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Hi,
Thank you @GREGGBAILEY and @CARL-SWANSON for your replies!
There seems to be a lot of different views on this humidifier subject… I have a lot of allergies and other stuff and so far I have been much better without humidifiers with steam.
I will receive my rental RAVENNA on Friday. And already in advance I have thought about what a pity it is to cover her up when I don’t play. Harps don’t only have a heavenly sound, they are also so beautiful to look at! I would like to be able to see my harp when I don’t play – it’s nourishing to the soul…
So it made me so happy to hear that you don’t cover your harps up! 🙂And thank you for sharing your experiences about humidifiers!
– Lily
Thank you @CHARLES-NIX, @GREGG BAILEY and @BALFOUR-KNIGHT! Your replies were a real eye opener for me. I have been looking at sheet music I would like to play later on, and I would need a pedal harp for that. That would be awesome!
I also realize I was rushing a little before, when it comes to buying my own harp. Now I will practice on my rental RAVENNA for a while and see where that takes me. MAYBE to the Netherlands…? 🙂
The only thing that worries me is how much love and care a harp needs, it’s like a pet. String changing, tuning, transport, humidifying, blisters… I’m used to the piano. But as you fall in love with harps – in a completely different way than with other instruments (my personal view) – I guess you do it with a lot of affection and respect. 🙂
Thank you for your answers!
Sounds lovely with all those plants, unfortunately I’m allergic, so I have to find another solution. Thanks for sharing anyway! 🙂
And thank you @CHARLES-NIX! Unfortunately I can’t use the steaming humidifiers. I have understood that the guitar humidifiers work well for guitars. And I assume they take them off when they play, like we take the dust bag off… But I’m anything but and expert! I’ll have to think about this. 🙂
Hi Balfour,
What a delicious post, thank you!
This seems to be a lovely community. In my country people don’t play the harp a lot, and usually they cannot understand why I would like to play it.
So it feels wonderful to find people who share my passion!Your post made me smile – and it also made my mouth water… Compliments for your choice of flower! 😉
And compliments for that BEAUTIFUL favourite pedal harp of yours! Finally a Camac in this thread…Thank you for your support!
– Lily
Good point! I loved your clear description of what happens if the instrument is too low. That was exactly what happened to me, when I tried to play some notes on my teacher’s Salvi Mia. I’m actually very tall (179 cm – the converter gives me 5 ‘ 10.47 :D). My rental Ravenna comes with 5 inches high legs. It remains to be seen if that’s enough… Thank you @CHARLES-NIX! 🙂
Hi Gregg,
Thank you so much for your kind replies!!! 🙂
It was so encouraging to hear you started as an adult as well! And all those harps you have…
The first harp I fell in love with was actually the Rees Grand Harpsicle! I sent Rees an email with a question about it, and they recommended the Brilliant Harpsicle, because of its sound. I immediately asked them if they could make the Brilliant in white for me, but unfortunately it’s not possible anymore. They had one white left, but it was reserved. I was number 2 on the list. Unfortunately for me, the reservation wasn’t cancelled, so I didn’t get it.
I have also asked Dysty if they could make a Ravenna in white for me. You’re right, they did make one in black and white once, but they cannot make one in white for me. I really begged them… 🙂 Now I have been looking at their 36 string models, that could be more interesting in the long run, but I don’t think they would make those in white either. I’d have to ask them about it to be sure, I think I will. Or accept another finish!
I’m getting a rental harp in a couple of weeks, that I can keep until I get my own. And the rental one happens to be a Dusty Ravenna! I’m SO happy about this, even if the harp is black… 😀 It has nylon strings. The soundboard is made of birch from my country, which feels really nice! I cannot wait to start practicing!
So I have actually considered four of your models!
I played only a few notes on my teacher’s pedal harp, but it did feel like hard work for the fingers, from a skin point of view. I also got to play a Salvi Mia, with the same result (less, but still)… Something lighter would feel more safe. That’s why I started to doubt the Gaia, that seemed so perfect before.
