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Thanks so much David! The question actually was prompted by an ultra peppy Mother of the Bride. I will be using your answer….. 🙂
In a pinch, can’t you use 60 and consider each tick half the duration of the note?That would probably work unless you’re doing very complicated rhythm patterns..
As a speech therapist I always prefer to defer to a physical therapist or orthopedist to make the decision about safety and desirability, but from the standpoint of making beautiful music, it’s great for morale, listening skills, general finger/hand dexterity, problem solving, visual motor skill, social interaction and probably a lot more things I’ll think of after I post.
If she’s benefitting from piano, your PT or orthopedist may feel that harp would just add another helpful dimension.
If she likes the idea, let her school know what she’s doing so that she can participate more fully in discussions about hobbies and interests in school (sometimes 8 year olds get so wrapped up in conversations that they forget they have something good to contribute too).
Of course you’re going to want to make sure that what she’s doing isn’t physically or any other way stressful, but I’m sure you’d be doing that anyway.
Good luck with this wonderful activity!
There was a discussion here a while ago about this, and I think the consensus was that if you’re not playing at all in the piece being rehearsed, reading is OK, but if you’re playing in a piece with many long rests, it’s pretty disrespectful, as well as being dangerous lest one be regarded as a poor counter!
If I haven’t remembered the original post correctly, please feel free to correct me!
David, aren’t you fairly tall? It’s a piece of cake to load the 85P into the Flex, which is also wide and low, but much harder for us to move it in anything else. We are both SHORT, so I think the principle is the same- you have to have a vehicle that accommodates the height of the mover.
I just found out yesterday that the church where I’m playing in January has a minimum of four steps to the main floor. We’re still hoping that there’s some hidden handicapped accessible entrance that we haven’t found yet.
Even with my weight lifter son as one of the harp movers for the event, I’m not to happy about schlepping the Wurlitzer up and down stairs. I told the bride at the outset that if I felt there were any risks, I’d be using the 85p and she said she understood.
I can remember when I used to whine about toting a little tiny bass clarinet case…..
Fabulous! Mine is just like yours except yours has that lovely patina and mine is shiny shiny. I’d love to know what was built between yours and mine.
I go for a computer lesson tomorrow so if I can learn to send you a picture I will do that Rod. Thanks for the help!
Just went to the link, and since it will be available on Amazon.com I’ll have some chance of getting it before the holiday, if it gets to them on time. Hoping…..
I SO apologize! I just mentioned it to the newly wed when he was here yesterday, so now I’ll start with some heavy duty nagging!
Hi Sheila- One of the nicest things about this website is that there are a lot of professional harpists here but also a lot of musicians who are starting the harp as adults.
I started on a 19 string cardboard harp that had, and still has, a lovely tone. a harp without levers has no capacity for any chromatic passages, and to change keys you have to retune.
You will certainly be able to practice finger technique on your new harp, but you will soon learn it’s limitations.
Although I love Celtic (lever) harp I had cataracts that made changing levers cumbersome, so after studying for about three years, I went to pedal harp.
Finger technique is still my biggest challenge but playing the harp is immensely rewarding.
I hope you will find it as delightful an experience as I have.
Sherry L
Hi Ron- I have Wurlitzer C, #696, that I dearly love, and I’m also a rehabbed music teacher. I’ve studied for almost 4 years with a wonderful harpist, and although harp is, in fact harder than any instrument I ever learned to play, I think it’s also one of the easiest to love.
The C is a beautiful harp. Depending on your serial #, you will either have a fancy C or a classic C (my own identifiers, they are ALL spectacular).
Are you studying with a harpist or self-teaching?
Be sure to post more about your Model C!
Best wishes- Sherry L
Hi Jennifer- I am the happy owner of #696, which is a Model C with a straight soundboard. Google Wurlitzer pedal harp and you’ll find most of what there is available so far.
The Dutch site that you will find has some great pictures of Wurlitzers, and also a chronological listing of a lot of them. Mine isn’t there yet but I hope to have it there pretty soon.
You will find some things about the North Tonawanda Wurlitzer Museum and also a fantastic book about harps, I think “Harps and Harpists”, that has a great article about them too.
For various reasons, there is not as good a historical record about them as there is about Lyon and Healys, but what there is you will find fascinating, especially since you have one yourself.
Mine has been beautifully restored by Howard Bryan, and you will also want to read what he says about stringing. My harp is totally original including neck and soundboard. It came from Howard’s workshop and when he told me it was in sustainable shape I decided to give it a try for a while. I might well be able to get more sound out of it if I’d gone with a new soundboard, but I wanted to find out what it had sounded like when it was played for the first time.
It’s a subject I love to learn about, so feel free to contact me offline if you come up with a source I don’t have.
I’d love to know what you’ve done with your harp so far in terms of restoration or refurbishing.
Cheers and good luck with it!
I think in an emergency I could just barely handle my 85P but I truthfully wouldn’t want to try it. I also have the advantage of a really good loading vehicle and a tricky cart that was designed by my husband.
We usually move the harp together. I also have NO IDEA how it will work when we have to transport the Wurlitzer, which is no too much heavier but a few inches taller.
Maybe it’s like the frog in the hot water- when the water is heated by just a degree or two an hour, the frog will happily sit there ’till he’s soup.
So maybe if you grow up hauling a harp, you just gradually get used to it and don’t mind the schlepping.
Still looking forward to a lighter pedal harp that sounds as good as a heavy one!
