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I really recommend this book for learning about harmony, chords and simple improvisation using lead sheets. It’s downloadable.
It looks like the mademoiselle is strung with nylon for the first 3 octaves, not gut. That might be your problem.
https://www.camac-harps.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/Mademoiselle-en.pdf
Here it is Balfour! (Click the image to go to the web page!)
Yup, I believe Emily is right. Even Salvi’s new monster, the Reus 49, doesn’t have discs on the D or C…..or B or A!
Emily thank you so much. I never knew about the added bar (no idea how that happened!) The editions I use have it included and one is on the ABRSM grade 4 syllabus so young harpists will learn the added bar. I have just listened to it without it and it suddenly makes so much more sense. I’ve literally just got hold of my copy and crossed it out!!!
Why don’t you contact Pilgrim harps direct? They are very helpful and I’m sure they would be able to give you the information you need. They are at the Edinburgh Harp Festival at the moment so may not be easy to contact until after Easter but they would definately be my first port of call.
You might like to look at noteflight too. https://www.noteflight.com/
Hi Kay, it’s an effect that is available in our loopers. I have the Boss RC-30 and I think Ellie has the same one. It has various effects available. The score actually just says fade out but she added the effect and I think it sounds cool so I do it too! You could use a separate effects pedal or just fade out the loop without altering it if your looper didn’t have the option.
Camac Harps are a very different shape to Venus harps (or most other makes for that matter). They have a less steep neck curve and therefore a lower shoulder height. I’m not sure a Camac cover would fit a different make of harp. I always used my Salvi covers on my Camac Big Blue but they were a bit baggy at the shoulder. Not a problem that way round but possibly a problem in reverse. Camac covers are very expensive so I would definately want to test them before buying. Here in the UK that are only available as a full set – not individually – so you have to buy all three parts.
Kay, if you do decide to invest in a looper then Eleanor Turner has written a gorgeous piece for electric harp and loop pedal called “Alice in Escher’s Wonderland”. I play it mostly on pedal harp but it works just as well on the DHC. It isn’t actually published but if you contact Ellie I am sure she would be happy to share the score. She is playing it here:
I definitely recommend a three piece cover. I wouldn’t consider moving a gold harp without them. Personally I prefer Salvi covers and use them for my Lyon and Healy 23. I have used the same set of covers for a Camac Big Blue, LH 11 gold and also a Pilgrim Aldeburgh. I prefer the two part base of the Salvi version but I have an older cover which doesn’t attach to the main cover. I actually prefer this and sold the cover that came with my 23 (also Salvi rather than LH, but with attachment to the main cover). Having to attach the base was just an extra faff I didn’t think was necessary. I’ve never had a problem loading or unloading with the covers not attached to each other.
Camac covers are very padded and solid. They cost a fortune and while they are very good, they are heavy, very bulky, stiff and difficult to fold. This makes them tricky to store if space is tight and also difficult to hide away if you are at a gig. They aren’t the easiest to get hold of when loading either. Salvi covers are pliable and light but still offer very good protection.
Of course they all have the dreaded, tights eating Velcro (WHYYYYY???!!!) and Salvi covers are not reinforced at the top where you slide the harp into the car (I use a padded dog bed so the cover doesn’t wear at the top). They could also do with a more solid base to save holes being worn under the feet. I keep a waterproof backed mat in the car to stand the harp in when loading.Thanks Kay. Yes Scarborough Fair is straight from a printed copy of the Simon/Garfunkel arrangement. I just set the main theme as a loop (I actually have it saved as a loop just in case the live version I play has any glitches in it – top tip!!!) and then play a slightly adapted version of the canticle over it. My duet partner and I also do this version together with one of us just playing the theme and one joining in with the canticle. The version we use is available here. https://goo.gl/images/joN1SK Enjoy. x
Hi Kay,
I play any manner of different things on my DHC. I love it. I love messing about with the looper. Here’s a version of Scarborough Fair https://youtu.be/b4i6jCiMqik
There are a few other DHC videos on my YouTube channel too. I do lots of pop, folk, jazz – a bit of everything. It’s a really versatile instrument. I wasn’t sure what I would do with it when I got it but I just have fun and mess about with stuff. If it works, great, if not never mind! I was asked to do Black Sabbath “Paranoid” for a wedding last year (I think they had been watching the harp twins!) which was fun to do. There’s a clip of that one on my instagram page along with quite a few other things that I’ve had a go at. Feel free to have a browse! https://www.instagram.com/emgharp/The artist at Pilgrim is Jerry Blumire. He is on Facebook as Jerry Blumire harpart. He’s lovely so you could contact him direct and have a chat. His artwork is beautiful. Generally speaking through, he doesn’t add paintings to finished harps, only to new ones. I enquired about having artwork added to a second hand Pilgrim Aldeburgh that I had just bought and it is because the soundboard would need to be stripped of any finish before it was painted. The harp would have to be taken part to do it so it would work out very expensive.