I already had a quick look at the Musicmakers and Marini made harps. They were completely new to me, so thank you! The Marini made ones are quite heavy…
I will start to practice with my Ravenna, as soon as she arrives! And keep looking. Right now it seems like one of the Camac models I mentioned in my original post could be an option. I’ll try to get some more information about those as well.
It’s interesting that here people talk a lot about Camac and Salvi harps. They are European, maybe it’s as simple as that. In the US you seem to talk more about American harps, so it makes sense.
I set up an account here yesterday, posted immediately, and I have gotten this much help and support, I am SO grateful!
Thank you once more for your answers Gregg, they were so inspiring and encouraging! 🙂 / Lily
Thank you @CHARLES-NIX for your reply! I have learned a lot from you, and you gave me a lot to think about. (I’m new to this forum and I can’t seem to tag you correctly…).
Those YouTube videos did not match my dream of playing at all, I can’t see myself doing that. The black sharps of the piano are so handy. So I got a bit scared there for a moment…
My harp teacher started with a pedal harp from the very beginning! That would be neat!
But let’s be realistic. My passion for the harp is still there, and the harp cannot be changed to another instrument, it’s the harp that makes my soul sing… I have a lot of work to do before I’m at “the Méditation level”. IF one day I reach that level, maybe I will use the levers, or even upgrade to a pedal harp. But for now it’s a lever harp. This is a wonderful adventure to me, a journey. I’ll take one day at a time and see where it leads me.About rental harps: In a couple of weeks I will actually get a rental harp that I can use until I get my own. I’m very lucky, harps don’t grow on trees in my country… It happens to be a Dusty Ravenna, which suites me perfectly! 🙂
If I decided to travel, in order to try harps, I’d have to go the Netherlands. In Amsterdam there’s a shop that sells everything but Camac harps. Camac has their own store in Rotterdam. I’d have to spend about 3(-4) days there. I would get what I want, and it could be really fun and interesting. But also expensive…
Keeping all the above in mind, I’ll continue gathering information about which harp could be right for me and see where all this leads me.
Thank you SO MUCH for your answer CHARLES-NIX! It was a real eye-opener for me, I needed it! 🙂
To answer your questions, I can say for sure that I will never become a professional, a harp teacher, or play in an orchestra or similar. I LOVE beautiful pedal harps, but it’s highly unlikely that I would ever get one of those (price, size, etc.). That’s why I would like to go for a quality lever harp, with (at least) 38 strings, a harp that I could enjoy for a long time, without the need to upgrade.
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I live in Finland (EU) and have already been in contact with a professional harp player, who would teach me techniques and similar. I want to get those things right from the very beginning, regardless of how far I get. Time will tell how far I get, but for now my goal is to be able to play for example “Méditation” from the opera Thaïs by Massenet, and other beautiful intermezzos, arias and classical pieces, as harp solos. So they would most likely be transcriptions, but if they are well made, I would have to accept that. I would play for the joy of it, at home. That’s my goal for now, and it’s very unlikely that it will change. So I’d play what you can play on a lever harp. I’m not a young girl anymore either, so I think there will be enough material out there for my needs / my future level. I used to play the piano years ago, for several years. Playing the harp is a long-time dream of mine, so I’m passionate about starting, like a little child at Christmas… 🙂I have met with my teacher once already. I was on cloud 9 when she made me play a little thing on her pedal harp… That sound… <3
I asked her about what kind of harp I would get, but she thought it didn’t matter at this point, “you can always sell it and buy another one”. I understand her point perfectly, but we are all different, I would still go for something I can play Méditation and similar with, once I get that far… 🙂I just wouldn’t want to buy a harp that I can’t play because of my fragile skin – or a harp that my Méditation and similar doesn’t sound good with. Is this an impossible equation?
