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Pretty much my understanding too Charles, although you understand a good deal more than I. Wire harps have the same overtone issues as pianos so beating is much more noticeable than it would be for nylon or gut, if just equal temperament using the tuner alone over all octaves.
Biagio
Charles,
Yes, briefly this is called “stretch tuning” and is centered around the fifths and octaves. The order is important : tune the key root to a reference tone, then the fifth, then octave, then the fourth, then the dominant fifth and so on.
I don’t seem to be able to post Marta’s write up here for some reason, but there was a long discussion a few months ago – I think you commented during that(?).
Biagio
Interesting Gretchen, pretty cool!
Incidentally but maybe not in the US AC power lines emit a hum around 50-60 HZ – pretty much a low A. Hmmmm (pun intended).
Off topic a bit but as regards ear training – there are on-line tutorials but for my money the best method (aside from assiduous practice) is 1,2,3 Play! by Ray Pool. That booklet requires tuning to Eb if any are interested.
Best to all!
BiagioA few years ago Marta Cook described (in more accessible language) the tuning method first taught by Robert Nicholas Bochsa, which is used by many professional harpists today. You could say that it is for all intents and purposes “by ear”. Unfortunately Marta’s blog has disappeared but I copied her article and will see if I can post it.
Thanks Tacye, that article is very interesting! There are also a few quirks that are unique to the wire harp, most especially the replicas.
-Willow (or aspen) will absorb some of the vibrations, giving a mellower tone than European sycamore ( a maple, not to be confused with American “sycamore”). The wood will have a more drastic effect with wire than gut or nylon, particularly when one considers narrowly spaced strings.
-We have very little knowledge about the string compositions other than that they were a copper alloy. So we have to go with what is available today.
-There have been various tuning schemes for those replicas, some with the doubled notes at middle C, others at the G below. To the modern ear, none of them are entirely satisfactory with the shortened bass strings if yellow or red brass. Sterling silver or even 14K and 8K gold solve that issue, especially if combined with bronze in the mid and, possibly, treble.
(Side note: I just re-strung by 26 with 4 silver and 4 red brass in the bass – that range was just to funky to my ears, even though the vibrating lengths are longer than, say, the Lamont. Hope it works!).
-With the narrow spacing and long sustain we essentially have to relative tune and adjust a la Bochsa- judging consonance or dissonance over fifths and octaves, which is probably the way the ancient harpers did (they did not have Korgs ha ha).
-Most of us believe that the originals were tuned to G but we also have evidence that the Bs were flatted. This introduces another wrinkle to relative tuning.
It seems to me therefore that we wire guys may be well served by different tuning strategies but absent an expensive professional tuner we pretty much have to rely on our ears!
Biagio
Friends, I got sidetracked by the word “levers” and “tune” so I apologize. Rereading the above it is obvious that was not at all Evolene’s question (me duh). So get back on track, recognizing that Evolene’s harp is tuned open to Eb and the few I most often play….but first a note from our sponsor:
If you are playing solo most of the time probably more intuitive to tune open to C, and more flexible. The score can then be in any key although you will be a half step higher if it’s one of the flat ones. For example, suppose you are tuned open to C and the score is in a flat key. No problem, just flip ALL the levers EXCEPT the indicated flats and play the score as written. Sharp keys are not an issue, obviously.
Now to return to our program….
“Celtic tunes” will be predominantly in the key of G (flip B A E and F) or D (flip C as well). Sometimes F (flip A and E). Reasons largely have to do with the fact that they were often composed for wire harp and/or to accompany the bagpipe. They are often modal, Myxolydian Dorian and Aeolian being favorites in addition to Ionian.
Middle Eastern and Latin – Quite often these will be in a harmonic minor; it will probably be easiest if you are in open C just to keep track of where you are.
American folk, hymns, and gospel – these are very often scored in F, Bb or Eb in order to accommodate the human voice tenor range.
Respecting “therapy music”, in Western traditions major keys are considered “cheerful” and minor keys meditative or sad. Soothing music is often in a Dorian or Myxolydian mode – I’m sure we can think of exceptions.
Not to contradict anyone but I’d just like to observe that in the US, new lever harps are typically in C major in the shop or on the floor. Likewise, most beginner books assume open C tuning. I’ve never taken a survey, but here in the Puget Sound area I’d guess that about half the people I know tune to Eb, the other half to C while wire harpers tune to G.
I don’t know why this ‘C thing’ is – possibly it stems from the recent US harp maker’s “roots”. These guys and gals came from a background in the Celtic songs – typically in G, D, C or sometimes F. Levers were pretty primitive 50 years ago – more likely blades in fact if there were any at all. So that might be another reason.
