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Here’s a nice entry level Bardic 27 harp at a good price. Nothing new though.
http://www.ecrater.com/p/26729600/camac-bardic-27-nylon-strings-harp-in?gps=1&id=80959773019On the other hand, something of particular style and grace- unsold for a couple of weeks-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/24-Brass-Wire-Strung-Harp-by-Robert-Cunningham-beautiful-bell-tone/292077948975?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3D53876ab14d144c86863740ab60464920%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D401085632536I have both a Korg hand held tuner and a cheap similar one I got on bay for about five dollars-
Both work well and cover all the strings on my harps up to 34 Mikel Celtic.
They start to fail the upper ranges of my piano though, so I have to match octave tones.I thinking about asking about nylgut not long ago, mostly for replacing some o the first nylon wound strings, because Ive had a lot of them break and I’ve never been thrilled with the sound.
From some experience with ukulele, I think the nylgut might make more difference there- in bassier octaves. cant say reallynd y txt x never works here- I’d like to hear some opinions.
maybe the way back might be to stir some interest in the harp by watching others perform on youube- there are al kinds of performers playing all kinds of music- I’d write morebut I’m having to correct EVERY word- so it’s VERY ANNOYING! I can’t…..
I have followed the Roosebecks on the net with some interest- although in the past year especially there has been a proliferation of haps from Pakistan of other types and other designs.
I fist bought an unlevered Roosebeck Pixie harp- 19 strings back about 2002 because I’d just completed a movie script called The Hearpe.
My interest didn’t take n the instrument mostly because of the low number of strings that only played in C w/o retuning by hand and I wasn’t as far musically on either guitar or piano then .
But I painted it and enjoyed having it around.
About a yea back I bought a Minstrel 29 Roosebeck- mostly because I didn’t want to spend more and I saw the prices going up- in fact they went up over $100 and still there a year ad a half later.
My opinion then? The newer harp as much improved, but not enough-the soundboard was totally changed to light birch in color- note that as there still older darker ones around- and the sound was noticibly brighter which I attributed to the newer soundboard. The sound boxes were then still a damper in my opinion- the visually attractive carvings are weighty an don’t resonate as well as lighter material wood-
I had heard a lot of negative comments about the levers from American enthusiasts but I didn’t find them particularly bad or non-functional in any. The back of the soundbox is rather inconsequential to the rest I think.
Anyway – didn;t keep that harp long because I found a better deal and sold it for close to what Ipaid wen I needed money fr the home. Later regretted it a bitbecause the price had gone up- ANNYANCE was that it didn’t lever the top five strings
I think I just may type and not correct whatthis typ bx an/or att/Yahoo intentionaly has messed up someh with agrowig inabili f my Microsoft browser – this sure is a TRIPPY America now,and I’ve EJOYED chep goods from other laces while our own make war on us.
It was some kind of promotion- only $300 delivered and sitting there on ebay with time running down- Couldn’t let it slip away with Christmas money in my hands! The newer 27 not the wrestling match the bigger 34 is, but both are a bit weighty for their size- it’s turning into a nice little practice harp with a bright sound. Haven’t named it yet…. maybe “rum harp”? “scotchy?”
Well it’s been over 4 months since the OP. I wonder how it’s going?
I too think that SOME kind of small harp would help even a 19 Pixie harp- or a keyboard- generally had new on ebay for $50 or 60 these days and 61 keys and lots of voices- usually harp- or for $50 on Craigslist used. Amazing what one can get for under $100 these days.
Beyond making rudimentary musical progress there- a great resource for our time is of course youtube- and a lot can be earned simply by watching- not just instruction- but performances. If you eventually have a small harp , some crude imitation of performance videos can go a long way- especially if you have some concept of notes and keys and triads and chords and the like.
Live recitals at university music schools are an interesting and enjoyable way to spend ones time if you have access to them, and the recitals are often open and attendance is encouraged among students and the public to help the aspiring musician. A dozen years ago I was fortunate to be living near my alma mater Indiana University where I was able to occasionally attend a recital or performance by students and even the International Harp Competition held every few years there. Really nice.
