
I have run into this somewhat when it comes to piano. My family’s piano growing up, I liked the way the sound was with the sustain pedal. In college piano class for an exam the teacher made a comment on how I used the pedal too much, but did note that perhaps it was due to the less-than-perfect piano or the fact that we usually used electronic keyboards in class. Looking back, perhaps I had just become so used to pedals from the harp that my foot felt funny if it wasn’t hovering over a pedal. I’ve also experienced difficulty sometimes playing someone else’s guitar – I use nylon strings on my acoustic guitar (folk guitars regularly have nylon strings, but I have an acoustic not folk guitar) – and once in an emergency I even used a harp string as a replacement string. My guitar is also a 3/4 size. So when it comes to playing on a full sized guitar with steel strings-it definitely takes some adapting.I would definitely check Morley’s website. They have strings for Grecians and might be able to provide more info on the harp’s history.
Oops, posted that before reading all replies. Do let us know what the Morley folks have to say about the harp.
It looks beautiful from the pics. I have an early 1800s Dodd single action I got off eBay ages ago and sadly it is not in the best shape. Someone painted gold over the original gilding.Morley Harps in the UK carries strings for Grecians, so I imagine they would have these. Although I didn’t see them on the website, if you contact them they probably would be able to help/provide info.
I’ve mixed string brands before. I’ve also put harp stings on my guitar in a pinch.
Morley Harps in the UK has a variety of strings (great resource for those with antique pedal harps), so you might try contacting them.
Pirasto Strings out of Germany makes strings for other instruments as well, so maybe they would be able to give advice on coloring strings. I know other instruments so have black stings–I have some on my guitar (forget the brand).
