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Hi Deb,
I am not playing in healthcare settings yet, but I am enrolled in IHTP and about to finish Module 1. It’s been really wonderful so far. If you are looking to be certified down the road, I highly recommend reading Christina Tourin’s harp manual “Cradle of Sound.” It’s HUGE (almost 600 oversized pages loaded with text) and incredibly interesting and informative. Also, the Creatve Harping DVD series is an excellent way to learn about the various modes. If you do all this now, you will be way ahead of the game whenever you decide to enroll to be certified.
~Michaela
Hi Leah,
When I purchased my harp, I too was considering the Christina therapy harp. In the end, I ended up deciding on the Lewis Creek Nightingale, primarily due to the fact that it has more strings (27 instead of 25).
My harp teacher has a Christina and we compared harps a few times during our lessons. Both of us agreed that the Nightingale has a warmer and richer tone. I would highly recommend to also consider the Lewis Creek therapy harps. I believe the price is pretty comparable. The Nightingale is a beautiful little harp, very light weight and ideal for therapy work. Also, I would strongly recommend going with the Truitt levers, which won’t alter the tone, are light weight and look like jewelry on your harp.
Good luck!
Michaela
Hi Karen,
If my scale is correct, my harp weighs in at slightly under 8 pounds (fully levered with Truitt levers). If the weight is that important to you, I suggest checking with Jeff Lewis…, I am sure he will be able to give you accurate information. Either way, the harp is very light and easy to handle.The Triplett knee-bones crossbar works great with it for playing while having the harp rest on your lap. Now that I am working on my harp therapy certification, I am playing it with the strap, which is a bit awkward at first, but after a while, you get the hang of it.
The spacing is identical to my full-size harp (Thormahlen Swan), just lighter string tension as a therapy harp should have. Also, I found that pretty much from the beginning, my harp required very little tuning and I have yet to replace a single string on it. And in the 3 years I’ve had it the tone has warmed up significantly and, given the small instrument, the resonance is amazing!
~Michaela
Hi Jade,
As others already stated, anyone can learn the harp at any age, so go for it! I’d suggest starting out,
Hi Karen,
I have had my Lewis Creek Nightingale for almost 3 years now and I am loving it! It has a beautiful, warm tone (mine is made out of Cherry Wood), is light weight and has 27 strings, about the maximum you will find on a therapy harp. I highly recommend Truitt levers, since they don’t change the tone and are lighter than any of the others.
I was completely new to the harp when I got my Nightingale and played it exclusively during my first year of learning, before adding a full size harp to my collection. I am currently enrolled in IHTP, so my Nightingale will eventually be used for what it was intended for: therapy work.
Also, aesthetically speaking, I think it is one of the prettiest small harps around and Jeff Lewis, the luthier, is really wonderful to deal with.
I heard good things about the Westover Harp too, however, I too would be concerned about the limited 23 string range.
Hope this helps. Good luck with you purchase!
~Michaela
Kathy
,By now, you must have earned yourself a plaque for being the most loyal Thormahlen customer! Too funny…, Dave and Sharon must really love you!
I LOVE my Thormahlen Koa Swan, which has developed
Gloria,
Yes, the sheet music is available. Just google it and it will come up. Also, there are several recordings on You Tube of Aqua Harp played on a real harp. I agree with you…, it’s totally beautiful!Michaela
“… the Infinity is a temptation- you can drop it on the floor and play it underwater? Incredible!”
Finally a REAL aqua harp (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6896263709966133308#)…, I LOVE it!
Gloria: Did you by chance check with Dave whether or not the Inifinity 36 could be played by attaching a knee bone cross-bar of some sort? I own a lap/therapy as well and like you, I don’t care for the strap so I use a
Jennifer: How would you describe the difference in sound for the small Infinity 36? Do you think the tone is warm enough and suitable for harp therapy?
I own two beautiful customs harp, both of which I absolutely adore:
– Thormahlen Swan in Koa (36-stings)
– Lewis Creek Nightingale (27-string therapy harp)Up until recently, I would have said that I feel I have all I need for the rest of my life. Well, then Heartland Harps came along with their new Infinity 36-string carbon fiber harp (http://heartlandharps.com/infinity.html). While part of me resists the concept of a “plastic” harp (yikes!), I am very intrigued by the idea of having an instrument that is small, light weight, virtually undestroyable and that has 36 strings. This sure would make a great travel companion on road trips as well as air travel. And it has an amazing voice too.
I think Heartland Harps came up with a winner! While in my mind, a carbon fiber harp would never replace a traditional wooden harp, it sure makes for a great additional instrument. Unfortuanately, the price is a whammy…, ouch!
Something to ponder for the future….
Absolutely beautiful Karen…, congratulations!
There is nothing like a custom harp with your own personal touches. I love the artwork, especially the warm and soothing colors. Good choice to stick with earth tones rather than the brighter colors. The wood accents on the pillar top are exquisitve as well…, I can see why you are so excited! And aren’t you loving the Truitt levers?
When
Hi Jennifer,
I too own a Nightingale and have nothing but good things to say about it! They are wonderful harps, lightweight and very portable, the sound is incredible and they look very beautiful too. They are definitely more expensive than the small Dusty harps, but, in my opinion, the Nightingale is also a much better instrument, in addition to being lighter and more portable. The Nightingale is the only lap harp I know with 27 strings. I’d suggest getting it with full Truitt levers and a matching knee bone. Jeff Lewis is a wonderful craftsmans and is great to deal with. He will also send you soundclips or match you up with somebody in your area who has one, so you can go and play it yourself. Good luck!
Michaela
