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Thank you for the link! It was wonderful listening to this. I especially enjoyed the Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn piece!
I too could not find it. I am happy that this crisis opens the way for new opportunities, however! Great initiative
Hi Molly! Great seeing someone else being interested in the double-strung 🙂
(There is a section dedicated to the double and triple strung harps here on the forum, too, where you’ll find resources!)Below is a list of all of the double-strung harps and harp-makers I have been able to find. I had not heard about the Argent Fox, so I can’t really give you an input there! (I’ll admit the soundbite didn’t convince me, but that doesn’t mean anything).
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DOUBLE STRUNG HARP MAKERS :
Stoney End :
Eve, 22 strings doubled, Gothic look
Britanny, 22 strings doubled, Celtic look
Lorraine, 29 strings doubled.Dusty Strings
FH26 26 strings doubled.Rees Harp :
Morgan Megan : 27 strings doubled
Shaylee Meadows : 30 strings doubled
Mariposa : 34 strings doubled
Aberdeen : 36 strings doubled
Blevins Harp :
Bella 56S : 28 strings doubled
Mountain Glenn : 2 models, 26 et 27 strings doubledWaring Harp :
A maker of cardboard harps! I believe he offers one 19 strings doubled modelSandpiper :
3 models : 30, 32 & 36 strings doubled. They look like pedal harps.Thormahlen harp, with 2 models :
the Gemini Swan 72 with 36 strings doubled.
Gemini Cygnet 72, with 36 strings doubled.
→ Last I heard, they had discontinued these models, but perhaps second-hand versions can be foundHayden Harps : carbon fibre harp
Triplett Harps…..? It would seem that only one Triplett harp was ever made in double-strung.
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What I can say, however, is that you seem to lean towards bigger harps, but part of the appeal of the double-strung is the fact that you can easily play 34-strings harp repertoire on a smaller, 26-strings or even 22 strings harp. You juste have to move your hand up an octave, and you end up creating really nice effects!
I have played a lot of single-strung harp repertoire on my double-strung, if that’s any help.
Just something to consider if you’ve ever been tempted into having a portable harp to play outside with but were hesitant to sacrifice strings for this purpose.Like Deette, I would also recommend you look into Dusty String’s FH26 double-strung. It is the one I have and I could not be happier : it is a beautiful instrument, with good tension and an amazing sound. Mine is Bubinga wood and the richness of the sound is great.
However, it is solid wood, which is part of the appeal for me, but maybe not adapted for your needs.Check out Laurie Riley’s website : she sells second hand harps, often double-strung, and could give you advice.
You can also subscribe to Carolyn Deal (Smilingharp)’s newsletter : every month or two, she compiles a list of second-hand harps to sell at a very competitive price. Since it is all US-based I haven’t been able to take advantage of that but I would definitely take a look there too.Thank you Wil-Weten and Veronica? How are you guys holding up?
Wil, I believe you are in Europe, so more likely to be in lockdown than Americans. I hope all is well.There are talks of keeping the lockdown going until June around here : we’ll have to wait and see, but all of the musicians and performers are understandably worried and gutted that all of their hard work is held off indefinitely.
How do you professional harpists feel?
I love the fact that many pro harpists online have taken this opportunity to expand in different ways. Be it by taking a creative/spiritual retreat to brush up on practicing and composing, or putting content online, and even people engaging how they can!
One Italian harpist did a flashmob from her window 🙂
Hi Stephanie,
Expanding on my other post if you haven’t seen it, there are a few nice tutorials going around at the moment.
Josh Laynes’ was recommended above
Here is Anne Crosby Gaudet’s one :
Get set up for online music lessons with Zoom
It overs all of the basics such as lighting, zooming in or out, etc.And here’s another one about testing different microphones, if the sound isn’t good enough :
Harp recording at home (microphone comparison)This one is piano, but still useful :
9 Things that Ruin Skype Piano LessonsBottom line : this is the time to put your usual electronic hardware to the test, and where quality can really stand out. I think any Apple-made products, be it the iPhone, iPad, or computers, will do the trick quite well (this is what I know of, but I’m sure other high-end brands compare quite well).
Otherwise, check your sound quality, and consider investing in a microphone and/or changing some of your hardware.One friend mentioned that students/harp teachers should have measures in pieces marked for easy clarity on what measure you’re referencing when you can’t point to it! It made me wonder what other things I should do before starting video lessons? How can I best prepare for this?
