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Hi I have had lots of harps and it is a memory mapping issue. I had to do daily practise on both, all. I found when one harp had dark blue low Fs and lighter hi and the others the opposite thru me. The shape of the back between round and staved I found difficult to sit right consistency. And the width of reach to bass strings. And different levers. Plus pitch due to the differing levers. I also love gut and have to have both.
What I did is I am selling and sold all my harps and I have standardised on Camac Mademoiselle 40, one with folk gut and one with Classique tension gut. A Camac Stivell in folk gut 38 and birds eye maple and the Melusine de Concert nylon 36 strung. They are all fantastic harps about the same size all round backs, all levers are the same and best and I have always stayed with nylon not the newer strings and after much experience know your gut diameter and tension because they do differ before buying. I do have special requirements. so I know this is a bit much for most but if you are going to have two harps I would match their feel and sound as much as possible.Dear Elizabeth de Almeida could you tell me more about you Melusine de gorgeous guy! I have the above harps but my Eclipse I love I am finding too uncomfortable for me that means injuries. I am buying a M de C which will be my only nylon harp. Could you tell me how you find the string tension? Which finish did you choose?
Thanks RoseyI have had many, and have multiple harps. I have dedicated harps for the music I play.
My love harp is a Camac Mademoiselle Maple 40 which I had folk gut put on at the factory. She is gorgeous. Sounds even thru out all octaves, great projection, well balanced to play and places no weight or pressure on me, she has a narrow round soundbox in the playing region and small knee block, love the lever bass strings, they are not muddy nor produce unwanted overtones, folk gut is lighter and richer. Camac levers are my favourite as I have excellent pitch which has its down falls. I can reach all 40 strings, ( I have muscle disability issues to work with) . She is such a pleasure to play I will do exercises for hours. The tone and resonance is delightful, with my ear against the harp releases headaches and pain……bonus!
I am so serious I have ordered another Madam 40 in black satin with the Classique gut (concert weight). I did not realise there was a variation in “concert weight strings ” across the different makes and not all concert gut is as firm as Bow Pedal weight and L & H combination. I have had a L & H Troubadour VI and it was too heavy tension.
I have come back to round back harps for comfort and the sound preference.
Round, square, stave back harps all have unique sound qualities and suit specific music.But still love my Triplett Eclipse 38 stave back, all Bubinga and on s’board with inlay. She sounds clean, can be mellow and bright, has a full rich resonance easy to play fast tunes on, great for all folk music, good nylon string tension, Camac levers, beautiful wood glow and finish.
All these harps are big and not easily moved you might have noticed and I bought a Heartland Legend 36 Carbon Fibre 5 kilos. I could not adjust to the brighter pitch and found it moved too much as I played, light is great for moving but I needed more weight for playing. These are personal points and I felt the sound was lacking warmth and differences thru the octaves lacking. I do suspect the other models may sound differently.I have a Dusty Strings Crescendo 34, loveland levers that are made to Dusty’s standard, great sound, good volume, nylon string , with easy stand, great case and goes anywhere in most cars. She is also a great starter harp for new players they like the size and playing on and off the stand, lovely for busking and circles.
If anyone wants to buy Dusty Strings FH 36, FH34, FH26, Triplett Celtic II, Camac Korrigan 38 and like info to decide just let me know. There are no wrong harps, buying playing bonding and caring for a harp is like a dance partner or lover, harps are not one size fits all.This probably too late. I suffer many issues I have owned over 16 harps. I suggest you do not stay with the L and H bow string pedal weight combo that includes the Ogden. They are very heavy. There are far lighter gut strings but with excellent sound. If you are interested let me know and we can talk options. I think Laurie Riley many titles but for $10 Harping with Handicaps is a great start and would be a good source because without the most up to date and rigorous attention to your body you can swap out one problem for another. There is so much to finding the right harp, and not injuring with or without an existing injury. Flat backs, round backs, stave backers, height, seat height, your height ratio . What you do with your fingers will follow you all the way to the back of your skull. String tension is critical . Mostly the harp’s balance point is more critical than size when you sit correctly. Correctly all the time. Doing no other damaging things when not at the harp. Teachers on average are not trained in this area enough.
Let me know if you want details
Cheers RoseyHi Cathy,
I imported a Legend and I really needed a light harp for when I am ill, a lot of incentive to make it work. I honestly can’t change my ear. I do have perfect pitch. It is light and good size, design, height, volume but there is a brightness (not like wire strung harps) I have to say I can hear the soundboard is not wood and for me that changes the experience of the harp. I also found being so light it moves whilst I play. Most players can compensate by holding the harp with their knees. I can’t because of my muscle weakness.
So I must stress harps are so personal. There are rarely bad harps. I think it is more like how one chooses a lover. Harps draw on all my senses.
Just always try before you buy and you will know if it is right for you. I have a friend who loves the Legend above all others.
