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Very interesting comments for me as a beginner, thanks. As one who primarily plays wire strung – totally different instrument from the concert harp! – perhaps it is worth noting that it also works the other way. Bunting’s collections are pianoforte scores of wire harp compositions – there is no way in the world one could play them on wire harp as transcribed:-)
Happy New Year to all.
THANK YOU Eileen! I don’t want to come across as a nerd or dogmatic (which I will, no doubt) but darn it just gotta share something.
I was blessed in my first year by a wonderful teacher who insisted that all her students – pedal of not – understand the technical details of their personal instrument. Be it Troubadour, L&H pedal, or a 26 string kit harp, everyone had to get out a tape measure, chart or caliper, and then be ready to talk about WHY the harp sounded as it did.
And then (oops) we had to think about how it could sound differently with a different technique or different strings:-) Joscilyn would often say “The music is in you, but if you do not understand the harp as a lover would, you are just a technician. ”
Biagio
About string history: boy that’s a huge subject! Gamut Music supplies strings for authentic early instrument reproductions and has several fascinating articles on how their strings are made. Just reading the gut manufacture article made me appreciate their price. Here’s the website:
On the used string topic: for one design collaboration we went through several string iterations (which is normal) but instead of pitching as usual I kept the wound and Savarez Alliance. Just keep looking at what must be several hundred dollars of basically new strings!
You could start here:
http://laurierileymusic.wordpress.com/therapeutic-music/Laurie was one of the early founders of MHTP (Music for Healing and Transition).
Following her link to therapeuticmusician.com leads to the home page for the US National Standards Board for Therapeutic Musicians. Moving to their bookstore…..this looks pretty comprehensive:
Glad to hear this was helpful Chris, and the best of fortune to your daughter!
Segueing along the thread…what do you creative folks do with the strings you have changed, aside from keeping as emergency spares? Perhaps it’s the Christmas spirit but I am trying to think up creative and not so creative craft ideas.
So far they mostly involve music stuff… wind chimes, Aeolian harps, cookie tin banjos, funky “petting zoo” harps, fishing leaders…surely you creative folks have more ideas??
Thanks and happy holidays,
BiagioTayce, let’s not to beat this to death. As a practical matter the difference between .60mm and .62mm is so miniscule as to be meaningless with respect to tension and tone; and any diameter would be at the same tensile strength. Although MUCH larger would sound pretty awful.
Equally as a practical matter while you and I may enjoy and understand string theory, we are in the minority among harpists. The initial question was”Does she have to buy a complete set for spares?” I think we agree that the answer is “In principle no, but why not be on the safe side?” Unless she really does want to get into string band design (which in fact I’d encourage).
Biagio
I have to concur with Tacye – and indeed go further: why not invest in a full set? There’s nothing quite so depressing as tuning up and hearing a BOING just when you least want to!
Salvi names strings using concert harp convention so all strings may or may not be unique. For example Bow Brand lever gut 1st octave D C and B are all 0.020 gauge, but there’s that pesky red C. When one considers the cost of the harp itself, income from a gig, etc. etc. a spare set seems like a small but wise investment to me.
My two more shiny pennies.
Biagio
Most harps have identical diameters here and there within the range so in general I’d say “Yes she can; it is not necessary to buy a full set.” Furthermore, in an emergency one can substitute a diameter (size) that is “close” IF it is long enough.
To be more specific it rather depends on the model. I’d advise a full set of any wound strings and selected nylon and gut. As a designer I buy my nylon strings in 25 yard coils so always have a lot of those. Nylgut, fluorocarbon and gut cost a lot more so only have what I need when I need it.
Can’t be more specific without knowing the model, I’m afraid.
Biagio
Lots to choose from there! Off the top of my head if Celtic is acceptable: a jig and a slow air. From my current music stand for an e.g. – Pipe on the Hob and Port na bPucai. Contrasting for sure and can be performed at different levels.
Biagio
Because every time I make a new one there’s always something that could be done better or differently. So – next time I do….pretty soon there’s no room left in the house!
Biagio
Besides being a master of the cross strung, Harper Tasche has published as series of arrangements expressly for the smaller harps including a piece played with only one hand. Studying what he does may give you some ideas.
Adding chords to the melody hand is easier IMHO than completely relearning a piece for the harmony hand – just don’t use those full chords in the LH:-)
I’m glad to see interest here for the small double strungs as well. Rees makes a lovely one, but if you’ll be hiking in rugged areas a less expensive one might be a safer bet. Blevins and Stoney End both make some.
I have a few left that I made for a retreat – really low end but they serve the purpose. I levered one for myself just for those “toss in the back of the car” occasions.
Biagio
While I hope not to start an argument here, allow me to point out that the string naming convention she details refers almost exclusively to orchestral pedal instruments. The scientific convention is more often (though not always) the system of choice for lever harps, to which Katia refers. Orchestral harps have been fairly standardized but lever harp designs range anywhere from two octaves to seven and a half, and average tensions from 17 lbs. to 40 lbs. per string, The wide variation in tension is due not only to range per se but in deliberate choice of diameters and material, so it would be confusing to refer simply to “3rd octave C string”.
Different harps, different purposes and different techniques require different conventions. I don’t refer to my wire strung clarsach by either convention, but am perfectly happy with the pedal convention for my (pedal based) Clark model A. My single and double strungs use the scientific one.
Having said that, the general answer to Katia’s question is that “Yes, it is a cost issue.” Harps start getting pretty tall right around that G below middle C if the designer wants to stay with unwound strings. The reason is that the tension formula is an exponential one. Harp designers refer to that range as the transition range due to that, and devise varied strategies, all of which add to the cost of designing and building. There are some very lightly strung harps that refute that statement (principally the South American ones) but playing them well requires a very different technique from what is usually taught.
Biagio
Wof tones do occur with harps, they’re just not generally very noticeable. Every harp has a resonant frequency – on a long string with sustain the overtones may match that, producing the “wolf.” William Rees designs his harps with asymmetric sound boards for this reason, among others. Read his comments here:
http://traditionalharps.com/Why_Rees.html
Depending on the type of harp, attaching a small weight in the body near the offending string might help. Dusty Strings encountered this with Loveland levers; their solution was to drill a small hole in the cam and insert a small piece of lead, I think.
Biagio
Thank you Paul; I was looking forward to your opinion. I’m strongly tending toward leaving it as is. If I really want the model as a therapy harp (the main reason for considering levers) sell it and just build a brand new one..
Biagio
Indeed, that is the quandary Wil. You have put it very well. On the one hand it would feel a bit like desecration; on the other hand it would be a better instrument. I know of at least one professional who had that done (although she had her luthier add Lovelands which I don’t much like).
It’s a long range issue, I’m not prepared to spend the money just now even if I do decide on levers. Always grateful for your thoughts!
Biagio