Someone mentioned etudes- I was thinking last week that I wished I had some exercises equivalent to the Guiliani Exercises I use on classical guitar and I looked on this forum and searched etudes and I see there is a very thorough book of exercises out there for $35. Personally I’m not ready to spend the 35 right now- also practicing guitar and piano and violin and having invested much on books with many books around my crowded living space.
Then I realized that the “etudes” were really the same thing as piano arpeggio exercises- which helped me tremendously gain there a year or so ago- the few exercises in Sylvia Woods book are identical to the piano arpeggios that got me more flowing up and down the keys- More pointedly they are often OPEN CHORDS that go on up or down across several octaves and you try to play the in rhythm or in musical flow.
so I highly recommend some etude/piano arpeggio practice on keyboard or a harp- and the piano exercse books are many and can be had for more like $10-15 before you may want to get the definitive Harp etudes for $35.
Good luck and keep harping
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I am probably not in league with most of you, nor my 22 Stoney End or 34 Mikel Celtic –
but what I have done is to paint the center brace of the soundboard- inside and also topside if there is one there. A small brush and some normal whiute latex is all you need for the inside-
I started after working a little bit with other wood that would be exposed to weather, like fencing- and I noticed that after I painted a piece of wood not only would it keep moisture out but it both felt heavier and stronger by a significant amount.
After I noticed that soundboards usually bend slightly from pressure I figured “Why not?” The center brace the strings run through is really still directly involved in the transfer of the strings vibration and not the object of tibre and resonance the res of the sound box is, so it seems to me that any loss of sound would be minimal- volume might even be increased by a more rigid brace.
I’ve played with soundboxes on guitars- sanding smooth rough surfaces and thinning over built panels and reducing the vertical height of some internal bracing- and was amazed at gains in both volume and resonance, but I still don’t know if there is a consensus on this kinda painted brace thing on a harp, but it DOES seem to reduce a small amount of string bow.
On the Mikel Celtic- there is an exterior top of the sound board brace, and that I painted with some copper acrylic Folk Art Shimmer paint, that actually adds real copper metal to the acrylic mix and seems to give it a good strength and solid sound transfer- the paint on the top also keeps the grommets from rusting and any metal washers on the string back too. It doesn’t take long but is delicate precise work, so leave your ten thumps at home or for when you want to drive your harp audience away.
I know I have!
I love a decorated harp, or any other instrument. I’ve seen some simple and attractive vine designs , leafs and shamrocks or other celtic sign, and I wouldn’t mind having that. I think simple is best myself- soundboards transfer the sound waves and pass them along as the notes and music, so I don’t think they should be heavily painted, myself. You may have the best result keeping I simple- some good acrylic oil base paint might be tougher lasting, while latex gives you the flexibility to quickly sponge off mistakes or ideas that don’t look good when applied, and that may allow you to make your own designs rather than hire a professional. Have fun and good luck.
YIKES! is right! I have been a bit squeamish and leery since seeing your blog and your unfortunate experiences with your Mikel.
And it weighed heavy as I went through with my plans and finally sold the Roosebeck 29 I’d bought just before I found my Mikel Celtic last summer. If mine broke like that now I’d have only the Stoney End Eve of my avatar. (I’d probably replace it with another Roosebeck 29, and be losing money on both the resell and price increases.
My own Mikel has weathered four seasons now- albeit in Florida- and despite the painting I was just completing when Gordon- Johnston posted his blog above- I related here: https://harpcolumn.com/forums/topic/a-decorative-work-in-progress/
I’ve had no structural or lever problems so far. Only breaking strings- 4 total now, all when not playing
But I’ve resurrected this thread not so much to talk about negative possibilities, but to relate more of my experiences with breaking strings on the Mikel and what I hope may be of some solution.
I’ve just replaced the 26 D string for the second time with the Dusty Strings wrapped nylon of the same position. Those strings seem to fit fairly well except that the nylon wrap comes past the pins, which someone said above is a no no. I’ve tried to reinforce the winding then with glue, and I’ve still yet to put the metal C 27 and B 28 strings on- I’m hoping to get more of a solid idea of what the harp sounds like in my mind and maybe I’ll make a video of my crudely playing a same bit before and after to better compare the results.