Happy harping
RoseyHi frank,
Like all harps I would try and play one to see if it is comfortable. I had a Voyager 33 made with the new gut strings and I found the levers were very disappointing I also don’t find it tunes in Eb well so I had to leave it in the key of C. Further to this these harps are square backs and that gives them good sound projection but I find very uncomfortable I also found after many harps I have reviewed, they were very tall and upright. If you are tall great. But harps vary in the degree of angle of the sound board. I find the more concert like the more comfortable many lever harps are made less upright. The sound with the therapy gut strings is quite unique and beautiful with a depth and richness unlike I have heard before. They are light and good looking harps.
So much needs to be so right for a harp to sound good and perform well and the most expensive parts are best
Good luckWell what a great response thanks for all the info it took years for me to work this out..
Hi Bay,
It is tricky and experience will help you feel more confident.
Now after experience I go with the “keep the humidity as stable as possible” and I do not allow under 45% nor over 55% and prefer 50%. I think a good hygrometer is worth it. Decide room or harp one for the use inside an instrument if you are measuring the room may not be as accurate.
Temperature on the cool side (consistent cold has always worked well for me without low humidity) and watch the night time falls. I even cover harps in my harpery which is kept in my ideal range and Harps out in the house with synthetic cheap bed comforters, quick on and off.
I primarily need to de-humidify. For me my air conditioner can do a lot to keep my humidity up and has a dry cycle to reduce moisture, but I have a de-hum machines for the long rains and hot days afterwards and our region’s weather in Canberra Aust has changed with humidity climbing and dry hot summers gone. I have noticed that the high level of trees we have now very close to the house and gardens has added humidity.I receive definite rewards for the care; the harps sound better whether gut or nylon, they stay in tune longer and sound better at 19 c and the folk gut do not break as frequently, more sensitive than pedal weight gut also being sensitive instruments if one is to sell them there has to be responsibility to the next buyer.
I have found the tuning pins will start to show what the wood is doing when you are turning them, they may get very tight quite quickly. However the damage we are all concerned about can be subtle, internal, includes the sound board and structural tension, diminishes the sound quality and life time of the harp.
Steve would know this………….. before I could work out how important this issue was, I saw more response to changes in solid wooden harps either square or flat 5 panel stave, and the finish mattered also compared to the round back with veneer beams Lever harps such as Camac Salvi L & H and how all the concert harps are made before painting or finishing. I take the same care with all the varying types. This might explain the different experiences folks have.If you would like to make me a ‘ friend’ in music stand I can send you an article about this method that is too long for this area.
Or join Martha Cook’s Shut Up and Play site (free) and you will find some very useful information and this article she wrote after being taught the Bochsa method by her teacher.
I read your bio and you are a singer. I have perfect pitch. It is a mixed blessing. You may also, and tuning maybe much harder for you to find a happy medium on play back. I also am physically isolated from other players and the normal intercourse between players which is enjoyed and passing on of information and helpful hints is lost to us. We have to ask about for everything after confirming we are not mad. And I have a huge library now…….. so it takes a lot to confirm I am not mad : ) plus I have 8 tuners!
In the end I have my harps in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. They love it and so do I. I need air conditioning and humidity reduction also for my health. A/C can do a lot on its own.
Seems over the top but I love the sound of gut strings and I find them easier to tune because of that more mellow sound and they are more sensitive changes and strings break.I have found the smaller the nylon harps 30 – 34 strings the harder it is for me to get the pitch right. I suspect because the strings are narrow and the sound bright and they found better homes.
My large Nylon Triplett Eclipse 38 built in Bubinga, solid as a rock……….. perfect to tune and hold it’s tune. Not so with lighter harps I have loved and let go. I believe their are many factors to tuning, pitch and keeping the pitch correct. Because of a controlled harp room I rarely have to ever do any more than a few touch ups. The Nylons are happy to. I also found harps have a perfect temperature for perfect pitch. And as much as I hate it, fought it, cause I wanted to see their beauty, the harps out of the Harpery in my home I keep covered with a cheap light synthetic bed comforter easy to slip off and on to encourage playing.
I am awaiting on a book I found on Melody’s site Scientific Tuning. I will let you know.
Cheers
RoseyOh I welcome your common sense . We have levers to simplify playing different keys. Regulation is not a dirty word!
Tune in Eb then engage each lever one by one and check the tuning of each note and semitone. If you only use sharps tune to C and check each lever as above. Those out of tune need to be regulated. Not all makes of levers are easy to regulate.
The need for consistency is more noticeable when playing with a group, circle, ensemble. Unless you have a good ear or your teacher does. If you are going to record ensure your harp is regulated before hand and save money.
When buying a new harp go thru this procedure and ensure your new up is regulated from the beginning. Most commonly one will notice chords get muddy unclear. An accident can leave a harp needing regulation. Putting harps in cases and cars can also place wear and tear on levers. I have perfect pitch and it is a constant requirement for me to keep the levers regulated. I prefer Camac levers and L & H performance levers. Some harps unfortunately are not made well enough for great tone, clarity and pitch.I am glad you have a bond with your harp. I think the size of your harp is important in to know with your comments and your experience with playing other harps. I to have had and still have harp affairs, where one cannot imagine playing another harp or selling it, but after a point when it may slow ones progress or make some ranges occasional the harp heart grows . I feel reaching the bass strings comfortably is important and some designs make it possible where others do not. I have had this on a wide harp, I found practising finger exercises daily became more of a chore even with a stretching program, and not as comfortable to play long pieces in blues etc with more emphasis on working the bass.