On the other hand,back then the only other lever harps were pre-pedal models like the Troubadour – naturally enough tuned open to Eb.
Those from a more classical background tune to Eb as Carl observed since it gives a good deal more flexibility in what keys are available. Again, I don’t know but I’d bet that as they become more advanced most lever harpers here choose Eb if they have a full sized instrument.
None of this rambling on my part actually addresses Evolene’s question huh?
The point is though that it does not matter what your open tuning is as far as the modes are concerned, or most other typical or non-typical scales. Personally I will sometimes choose the key based on the range available and just transpose if the piece is scored differently.
If I want to play middle eastern music, or some blues, OTOH (for example) that’s an entirely different question.
Biagio
The harps of this sort are very loosely strung and, as you will notice, with bray pins (so called because the sound is “like the braying of a donkey”).
This sort may be what Evolene’s teacher was thinking about – they are instruments for the (rather limited) group of musicians specializing in medieval music.
Biagio
Hi all, just a quick note to follow up:
Maybe Christy was too modest to mention this, but I will. Dusty has a great discussion on levers, regulation, and more on their website. They also offer an excellent kit of tools expressly designed for Loveland maintenance, with an instruction manual to accompany it. To read more on this and related subjects, you might start here:
http://manufacturing.dustystrings.com/support/harps/
After they have been playing for a while, all the harpers that I know have a little toolkit that they carry around everywhere. Typically those include lever tools (specific to their harp), spare strings, eyelets, toggles etc. Many also have David Kolacny’s booklet Troubleshooting Your Lever Harp.
Biagio
I fully agree Christy, that the shifting relationship has nothing to do with the quality of Lovelands per se; as I wrote they have been around a long time. However, I think you would agree that the space for the string between the cam, fret and bridge pin is pretty narrow – so a slight shift in the relationship may more likely result in a buzz than it would with some other lever designs. That’s what I mean by “touchier.”
Usually a slight turn on the bridge pin is all it takes to correct the issue; in my experience this is more frequent with Lovelands than Truitts or Rees (the two other levers that I like). Anyhow, as you and probably everybody here knows by now, I feel that a basic understanding the harp’s design is as fundamental to a player’s learning as is basic technique. And which should include “regulation” whatever the lever design as well as string theory:-)
I really wish that more teachers would emphasize such things early on; it would save their students a lot of questions!
Biagio
Andy summed it up. Side note: for some time, only the Dustys had those (black) ones with the longer throw; a year or three ago the Loveland Harp Company began offering them more generally. They also added a few more sizes but there is no real difference otherwise.
They have been around a long time which should vouch for their quality. They are “touchier” than some others (Dusty, for instance, advises “regulation” every three years), but personally I have no complaints, other than that they take a little longer to install than some other makes. On the other hand they cost less than Camac, Rees, Truitt etc.
Biaigo
Um, follows up…while certain techniques and effects are unique to the double theris lots that you can do that is beneficial while learning technique and will carry over when you find that double:
-Echoing: obviously you cannot do that in the same octane, so train both hands to play equally well. Often we think of a “melody hand” and a “chord hand”. You can double the melody an octave lower on a single (and it will sound great). Meanwhile you are training you sub-dominant hand – not a bad idea even if you stay with a single course.
-Transpositions and chording: a cool thing about the doubles is that you can use lever to have one side in a different key than on the other. But hey: if you harp has a sufficient range (say 4+ octaves) just put one part a fifth from the other.
-Parallel and contrary motion: while this is an exciting evocative sound it excels on the double.
B
O fun!
Grin – thanks, but not much to be impressed about, really. Four were just different sizes (3 1/2 and 5 octaves) of the same basic design – one pair wire, one pair nylon/gut. Two were doubles. which I lost interest in. The other two a Clark and a McFall restoration, both of which I just plain got attached to after spending so much time on them . Beware addiction! But really, it is nice ar least to have a floor harp and one to take with you anywhere, methinks.
Honest to goodness, if I could do it all over again I would just buy a Boulding Oranmore, a Blevins Cameo double, and a Caswell Gwydion.
We are discussing non pedal harps of course and for some the orchestral pedal harp is the sine qua non. Not for me, though I first learned on pedal. At one time I lusted after a Porsche 911S and owned a Triumph Spitfire by comparison ha ha Too expensive for this old cat now:-)
On the other hand, would I have gotten so far as to know what to get? Hah, unlikely!
