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Hey Deb! Join a local harp circle instantly! You will meet the most wonderful, supportive people ever! Our harp circle has three or four books that we all have copies to
Wow, such an interesting topic! I agree that often when things come free with no strings attached, hahaha, they are not as appreciated or as well taken care of. This is such a personal matter but I would add one idea. Every year I watch the Grammys and every year they speak about their foundation which places gently used instruments in public schools. On the face of it I like the idea but how the program is run and who the responsible parties are…well that’s the unknown. I would love to see a foundation rise that places these well loved harps in settings like hospitals, retirement communities, or even prisons where music and playing an instrument is part of the therapy. Keep those ideas coming! Someone reading this post will perhaps do something magical…
Diana L.
Carl, Is there a difference between lever gut and folk gut? I have a Prelude and an Ogden. The sound in the lowest gut strings is never good. The transition between the last metal strings and the first gut has always bugged me. I would love to hear a clear, bell like tone instead of the thud I get now… I also have a Dusty FH26(bubinga) and wondering about changing from
Hi Ken ! Thanks for the reference on a case for my Ogden! I hope you’re enjoying yours as your lessons progress!
Best to you, Diana L.
I bought an Ogden second hand ~5years old and just love it! The sound is wonderful and it fits like a glove. I just wish I had a heavy duty bag for it. The light one it comes with offers little protection and is clumsy to use. But that has nothing to do with the harp itself… the harp is awesome! I’m excited for you and hope you have many years of music making with your new Ogden.
Diana L.
Hi Deb!
I took ballet for many years!!! So many benefits! The one thing I have observed over the years is that through dance one can experience a dimension of music that is unlike any other. I believe a dancer’s physical relationship with music imbues them with sensory information that will translate directly to their musicality as they apply it to an instrument. There is NOTHING like it! Enjoy! Do be careful with your money plan!!! I’m a big fan of Suze Orman. She may seem obnoxious sometimes but she has some great ideas.
Diana L.Diana Day, Thank you so much for the powder idea! It worked like a charm!!! I really enjoyed playing today!!!
Diana L.For those of you with dry fingers, do you have any problems with making your strings squeak? This has become a very distracting problem for me. When my teacher plays my harp (Prelude) we hear no squeaks at all. My fingers are dry but not cracked. I use lotion everytime I wash. A couple of people suggested running fingers through my hair before playing but that didn’t work…I’m really puzzled! It kinda makes me feel like nails on a chalk board when I play. HELP!
Diana L.
Hi Bex!
You are lucky to get such complete and sage advice from Tony. I’ve only been playing for a couple of years. From a beginner’s perspective, Tony is spot on! Rent and get a teacher! I’m glad I made sure to find a teacher who teaches for pedal harp even though I may never play one. The only thing I might add is try to find a group to play in. Harp circles are so encouraging and lots of fun. Part of the pleasure of learning to play for me has been the amazing people I have come to know. Enjoy!
Diana
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the many harps you tried. I think your choice of a Dusty Strings FH36 is stellar! They are wonderful harps made by wonderful people! I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Salvi I didn’t like. The Anna is my favorite but I have a L&H Prelude that I love which is very similar. I’m seriously considering an FH36 in Koa which will complement the Prelude I think. Sometimes I like different sounds for different music. The Prelude is not very portable so it will be nice to have one that is. Let us know when your harp arrives! Also curious about any workshops you may have attended.
Wow, two “fingers through the hair” recommendations! I really appreciate your ideas! I’ll try it today! Thanks again to all!
Diana L.
Thanks for your thoughts on this problem. I’m trying the lotion idea. Interestingly, today I noticed my teacher’s fingers didn’t make my harp squeak as much as mine. It seems that my fingers slide slightly on the strings as I play, especially my thumbs. With your ideas and correcting the slide I think we may have found the solution. Many thanks for the reply!
Diana L.
It would be nice to bring it full circle. I do wonder how these dilemmas are resolved. For all who present these questions I wonder how many are out there with the same or similar questions waiting for answers and what decisions were ultimately made…
I have an Ogden and a Dusty FH26. I love them both for different applications.
I love the Ogden for its 34 strings, deep tone and concert tension pedal gut strings. I love my Dusty for it’s portability and sweet tones. If I had to choose, I would pick Ogden. More flexibility and closer to the feel of a pedal harp which is the goal you stated. You can’t go wrong with either one but I think you will miss those base stings. Look at Ravenna with 34 strings. Awesome harp!