Happy harpingLoon You are absoletely correct. I would say as a lever harp player, all the Concert pedal harps I have played tried L & H and Salvi and Venus were a blessing. They tend to have a greater angle sound box, lovely narrow soundbox from top to mid range, round back stave plus there are extended versions and they are perfectly balanced, weighted in the base of the harp. I am awaiting my Camac Lever Mademoiselle Concert 40 gut string harp. Standards are more closely adhered to and the balance point plus I bigger investment in the pedal harp world plus teachers to advise and the bigger companies seem to have more attention to detail.. My first harp was a Trobadour VI the balance was excellent.
Unfortunately I cannot play pedal weight gut and Camac are making me the Madam 40 and Korrigan 38 in gut at a lighter tension.
However I will still support the voices of those who struggle to find support to help them buy their lever harp and play its whole range, comfortably, with their arms at the level they need, and the most telling is how long one can play/practise without fatigue or soreness and future injury which is not always obvious for the first few years.
CheersThanks for the variety of views we all have personal views. Eric I think we have trodden similar paths and Harp Column has been very helpful. No I was not suggesting one can explain how it sounds or tastes that is too subjective and sound changes with age and is subject to one’s playing technique etc. I can have Grumpy moments and yes I did get the YOUR needs, but if harp makers put out as many “Tech specs” as car makers, we would not be here.
Well I live in Australia everyone in the world outside of the US : ) I have chronic illnesses and pain issues so some issues were specific to me but so many were not. After my bio was released I have been assisting people who even going to your shops and dealers were having trouble finding a harp that fitted. Or lived a long way from one store with enough variety.
Like many I also had no teacher anywhere in my area. After 2 years of finding out the “details are very important” I set up a harp room and decided to test a range of harps and keep a showroom for a year. 4 years down the track very soon my last 4 harps some from France will be in and that will be 16 harps I have bought thru a dealer from the US and now mostly sold on.
Yes I did hundreds of hours research and often came up with some few facts that can make all the difference, missing and often not provided when requested. Which proved after time too problematic to keep the harp.
As mentioned above by Eric to have a photo of a player at the harp seated and to know the height of the player and stool and soundbox would be invaluable. To have the measurement of the width, sitting from the back of the soundbox straight thru to the last string would be very helpful.
If the “fall” point is the balance point where the harp stands in mid air on its back feet yes that can be very important as many players choose not to have the harp leaning on their shoulder.
I feel we are so individual and the harp is so intimately apart of us while playing there could never be too much information.Hi Maya,
My FH26 was in walnut with curly maple soundboard very pretty. I found the walnut had a huge full voice. So it may be relative to what one has and knows. I think it was nicer than the Sapelle another of the lighter woods I had in the FH36s and Crescendo 34.
You are doing the right thing going 36. I don’t play under now & once my Legend and Camac Mademoiselle come the Celtic II is being sold only because 36 is my minimum.
Check it is not too wide to the bass strings to reach and go for it.
I am sure you will love it and follow your instincts is the most important .
Let us know how you go
RoseyI have had both and many harps in each range. I think both are very good harps and makers. The Eclipse 38 is a much bigger harp and of course wood matters with weight and sound, mine is in Bubinga and extremely heavy but beautiful voice with a full electro acoustic system. If you want to take it with you I would suggest you look look at the Signature model.
The Dusty Strings I had the Fh 36 stave in Sapelle wood. For me the top of the sound board was too wide for comfort with my right arm but it had a lovely warm sound and a good all round application. The Fh 34 in Bubinga is a beautiful harp with detachable stand system..
I prefer Camac levers but the Loveland levers on the Dusty are specially made to Dusty’s specifications.
I have journeyed thru 12 harps and have 3 more coming. I believe it is important to try if you can. I have never had the chance. So I put together a list of measurements that became my stencil to compare all harps against.
And learnt a books worth and have had so much fun.
How much travelling to circles and gigs etc is very important in your choice also. I feel after 4 dusty strings FH 36, FH34 with gut, Fh 26 and Crescendo 34.
I have a Triplett 34 Celtic II it is also an excellent harp with great projection if it was in a lighter wood it could be easily transported.
Let me know if I can be more helpful……….fondly RoseyNo never by ear alone………… but they are handy! Please see other response and thank you for your information.
I have found using the term sharping levers confuses some folks.
On all the harps I approach with a mixture. I may go up from C to the top note with 2 tuners on, Octave by Octave. Often I check engaged levers if I am in mainly one key that day.
I often I tune from one note thru all octaves and back down again. I only have the most basic of knowledge in the hardware and learning rapidly, but huge curiosity and endless time. However if all the other harps work it seems a bit odd!I do not have a teacher. I have had to buy all harps before I could try them, teach myself to play, buy all my books, music, DVDs, CDs. Now I could provide an area for a school to move in but there is not the interest and I am selling off my showroom of Harps and settling on 4. This one we will see what I can do. Many thanks
Rosey