This is a great point as well. I’m sure every one switching to online lessons will find little things that work best! This is the time to share that 🙂
Forgot a few!
Harpcolumn is doing free, live online videos everyday at the moment on YouTube! Right now, there’s a tutorial!
I though I had to have a FaceBook account, which I don’t have for anti-Facebook reasons, but it turns out that it works even without being logged in!Here is a channel that takes some books by Sylvia Wood and, with authorisation, has made video tutorials out of them. You do have to have the books to follow along, and these can be bought online as PDFs so that you can have them instantly if you need!
Great for people that have trouble reading sheet music, or who need to have a teacher to take things slowly.Thank you for your support and a big shoutout to all of these teachers giving their time online! 🙂
Hi Stardust!
Interesting question. I took the time to listen to both videos in full, and I have to say that both are wonderful versions of the Disney classic.
Personally, although I prefer the interpretation by Amy Turk – I feel it brings out more emotions – I would still go for the other harp score.
This is because the version played by Amy Turk has a lot of blocked chords at the beginning and I prefer the left-hand patterns of the second video.But that’s just me! Perhaps a medley of both versions could be made eventually? I can’t really tell if one version is harder to play than the other, which I would factor in if I was faced with the same choice.
Good luck and keep us informed! 🙂
@ Biagio, thank you for your input! Something to discuss on another three I guess. I think most people could build a harp if they put their minds to it, but taking the first step into any kind of craft (woodwork, etc) is the hardest.
@ Jackie and Linda : so happy to see more people picking up the double-strung!
Do check out the posts in the sub-forum called “Mine’s a triple!” here on HarpColumn Forums, there are a few interesting posts there, including a compilation of available resources for the double-strung that could be useful 🙂Lots to unpack here, as usual!
@ Biagio, regarding the construction of your own harp : I had contacted Stoney End a few years ago for their harp kits, and was advised to know quite a bit of woodwork before undertaking such a project. Combining the harp fabrication with the process of learning the double-strung too can be a little overwhelming, I think!
@ Linda, yes, the double-string harps come in two kinds of models :
On the one hand, you have Dusty and Rees harps who have two parallel rows of strings.
Then you have the Stoney End model who are more “V shaped” : they start quite close on the soundboard (perhaps they even come out of the same holes?) and spread out.I’ve never had the chance to play with the Stoney End models, as my Dusty harp is the only double-strung model that (as far as I’m aware) exists here in France. So I’m not sure how different it feels.
@Biagio again, thank you for linking the Rees Mariposas for sale! They do seem to be on the more expensive side of lever harps, but I wasn’t aware that many had been made.Gary also uses a Finnish laminate SB whereas the Rees and Dustys are solid wood, which makes the Stoney Ends less expensive in materials. Personally I don’t believe there is much of an acoustic advantage to using solid wood over laminate in a harp that size.
Again, I can’t compare with Stoney End harps, but my Bubinga DS harp has an impressive sound, that easily matches and sometimes overpowers larger 34-strings or 36-strings Camac harps. I think the sympathetic vibrations have something to do with that!
Some members may recall that a few years ago I worked out a string set for a Stoney End double with one side a fourth lower than the other. That’s a pretty extreme example – the point however is that it can be done “within reason.” Id est do not vary the tension from the original and make any necessary adjustments (bridge pins, grommets, levers) for string diameter.
I had forgotten about that! That was a great project with very interesting inputs. The result would be a very unique harp! I believe it would take some time to get used to that though.
Hello Linda, this is a great question!
@ Biagio, although the Brea does not appear on the Stoney End website, I believe Carolyn Deal sells the Brea model as an alternative to the Britanny, the same way the “Loralea” model resembles the Lorraine but with 1 or 2 strings difference.
here is an example of the Brea :I personally have not had a chance to play any Stoney End double-strung harps. I do, however, have the Dusty Strings FH26 in double-strung. The lowest string there is the Low C one octave below middle C.
Link – Dusty FH26 Double-StrungI find that I use this lowest C a lot, as well as the D next to it. I’ve even cheated a little and strung it in C on the left-hand side, but in B on the right-hand side to use once in a while!
(When I lift the lever, it reverts back to C since, of course, there is only a half-tone between B and C).I think it will boil down to what you think you will use the most : does your repertoire contain a lot of Fs, F#s or Gs on the left hand? How high does your right hand usually go?
If you find that you have a lot of songs that necessitate using F chords, then that might help you choose.
