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In general for well designed lever harps the issue of tone is probably better related to the kind of music you want to play and in what venues. Cogent arguments have been advanced for square or extended boxes having somewhat more volume than round backs. Conversely, a round back (shell) weighs less and can be thinner and stronger. This has an indirect effect since you will not need as much internal bracing as you might for with the square back, with resultant freer air space. So I would argue that the issue relates more to your physique and preference.
Rather more important would be your sound board and string choices. With a wide solid wood board and fairly high tension you can play from a whisper to a bellow. For equivalent volume at lower tension the board must be thinner and probably also wider. As to my personal preference in a lever harp……
I like potentially great volume and sustain; if money and portability were no object I’d favor the Salvi Egan or Triplett Eclipse over anything else out there. For a smaller harp I would certainly be happy with the Eos or preferably the Telor 34. And yes, my repertoire is mainly Celtic and “folk”, but these are capable of classical repertory as well.
Resonance depends on your technique to a much larger extent than it does on the harp’s physical characteristics, again with the caveat of tension and excellent design.
Hope that helps!
Biagio
I find lighting is a fairly big deal with wire, painted or not. The “trick is to have the light directed at the strings, say with a goose neck floor lamp, and with a light carpet or background. One soon gets used to it and soon plays by feel anyway.
Biaigo
Hi Ellettaria,
On reading through this thread there were a few things that sort of jumped out at me – both as a harp maker and as a (recent) convert to the wire strung harp. Here are some thoughts for what they’re worth, with reference to sme friends who suffer from ME….Design – Both weight and length would be a consideration for playing in bed or on a couch. I have a double strung 23 and while it is light it is a bit too tall for comfortable playing while lying down. I’d say the same about the Harpsicles (which I don’t like with the standard strings – but they now offer a higher tension string set). For playing while sitting, especially in a wheel chair I feel it is very necessary to have a solid stable support for a floor harp, and a design that does not require tipping the harp back. It would be quite easy to injure your back otherwise.
Wire Strungs – I am a real fan but have to caution that most are fairly heavy compared to nylon/gut harps of the same size, Ardival in particular. Accidentals and chromatics generally must be “worked around” as sharping levers do not work well except on steel strings (which I dislike). Brass or bronaze need blades to avoid breaking the strings and you really can’t “flip” them. You mentioned the Triplett Zephyr – a friend recently restrung hers with bronze and is very happy with it.
Other Types – I think that Wil-Weten has a good idea in the cross strung if you play a lot of chromatic music. Another option would be a double strung, I have made several from a light rental/travel harp to a large cherry 26 string. Both doubles and crosses must usually be somewhat heavier than singles but they give you far more options.
Availablity – I am not very up to date on European makers and distributors but I do know that Blevins, Stoney End, Rees, and Dusty Strings have distributors there, all good makers. Harps of Lorien makes a lovely single 26 (the Raphael) but I don’t know if it is available in Europe. One option that is often over looked however would be to approach a maker directly for a custom design. Surprisingly perhaps, many will design one specifically for you and at not much more expense than a stock model. Finally, if you know some one who is a decent wood worker, a few excellent kits or plans are available. As one example, I am about to modify the Music Makers Shepherd harp plan to be bronze strung instead of nylon.
Best of fortune,
BiagioHi Allison,
“Gwalchmai” or “Gwalchmei” is Welsh; in Aturian legend also the name given to Sir Gawain. Wikipedia has this to say about the figure:
Gawain is often portrayed as a formidable, courteous, and also a compassionate warrior, fiercely loyal to his king and family. He is a friend to young knights, a defender of the poor, and as “the Maidens’ Knight”, a defender of women as well. In some works, his strength waxes and wanes with the sun; in the most common form of this motif, his might triples by noon, but fades as the sun sets.
Sounds about right for a small but powerful harp:-)
Cheers,
BiagioReally pretty Allison! You certainly are making this one your own, and that is good to my eyes to see. Somehow I seem to play better when the harp is “me” and I am “it”.
If I’m not mistaken you found a broach and earring…at least that is my plan (grin). The 26 does not have a name yet, I’m thinking it will come to me when some stones have been added. It has a tiger eye agate in the front yet needs a bit more, I’m not sure what until she’s been played some more.
BUT…decided to do a little 22 string clarsach and she will have a name: “Gwalchmai” – the Hawk of May:-)
Had one of that name once, a double 18, but gave it away. Glad I did, so now the name is free again!
Blessings all,
BiagioHeck I’ll comment on that one as an American. This country’s incredibly stubborn adherence to an archaic measuring system based on body parts just drives me buggy batty!
