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Harp Lessons
Learn to play the harp.
The Harp belongs in the category of stringed
instruments being made of nylon, nylon-copper, gut, wire or silk strings set
vertically and at right-angles to the soundboard. If the harp has a
forepillar, it is known as a 'frame harp' otherwise it is considered to be
an open harp.
A harp may be played on the lap of the harpist (if it is small enough) or
stood on the floor (the more conventional view of how a harp is held).
Whatever the size of the harp, the instrument consists of a neck, a
resonator and, of course, the strings.
The harp has seen a decline in interest over the last two or three centuries
- probably due to its cost, complexity to play and partly because being
perceived as a woman's instrument, it wasn't taken as seriously as it
deserved.
The folk or Celtic harp originated in Egypt and the Middle East and found
its way across Europe before being a core part of Celtic music. The pedal
harp, by comparison, is much more modern. It has a larger soundbox to boost
its sound over competing sections of the orchestra which might otherwise
dominate it. It also has seen pedals to adjust each string's pitch and is
often heavily decorated.
To further complicate an already complex musical instrument, a harp is
fitted with sharping levers which have two positions - up for engaged and
down for disengaged. The effect of engaging a sharping lever is to raise (or
sharp) the pitch of the associated string by a half-step. Consequently C
becomes C-Sharp (or D-Flat if you prefer) and thus by engaging or
disengaging the sharping levers the key is changed. This facility is a
comparatively recent development since it is only in modern times that
either the sharping levers existed or, if they did, their machined accuracy
was sufficiently high to permit this.
A Celtic harp (like a keyboard) can vary in size with a smaller harp having
22 strings and a full-size one having 47 strings. It is recommended that
beginners start with an instrument with fewer strings. Obviously the price
will reflect the number of strings, too. Like many expensive musical
instruments it is a good idea to hire one before you buy it to see if it
really suits you and also if you have any aptitude as a harpist.
We hope you enjoy your lessons and learning to play the harp.
Other Instruments
Click this link to find prices for
harp lessons.
Look for information on another musical instrument.
Search in our directory for a
harp tutor.
Go to this link to become a harp teacher.
Harp Lessons
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