You want to look into transposition too, since these harps are quite small, but you will have a lot of freedom thanks to the double row of strings.
The fun of the double-strung is that one can always adapt, improvise and “cheat” with sheet music to create wonderful new patterns!I believe (but this is subjective and very much based on my own practice) that if I had to choose, I would take the Brea over the Britanny, since I play with more strings in the middle-range than in the high-pitch range.
I’m also pretty sure that whichever harp you end up choosing, you will love it completely!Good luck in your research and do keep up update on your choice!
Hi Jenny!
I must have missed your post. I think your project is really interesting and could help a lot of musicians in the long term, even if you don’t have an immediate response right now.
Personally, I’m lucky not to suffer from any kind of chronic pain, but I do wonder what’s the best way of sitting at the harp. Because my harp in small with a straight (not staved) back, I’ve noticed that I tend to slouch forward with the shoulders rounded, especially when I reach out. It’s quite easy to correct, but it has to be a conscious effort.
Perhaps it would be interesting for you to cover this?Hello Bill,
Thank you for this comparison! However, like Balfour, I can hardly hear the differences between the 3 takes.
I think such a comparison would make more sense in a noisy environnement. My understating is that a microphone will simply pick up all of the surrounding sounds and amplify them, whereas the pickup will amplify only the vibrations, which makes for a cleaner sound. Testing in a quiet or soundproof studio doesn’t account for the parasite noises one might get playing outside or on a stage.
In my opinion, the after-EQ pickup is very close to that of the microphones. For recording, I’ll still use a microphone. But when you need some amplification the pickups seem to work well. Your thoughts?
Just curious, why would you use a microphone for a recording rather than a pickup?
@ Harpe, that seems like a lot of work to tweak a harp. Have you estimated how much these changes ended up being? I’m glad that you’re happy with them though. How do they compare (in terms of sound and feeling) to more standard harps like the Dusty Ravennas, Camacs or Salvi?
I can’t help feeling that these Mikel harp are not worth the price, though. Sure, they’re cheap, but I recommend any future readers of this thread to look into reputable second-hand harps, if price is an issue. You can get really high quality harps this way. Here in France, you can find great harps for 1200€, that have been well cared for.
You really get what you pay for in this instance.Thank you Wil-Weten for your addition, I edited my answer above to reflect that.
Copyright infringement is indeed a much more complicated matter than I thought!
I agree with Saul about the fact that the sheer number of videos prevent mass action on YouTube.I was inclined to just post something on YouTube and hope for the best. However, it was pointed out to me that if YouTube takes something down it’s a strike against you. 3 strikes from YouTube and you are completely banned.
Right, but that doesn’t seem to be such an issue. If you get one warning, then you take down the video. And if you’re completely banned, well, it’s not like the police visits you in your home. It just means that an account linked to a certain email address cannot be used. You can always create a gmail account specifically for this harp video purpose.
Saul’s advice (to make the videos private and/or use a different support) does seem to be the easiest way to go if you indeed just want to share a video with a couple of family members. Wanting to build up an online presence is another matter : an interesting endeavour but with other constraints!The more general questions about copyrighting (when to use a score, how to reference someone and how much can it cost) is harder to answer. Another question that I have : what about people that adapt famous music for their instrument? For example, a movie soundtrack meant for a whole orchestra, adapted to just one instrument, is a lot of work, but might still be copyright infringement. When is it an hommage (or, in literature, an fanfiction) and when is it copyright abuse?
Hi Alison,
Answering from the perspective of a student here. During my first class, my teacher taught me that the harp was tuned in Eb, and then I had to sharp the levers myself. Like Tacye said, it is better to tune the harp with all levers down to prevent an added tension in the small segment of string between the lever and the tuning peg.
To be honest, during those first few lessons, I just accepted that tuning as is, because I wanted to play the harp, not spend hours understanding music theory.That understanding came a little bit later : a few months in, perhaps. Having the correct tuning right away made it so much easier to understand!
I’ll admit, it wasn’t a straightforward process. At first, I played songs in C major, then got to think “Irish songs tend to be played with C and F levers up and not down”, and only later did I delve into theory, modes, intervals and such.This video makes it very easy for beginners to understand (and can be sped up easily) : Learn about Key Signatures and Scales for Lever Harp
Concerning the 4ths and 5ths method, I haven’t tried learning that way so I don’t know if it’s easier. It does help the student to connect to a sound, and not just a letter on an electronic tuner.
