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Hi Biagio, as to substitution of one kind of string for another, as the diameters from the several kind of strings would vary, in the best case the levers would need to be regulated.
The point with Camac levers, and I believe also with the new Salvi levers is that one would need to replace several levers with levers meant for a different diameter. Some other kind of levers will be more forgiving at this point, but then, one would not be able to flip them as easily.
If one wants a Camac harp with a different kind of strings, one would have to buy that as a special order. I asked Camac France about this, and that’s what they told me. They also said that the harp would sound best with the original strings on it, as the harp model was optimized for that kind of string.
Until several years ago, there were several strings options for every harp model (nylon or gut), but now there is only one option, with the exception of the Camac Isolde, which can be bought with carbon strings with celtic or classic tension, but when even then, when one would like to go from celtic to classic tension, one would need to have several different sizes of levers placed on the harp and this would be rather pricey.
Hi Djanani, I know the Pilgrim Clarsach of about 30 years ago. Has your harp been strung with Bow Brand Pedal Gut Light strings?
Why would you like another harp?I have experience with fluorocarbon strings, both of Savarez Alliance and of Kürschner. I have also experience wit standard pedal gut strings.
You’d like to play blues, jazz and pop music. Therefore, if you really want to stick to a lever harp, you would best choose a harp with Camac levers, as one can flip these very quickly and silently. But, even so, a lever harp is basically a diatonic instrument… So chromatic playing will require a lot of heavy flipping. And even so, some pieces would need a lot of adaptation if you want to play them on a lever harp.
An alternative would be an X-harp, also called a cross harp, or a chromatic harp with crossed strings. There are two main models of them: a 7/5 and an 6/6. But these harps would require a very different technique. One could even say, they are different instruments. These X-harps give you plenty of chromatic possibilities. Like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H_3ZFsTUn0
And no, you wouldn’t be able to play this kind of chromatism on a lever harpNow, for the kind of music you’d like to play, why would you want another lever harp? Is is because of the levers on your Pilgrim? Perhaps you want them regulated to be a bit less stif? Or because of its rather heavy string tension? Or because of its sound?
In the latter case, have you heard the difference in sound between intermediate and low string tension in general. And yes, sound has also a lot to do with the kind of strings, the soundboard and model of the harp and the kind of wood used to build it.
The Pilgrim Clarsach is an all wood handbuilt quality harp. I really wonder whether you would choose for an entry level harp like a Salvi Mia or a Dusty Ravenna (with a soundbox built of quality plywood which is covered with vinyl).
Also, I think you may have a lot more possibilities for a really nice harp if you want to save a bit longer. As to Camac harps, the Camac Hermine is rather nice but has rather low tension, but I think you may also like the medium tension Camac Celtic Isolde (with Savarez Alliance carbon) and the Telenn (the new Telenns are strung with folk lever gut).
You probably won’t even notice the difference in string distance between the Pilgrim and the other harps you mention.
So, tell me a bit more, and I might be able to give you a few extra suggestions.
Hi Kelsi,
I’ve been playing the harp for more than 25 years now, under several, mostly qualified harp teachers, with interludes of several years.
My first teacher, however, was not qualified for teaching the harp but for playing another musical instrument. Yet, she could play the harp very nicely.
I am very sorry to say, but I developed a lot of bad habits while learning to play the harp with this teacher, as she had no idea how to help me play the harp in a way that was healthy for my body, nor how to get a really good sound of the harp. I guess, she didn’t even know she wasn’t fit for teaching me, and neither did I…
Even now, I am still struggling…
Please, think how you could prevent that your students would ever develop the same negative feelings about you as I do about my first harp teacher.
So you’d like to start a studio on order to generate some income. Frankly, I think there should be quicker ways to generate some income.
Apparently, you believe can play the harp at a sufficient high level to teach beginners. Frankly, I think absolute beginners on the harp need a teacher who is able to teach advanced students as well.The big question is, how to get a solid basis in music pedagogy as well as all the things you really need to know in order to prevent students developing chronical injuries and prevent bad habits.
This thesis of on effective harp pedagogy at: https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10092/6256/thesis_fulltext.pdf?sequence=2 may get you started. You will at least get an idea of all the techniques you may need to further develop before it has any sense to start a harp studio.
Here: https://www.abrsm.org/forum/index.php?showforum=2 you find the ABRSM-subforum for music teachers. Here you will find all kinds of topics that may be interesting to music teachers in general.
There are several books with great information on how to get started on the harp, like Pamela Bruner’s Play the Harp Beautifully (Vol !-III). These are basically books for self-teaching.
Ehm… I think I dont’quite understand what you mean with ‘non cliché music’ for the harp, but the way I see it, whether a classical piece of music sounds cliché has more to do with the way it is played than the way it is composed.
Nonetheless, I think you are looking for a little bit variety in your repertory. Perhaps you like the way Deborah Henson-Conant plays and arranges pieces.