But tonight replacing the 22 D for the second time- and trying to lay in replacements to save on shipping from Dusty Strings too (it’s $11 a pop otherwise on these nylon wound strings)- It occurred to me that it seemed that the pins on the Mikel could be turned in a bit more to alleviate the string deflection side to side on pins that I presume are there more for string concerns front to back.
So that’s what I did, and I think it perhaps a finishing oversight from the factory, who maybe don’t even realize that this might be a factor breaking strings. I first suspected the tuning levers, and noticed that the pins DO have an unfortunately very narrow pin that presses the string. On the metal strings further up, the pins have a small plastic sleeve over them that probably gives them some protection. To that end I found a small piece of very small plastic tubing (WD 40 spray tubes are too small) and I’ve put some of that on most of the other wound string levers- I’ve yet to evaluate tuning with a tuner-I may have to move the levers some to compensate. But looking at the strings that have broken they appear to perhaps be more near the pin- so I’m hoping my turning of the pins in – about 1 full turn on most will help the problem of broken strings.
The string now has less deviation side to side free standing and slightly more going the other way with the levers- but definitely straighter overall. SO that might be a detail other neophytes want to be more aware of, as well as just getting a good even wrap and the pin ends straight. I don’t think we can assume that this has been correctly calculated at the factory.
So anyway the Roosebeck 29 is gone- a nice harp of a good size- not a lap harp, but neither the wrestling match a large harp sometimes feels and with all monofilament strings that don’t break or unravel as easily. I wish I had more time for it, but I really overspent on harps last summer, and with the Mikel taking over a month to arrive I figured then I’d wish I had returned the Roosebeck.
cheerio and keep harping!
I have always called it the “Pinata function” because that’s where I hang my harp from while blind folded ninos y ninas try to knock candy out of it with a silver hammer. That’s also why I never put any candy into my harp, because who needs young gringos trying to break your harp apart?
I think on almost any instrument the key to learning any piece can often be to break the song down into its’ structure, rather than just play through the notes. (And I’m VERY bad at learning pieces, because I’m spread too thin on too many instruments and I haven’t cared about my repertoire, I never worry about performing, I just want to do something new too often and have no consistency. So things move forward slowly, although move along they do eventually.
Anyway if you play some other instrument better, it might help to do a rough play on that, to see and be aware of the chord structure more: so many tunes relate largely in some way to I, IV, V structure, with at least two of those chords especially- so it might help you get there better in a more general way across the strings on harp. It also helps to be aware of octaves on harp especially, and when you realize it, a lot of some pieces are just the same patterns , sometimes on different octaves that might not be so apparent written on a score. And so some of the mental block can disappear at that point, and you can gain in sight reading “in reverse” by being aware of the chord and arpeggio patterns and then seeing them on the staves.
I learned a long time ago in education classes that there are three basic steps that help you learn anything: 1. Preview the material, 2. study or practice the material and 3. the review of the material. The preview and review are much shorter periods of time, but really maximum your time otherwise- they can be the mortar between the bricks of learning.
With a musical piece, the preview and review are more about engaging the brain on any pertinent aspect of a piece that helps your understanding. They help you remember and you’ve already engaged your mind before you practice it again. They focus you and that saves time, especially when you haven’t practiced regularly.
Studies have also clearly shown that mental visualization even when, and maybe especially when, you are not at the instrument or practicing otherwise, can be very beneficial in advancing a study of something. The power of mental visualization is a powerful thing and should be cultivated. Mentally picture the staves and name the notes of the lines and spaces, and mentally recall where your piece goes. Any time doing that is really just as valuable as playing the piece itself, except perhaps in terms of physical technique, and yet every musician can tell you, you have to have a mental rememberance of where the notes are to play them smoothly. You don’t want to have to unlearn something you’ve learned to play incorrectly simply because you’ve focused on the speed.