Interesting point Janis; perhaps the neck would be a bit too short for a cross but as I wrote to another friend recently there’s nothing to say you can’t mess around with a kit to suit. If a cross strung interests you a good place to study them would be Dan Speer’s at Argent Fox:
http://www.argentfox.com/index.php/instruments/crossstrung
Speaking of kits and messing with them….Music Makers still sells the plans for their discontinued 3 octave Shepherd (range G below middle C to g). It’s too bad the kit is no longer available, because that model is a prime candidate for a bronze strung harp, if you drop the range almost a full octave (A2-A5 using the scientific notation).
It would also make a nice double if you beef up the neck and board a little.
Tempting – about $200 total for a nice little 3 octave clarsach, maybe $400 for the double version! But you’d need a few tools to scratch build from the blue print.
Biagio
Mae, your new harp is one that of which you should be very proud! The harp looks very professional for all the trials and tribulations – and it is unique. So kudos multissimi!
Allison, yep, Truitts are much easier to mount than Lovelands – which is why I charge the same even though Truitts cost me 3 times as much:-) When you order your first set Betty will send you detailed instructions. Just be sure that you consult with her before ordering to make sure you get the right sizes.
Truitts press UP on the strings so that tension will hold them in place; Lovelands press DOWN so as our courageous Mae discovered, you need three hands unless you’re really used to them!
Here are a few additional tips on Truitts that differ from her instructions:
I remove the lever after marking for holes as it is very easy to nick a string or (horrors!) any winding.
If you don’t have and “egg beater” drill use an electric one at slow speed; most of us do even if we have the manual kind.
It is a good idea to tap the hole about three turns, though a lot of people don’t (including your truly if I’m in a hurry). I have a long handled tap wrench but you don’t really need that, an ordinary one will do or just twiddle it by hand.
Go slowly, be patient, and you will be very happy
I think it’s just wonderful that you two are doing this!
Biagio
Well, anyhow you did it! Quite a saga, I assume these were Lovelands?
Now anyone who might have wondered knows why we charge so much to lever a harp.
HA! Balfour it sounds as though your “next harp” if any should be a Kohner harmonica!
Wow even a pipe organ. And I thought my apartment was stuffed with instruments:-)
By the way, your harp looks to me as though it was made from the Music Makers’ plans for their Limerick model. A nice little harp and in fact my first one too. You may find that you need some support for it as it is rather large and heavy, awkward to simply balance on your lap. One approach would be to sit on a (padded) board and let the harp rest on the projecting end. Another would be something like the Blevins LeStik. A third are so-called “knee bones” which I do not recommend.
A number of professionals have my folding stand. I have a few spares still (I don’t make many harps any more) and in all modesty they love it. Here’s a picture of that one:
http://www.harpcolumn.com/members/biagio/media/
Have fun!
BiagioCongratulations Filipa!
Many people begin with “self teaching” and a smaller; if they decide that they want to delve more deeply they move on to a larger instrument and individual instruction. I think most would agree that the latter is practically an imperative since good technique is absolutely necessary beyond basics and it is very difficult to master that on one’s own. That has certainly been my experience.
For the present however There are some excellent self teaching materials. My personal favorites are those of Pamela Bruner (Play the Harp Beautifully series) and Yolanda Kondonassis (On Playing the Harp). If you can read italian (I assume you can) I’d also recommend Grossi’s Metoda Arpa. Grossi and Kondonassis are oriented toward pedal but most is perfectly applicable to a lever harp. They are mainly exercises, and excellent.
It would also be worth while to broaden your resources. Again there are many but two I’d suggest are 1) The International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen and 2) the Yahoo! group Virtual Harp Circle of which I am an “owner” and moderator. You can find both easily on-line.
Biagio
Picking up on the recent history….here’s an opinion (grin). Those “early” designs reflect IMHO the experiences of the makers. Mark Bolles – harpsichord; Roland Robinson – South American; Caswell and Witcher – Celtic. The L&H Troubadours and Folk Harps of course were designed around pedal harp parameters and assume pedal harp technique.
Very different playing techniques and it took a while for the pedal world to recognize that these other styles were both different and “legitimate” instruments in their own right. Sometimes I think that recognition is still a bit wanting among players, but makers such as Salvi/L&H, Camac, etc. “get it.”
When you’re ready I’d love to hear it Allison! When does she get a real name?
It’s too bad that Music Makers discontinued their little 3 octave Shepherd but they still sell the plans. It’s a sweet little harp and very easy to build – bronze strung from A2-A5 it would be just great.
Every once in awhile I ask Jerry to resurrect it as a double but just not interested I guess. But maybe Balfour, you could talk him into a bronze version?
See, here I am with six harps in the house and still fantasizing. Maybe I should get married, huh?
Sheesh!
The recent evolution of “folk” harps – at least in the US – interests me as a student of human thought. Most of the first designs in the 1970s were actually wire strungs (or South American style); then nylon/gut surpassed those in demand…and now we seem to be coming full circle. For example, one friend who is an accomplished pedalist has fallen in love with the clarsach; another recently converted her Triplett Zephyr.
The harp it seems is still the “queen of the strings”!
Biagio
