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Great for you Jennifer!
The waiting must be tough, but nice to know your harp is being made just for you.
I hope we can count on some pictures and a full report when
Please pardon the premature post, here is the second link:
I reralized after I posted that all of us who replied didn’t really answer the question:
“what are the charactaristics of a “Gothic” harp”
Here is a link that may help: http://www.eric-harps.de/historical-harps/gothic.htm
There are sound clips with and without brays of most of the models he makes along with a nice explantion of where he found inspiration for each one. There are other places where you can read more about the construction of harps and the music written for them in the 15th and 16th centuries, but this site is the only place I have found sound samples offered for instruments
Blevins makes a gothic type with 29 strings and a proper oval soundbox. (though I doubt it’s hollowed out by hand at the modest price they’re asking)
There is one in cherry on their discounted new harps page. The model name is Harmony:
http://blevinsharps.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=167_2_99
I’ve been told I have ‘perfect pitch’. I don’t know if I buy that. I can always hear if something isn’t right, and I can tell sharp or flat.
However, I
I’m glad that seems to work well for Liam, but it’s really not a good idea. A sponge inside the harp (or any humidifier) will increase the humidity on the inside, where the wood is unfinished and able to absorb more moisture.
This causes the interior of the body to swell slightly and could distort the shell or hasten the demise of glue joints on the body. Also, if you’re relying on the sponge and not using a room humidifier, the room will be drier than normal which will exacerbate the problem.
The reason those little humidifiers work well for guitars is that guitars spend most of their time inside a case, where the humidity will stabilize around the entire instrument. For obvious reasons it doesn’t apply to a harp.
While laminate wood products are less affected by changes in humidity, they are still wood, and will still react (slowly and less dramtically) to changes in humidity with changes in dimension.
If you’ve just spent thousands of dollars on a fine wood instrument, why take chances? Plunk down the extra $50 for a decent humidifier. I have a Hunter model 34355 with a permanent aluminum wick (lasts about 2 years with hard water) and it maintains 45% humidity in a room that’s 18×24 with 12′ ceiling. It has a built-in humidistat, so it turns on and off at levels I can set.
You’ll probably find that stable 40% humidity is pleasant for people too
Chris
Just my two cents about the hand movements and frame rate:
YouTube adulterates everything you upload. I would not expect that the jerky movements, apparently missing frames or slightly mismatched audio are evident in the original recording.
Congrats!
If the harp is a McFall, the dance is a Jig or a Reel -you pick.
I have a Madame Cadillac, couldn’t be happier. I would love to have one of his Neo-Irish too, but……
I don’t know how you’re going to stand the wait!
Chris in NY
Just a thought – not knowing what’s available in the area where you live, but here I very often see electronic keyboards selling for $50 or so in the local paper, pennysaver and craigslist.
If you want to learn more about music theory, read music better or just make music to satisfy yourself, these keyboards are inexpensive and beginner-friendly.
In your situation, I would look around for something used and inexpensive to get started. When the harp you want fineally happens, you will have a good start on theory and reading music for two hands, which can only help.
In the meanwhile, you’ll be able to satisfy the urge to create music and feel less frustrated.
Best wishes,
Chris in NY
How about a sheer cover for the harp (in between sets) that’s made of fabric in colors or patterns that reflect the current holiday or the event at hand?
The cover could be draped over a music stand when you’re playing and thereby still on display.
A small wardrobe for the harp could be accumulated over a year or two at small cost to great effect.
No problems with wires, lights or other things that could harm the finish, and the cover will keep people from trying to play the harp when you’re away from it.
Chris