I don’t know your situation, but maybe, just maybe, you could be one of the lucky students that don’t have to pay VAT on their instrument.
Have a look at this: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-government-and-public-bodies/vatgpb7825Most harps sound better when they have been played for a few years (or even just a few months). Structural problems with harps tend to show themselves after let’s say three years. In some cases you only get a warranty of three years…
I don’t know how things are in the UK, but where I live I got a warranty of a year on each of my second hand harps. Even better, if within three months, I regretted buying a certain second hand harp, I would be allowed to chose another second hand harp and the price of the old one would be fully subtracted from the ‘new’ second hand harp. I don’t know the service UK harp shops offer though. Maybe you could negotiate something like this if it is not offered spontaneously.
So, in your case, I would be really interested in a second hand harp that looks good and sounds fine. And also of importance, one you can sit behind comfortably (some harps sound nice, but can, depending on your length and build, cause problems with your back and/or shoulders).
You may google “How to select a lever harp” to get an impression of the things that may be of interest to you.
There is one simple way to have your teacher test a harp. By buying one from Thomann. That way you get a 30 Days Money Back Guarantee (which in fact is only a 14 Days Money Back Guarantee, as you would have to pay for the return costs after 14 days (within the 30 day period). Anyway, I would only pay attention to the Salvi Harps and the Lyon & Healy Harps (the other harps come from Pakistan, notwithstanding their ‘nice names’). The cheapest 34 String Salvi costs have a look at: https://www.thomann.de/gb/harps.html?sw=harp&price-first=0&filter=true&manufacturer%5B%5D=Salvi&manufacturer%5B%5D=Lyon%20%26%20Healy
But I myself, would prefer a Camac harp, because of their nice price, balanced sound, great levers and their 5 year guarantee. I would love a Teifi harp too, but pricewise, you can’t beat a Camac (at least where I live).
I don’t know what Brexit will mean for the prices of Camac (from France, completely made in France) and Salvi (from Italy, though several parts are being made in China) and Lyon & Healy (officially from the US, but L&H is owned by Salvi and several parts aremade in China; these harps reach Europe through Italy).
I’d prefer a Teifi to a Elysian Hempson.
But: I am a great fan of second hand harps from reputable dealers.
E.g, I love Camac harps and found:https://wales.camac-harps.com/en/second-hand/ With 2 harps within your price range.
There may be other harp stores with really nice and affordable second hand harps. You may have a look at Morley’s at: https://www.morleyharps.co.uk/second-hand-harps-c102x2793724 (but at the moment, there’s no second hand 34 string harp).
Anyway, ask your teacher for advice. It would be great if she would accompany you to select a quality harp within your price range that would keep you happy for many years.
If she can’t accompany you, it’s important to have a checklist of all the things you need to know when selecting a second hand harp.
Another suggestion: rent a harp before you buy one. This gives you the opportunity to find out what you really like (or don’t like) in a harp. Often, a rental from a reputable shop comes with nice opportunities to get part (or even all) of your rental money back if you buy the harp (or sometimes even another harp) within a certain period, let’s say half a year.
I can’t see any photos, but a fissure in a Salvi lever harp along the soundboard is a real reason to fear a need for an expensive repair (like a new soundboard) in the near future.
And if the harp has indeed fallen over, there may be some considerable, but still invisable damage that will manifest itself in the future.
I am sorry, I can’t see the video as I get the message that the user that uploaded that video, didn’t make it available in my country (The Netherlands).
As to the swiftness with which one can flip a lever, this depends very much on the kind of lever. The metal Camac levers can be flipped very fast during playing, some other levers need a bit more time.
Also, you may like to see some videos on the technique of lever flipping, e.g.
https://youtu.be/PLPYZWjj9B4(I still don’t understand how to embed video links)
Db is enharmonically the same as C#.
So you just have C lever up for Db and lower it to get to the C.
So, no need at all to retune your harp.
You may try De Zingende Snaar in the Netherlands https://www.zingendesnaar.nl/pre-owned.html At the moment there are two pre-owned pedal harps. It’s a reputable harp shop.
The Netherlands lie directly north of Belgium.
Hi Randal, congratulations that your harp is holding its tune nowadays.
I use a cold water humidifier to keep the air humidity in our living room in which my harps around 50% (harps love being in a space with a humidity between 40% and 60%).
There are other kinds of room humidifiers, but cold water humidifiers don’t ‘spray’ droplets in the air.
It keeps both your harps and other instruments as well as yourself happy
Hi Evolène, congratulations on your new harp. I am just curious: what does this harp offer you in additions to your 26 string Dusty double harp?
As to your questions: I would never, ever want to have the sun shine on the harp. So, think of sun-blinds that still let some filtered light through.
In addition: keep the atmospheric humidity in the harp room always between 40% and 60%. I have an air moisturizer for the dry air in winter and an air demoisturizer for the moist air in summer.
Many happy hours with your new harp!
