Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Welcome the the world of the harp! Depending on where you live, you’re likely to have to order your harp books. Fun from the First is still published. There are many sources out there, but you need to shop around if you want the best price. I just checked harp connection and you can pick up both volumes for $17.50. Harp.com also has them, but they are $26.50. I don’t know what the shipping is – it depends where you live. I live in Canada, so I wince every time I order material. You might want to check with local harp teachers. They may keep a supply of beginner books and/or order books on a semi-regular basis. They may be willing to order the books for you the next time they go shopping. You will likely have to chip in a bit for shipping. It certainly would be worth it to ask?
I needed to buy a new vehicle this past summer and ended up with a 2014 Subaru Forrester. I had a Salzedo and it fit in without a problem – column behind the driver but it had to go in at an angle. Everything else fit. This fall I drove 2 days to sell the Salzedo (long story). There were two of us, both on the large size, and there was absolutely no problem. We did not have to adjust our seats at all. Hope this helps.
A few short personal stories. I continued piano lessons into adulthood with a well respected and excellent teacher. I witnessed her tear a strip off of a child. I almost said something to her and later found out she had the reputation for beating any musical enjoyment out of kids and for leaving a trail of shattered musical hopes and dreams. Not everyone can/should teach all ages. Second story – I started harp as an adult and my second harp teacher was very enthusiastic but would jump up and stop me every time I made a mistake – saying things similar to this teacher. I explained how it made me feel. She told me that was how she taught. I dumped her and found an excellent, though much more expensive, teacher.
I am a teacher and I would want to know if I’m doing something that may upset one of my students. You do need to talk to this teacher and explain how she makes your daughter feel. If she changes, great! If she doesn’t, leave without looking back! Another harp teacher may be further, and you might have to cut back on the number of lessons, but the sacrifice will make a world of difference. It doesn’t take much to kill enthusiasm and fostering your daughter’s love of music and the harp should be paramount.I obsess about music and have way more than I’ll likely ever play. I have an excel file listing the (the history of) books/pieces I want, where they are available, and how much. I have a number of places listed, including a variety of European sellers. Looking at that, I found that I buy a lot of music from the Harp Connection. I usually buy a couple of things at a time. Both the total amount and the shipping cost are a few dollars lower than other places – I live in Canada.
When I visited the LH factory, I saw a red Salzedo and an aqua Style 30. I burst out laughing at the aqua 30 – not sure who would ever want it. I didn’t like the red Salzedo, but then again I don’t like red. Always thought a black Salzedo would look good, but it is so dark that you can’t really see any of the architectural details.
Saul, what do you mean by a metal stirrup for reinforcement? What is it? The LH people weren’t exactly sure.
So, I took people’s advice and phoned LH today. I did get some info but more importantly affirmation. The person I spoke with today was brought in to give her objective opinion on two harps before I made my final decision (the Salzedo got a definite yes from everyone). 5 months later and she still remembers and can still describe my harp’s (distinctive) sound/character. Our discussion that followed really helped address my concerns.
Thank you for your responses.
Gretchen – You are right. I don’t think I give it much of a work out. It doesn’t take much to get a lot of sound out of it, so I think I hold back when playing – neighbours beware! I’ll give LH a call.
Balfour – your experience was the same as mine. This is my 3rd harp, the 1st being a lever harp. The venus, like yours, came with a beautiful sound right out of the crate (it was on the floor for a few months). It seemed to change every time I played it.
In contrast, The Salzedo was only on the floor for about a week when I bought it. Compared to the many others I tried at the factory, it sounded very good. It was only at home did I notice the lower octaves being thin. While the harp’s sound in general has developed, I can’t say that the lower octaves have changed much – ergo the reason for my post.
Of course it needs more time. I love playing it, so working on breaking it in is indeed a joy!
Thanks for the comments so far. I have a phenomenal professional teacher with many years of experience. She was very happy with my choice, saying it was a harp she would have bought. She played it a few months later and said it wasn’t opening up like she thought it should. However, she figuratively rapped my knuckles when she found out I wasn’t tuning it every day – which I am now doing religiously. My teacher played a Salzedo for years and I have a lesson today – I’ll bring the subject up with her.
What are people’s experiences with new LH harps, specifically Salzedo harps, when breaking them in? When do the lower octaves tend to open up?
