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I put all Premier strings on one of my harps last year and they are very good. They are long lasting, and you get extra length in the 3rd and 2nd octaves. Only downside is they are expensive, but with the extra length maybe it comes out similar in the long run.
Fourteen is a lot of steps, even for an experienced harpist, and if it’s raining or the weather is bad you may be inclined to rush. It would be best if you can find a place that is on the ground floor. Otherwise take a short lease and keep looking. Good luck!
Many thanks! You’re a genius! Santa should bring you something really special for all you do for the rest of us!
For tuning I like the Peterson Virtual Stobe; lightweight, portable, runs on batteries. For the harps that have built-in mics I attach a quarter-inch cable for direct input, and it picks up the highs and lows. For the harps which do not have mics permanently affixed to them, I used a clip-on pick up and move it from one sound hole to another nearest to the octave I’m tuning.
For regulating I use my 40-year-old electric (no battery) Conn Strobotuner and the same pick-up systems. It’s a dinosaur but I love it. Sometimes you can find one on eBay; they don’t make ’em anymore.I have a large, 5-year calendar but also keep a calendar on my phone. The paper calendar has my husband’s jobs and mine, so we know who is busy and when, and it has other things like birthdays, vacation, etc. The phone calendar is mainly my jobs with contact information and other things I personally have to do. I keep the paper calendar forever in case I need to look back to see when something was done. It’s a useful resource.
My first stop is usually MusicNotes.com. You can see all pages of an arrangement and many are available in a choice of keys (very helpful when considering necessary pedal changes; I chose one key because that was the only key where the simultaneous pedal changes were on opposite sides).
My only problem with this is the arrangement the bride sends may be unplayable or unsuitable for harp. One sent me harmonica music, which I couldn’t decipher at all. I spend a lot of time looking at various harp arrangements (or piano arrangements if that’s all that’s available) before deciding which version in which key will work best for me, and even then I often end up rewriting it.
I used Vanderbilt Classic and Bow Brand on my Camac Clio and Trianon and now use Premier Strings. I thought they were all fine and gave me the warm sound I wanted.
Another consideration is how long you expect to continue renting. If half a year or longer, the new strings are a good investment for your child as the harp will sound better (and they are necessary for a regulation). But if you’re planning to return the harp soon, maybe you won’t get much benefit from new strings and a regulation. I would try to negotiate this cost with the owner. Maybe pay half?
She decided to go with something else I suggested, but thanks to all of you for your advice and encouragement!