( Perhaps some history would be in order here, it may help to explain some differences between what went on in the US and in Europe, harp-wise back in the 1970s. This was the time of the Beatles, folk music, R&B and the folk revival, you may recall. In Brittany and some other Gaelic lands, Allen Stivell galvanized an interest in the wire strung and “Celtic” music.
Meanwhile in North and South America Roland Robinson had returned from Guatemala captivated by South American harp and his enthusiasm spread through the vibrant folk music community, which soon led to the modern lever harps of today. Prior to that about the only non-pedal harps in the US were the Clark and pre-pedal instruments such as the L&H Troubadour.
One day in the 80s two superb harpists – Laurie Riley and Elizabeth Cifani – were sitting around talking. Both were accomplished on lever harps, wire, and on the Welsh triple strung, with Ms. Cifani also on pedal; they conceived the idea of the modern double strung with two identically tuned parallel rows fully levered on both sides. So they turned to their luthiers with that singular request: Laurie to Triplett and Ms. Cifani to Gary Stone.
(Side note: Laurie still regrets selling that original Triplett; alas Steve no longer makes doubles but he does make several fine wire strungs).
Now, harpists are in general conservative – considering the cost of a good harp no wonder – and it has taken a while for the modern double and wire strung to catch on. By the same token, makers are reluctant to promote a design that has little demand. Even today, when both the double and the wire strung are enjoying increased interest most will only make doubles or wire strungs on request.
Rees signed on to the double fairly early and today is generally considered the premiere maker in the US – as you will still find it hard to get a narrow spaced wire harp in North America besides tghose ofJay Witcher, David Kortier and a very few others.
This is not because either is difficult to make or play but because there are just not that many people (yet) who want them. But it is changing and I for one am really happy that it is. Let us remember that this is the oldest of the stringed instruments and be grateful that it continues to evolve:-)
Peace,
Biagio
It is unlikely that your first harp will be your last one, unless it is really crummy and causes you to lose interest. Indeed, I can only think of a few I know who still have their first harp. Those who do bought a small one which they then kept for travel, gigging and the like, and moved up to larger one(s).
With many others, usually they sold the first one because they were unsure about their commitment at first, so they thought to economize, buying a lap harp or a poorly made larger one.
Of course it can also go the other way and one gets overly committed LOL – at one point I had eight harps and still have four. Natch, it’s easier for me since I made them but honestly, most of the players in my local Society have at least two and some have even more than I. We often swap around after a few years as we get to know other players and needs change.
Candid advice then with respect to a double: if you are convinced this is what you want to buy and keep, buy a floor sized one from a known maker and be patient looking for it. Doubles are becoming more and more popular, shedding the unwarranted image as a “specialist’s” instrument – and they do turn up on the used market.
I realize that shipping overseas and VAT is an issue in Europe (and the Far East for that matter) but when considering the harp as a 10-20 year investment I’d argue that it is better to get a really good one than to be disappointed. So keep your eyes open for those played by experienced harpists like Laurie Riley and Cynthia Shelhart. If you choose a custom made one, be sure that you discuss with the luthier exactly what you want.
Personally, for what it’s worth, I find myself drawn to the wire strung so have sold my two doubles; but if I wanted a double and were not a maker I would buy a Rees, probably the Shaylee.
Best wishes and good fortune,
Biagio
One cannot play many actual tune on a Reverie – it is designed for just strumming. Given that limitation and the price of $600 US, why not just buy a decent Oscar Schmidt autoharp at about half that?
Hi again Veronika,
A few other thoughts that may be useful and relate to what wire strung harpers do since those are really hard to see…..
-Just color the ends of the tuning pegs with enamel and use that to orient your fingers
-Practice the “anchored finger” technique: this requires “finger memorization” – not a bad idea for any harper. In brief, it means placing one finger (usually the thumb) and let the others fall to the rest by memory. We take this to some extreme compared to classical harpists in that the hand is (almost) always in the same place and raises are minimal. See Cynthia Cathcart and Ann Heymann for extended description.
-Practice playing with your eyes closed. This is not as hard as it might sound: after all some of the most famous harpers were blind. It is also fun and relaxing (believe it or not LOL).
Training your hand to recognize shapes is often the most difficult hurdle for new harpers to jump over and we all struggle through it. Get a good exercise book such as Friou’s Exercises for Speed and Agility, Kondonassis’ On Playing the Harp, Maria Grossi’s Metodo per Arpa (in Italian but you do not really need a translation for the exercises), and/or two by Ray Pool – 1,2,3 Play and 3’s a Chord. Any and all are excellent to own for any harpist.
Best wishes and happy harping.
Biagio
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