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Play a Harp
This section is packed with articles and advice especially for those who are new to the harp.
If you would like advice on choosing a harp and how to start playing, this is the place to start.
Which Harp is Right for Me?
We begin with a look at the two main types of harp and the differences between them.
A harp is basically a series of parallel strings stretched across a triangular frame. Modern harps are generally tuned to the seven notes of a diatonic scale, just like the white keys of a piano. It is then possible to play in two keys: the major key to which the harp is turned and its relative minor. In order to play in any other key without retuning, it is necessary to find a way of providing additional semi-tones (or, if you like, adding in the black keys of a piano). This increases the harp's range from seven available notes per octave to twelve.
One way to do this is to incorporate two of three independently tuned rows of strings into one harp to allow a full range of tones and semi-tones. Examples of this are the Welsh Triple Harp and the Spanish Cross-Strung Harp. While they do provide our additional semi-tones, they are complicated to make and play and have not become universally popular.
Another way is to have a lever, blade or hook attached to the top of each string. When activated, this lever presses sideways upon the string to shorten its length and sharpen its pitch by a semi-tone. This the fundamental design of today's lever harp (also know as folk, traditional, non-pedal, small, Celtic, Irish, Scottish harp or Clarsach).
The ability to change semi-tones allows the harp to be set into the required key at the beginning of the tune, but if a semi-tone change is required mid-piece, we are dependent upon the player having time to activate the lever by hand whilst playing the strings. By the late eighteenth century, when composers were introducing more and more key changes within a single piece of music, another mechanism to introduce semi-tones had to be found. The solution - a harp with pedals, as opposed to levers - was patented in 1810.
The pedal harp works on the same principle of sharpening a string by shortening it with the application of a metal pin or rod. However, the pins are connected to pedals which are activated by the player's feet. There are seven pedals, one for each note of the scale. Unlike the lever harp, activating one pedal affects that particular note across all octaves. As pedals have three possible positions - up, neutral and down - it is possible to change a note to sharp, natural or flat.
While still not truly chromatic (the ability to change key depends upon the manoeuvrability of the player's feet), the harp was able to tackle contemporary classical music and take its place in the orchestra for the first time.
Today's full sized pedal harp has 47 strings and stands roughly six feet tall at the pillar. ¾ size pedal harps are an option for beginners or those who need something smaller. Strings are tuned to Cb major (seven flats) so that when all pedals are in the middle position, the harp is in the key of C major.
Meanwhile, the lever harp remains much less standardised. Sizes vary greatly: some are small enough to be played on the lap, while others are supported by legs, or a stool. The largest lever harps are comparable in height to ¾ sized pedal harps. 34 strings tend to be a minimum requirement for educational use, but harps range from about 22 to 40 nylon, gut or wire strings.
Tuning is also less standardised. C and Eb major (occasionally Ab major) are used most often. Tuning in C major means there are less lever changes necessary to put the harp into sharp keys (useful if you want to play in folk sessions), but it also means that you cannot play in any flat keys. Tuning in Eb is the more versatile key as it allows flat keys as well as sharps, although more levers need to be set.
Up until recently the lever harp has been viewed by many as a beginner's harp - the first step towards playing a pedal harp. However, alongside the rise in popularity of Scottish and Irish traditional music, the lever harp has become increasingly acknowledged as an instrument in its own right. Acceptance from the Establishment occurred last year when the Associated Board of the Royal College of Music created an exam syllabus for lever harp which allows the player to progress to the highest grades without - as previously - being obliged to change to pedal harp.
So far, I have talked about how the need for additional semi-tones influenced the development of both types of harp. Of course, the extent of its ability to change key also has implications for the music most suited to each harp.
The lever harp will always be most at home in the world or traditional - particularly Celtic - music, as the modal nature of this music requires few semi-tone changes. That said, some players are pushing the boundaries of the instrument to the limit and developing astonishingly dexterous lever technique. Alongside them, composers are writing serious, demanding music especially for lever harp and arrangers are finding ways to make much classical and popular music playable on the non-pedal harp. Realistically, though, a pedal harp is necessary to achieve the fluidity of key changes demanded by most jazz and classical music. For this reason, the first step in deciding which harp to play depends upon the music you ultimately want to play upon it.
What Should I Look For When Choosing a Harp?
Most people start with the lever harp, even if they hope to go on to the pedal harp eventually. This is mainly due to financial reasons: the cheapest pedal harps start at around £7,000, which is a serious investment for a beginner.
Good, reliable 34 string student harps start at around £1,000, with professional lever harps costing from £2300-£4500. Of course, there are lever harps available for a lot less, but, as we hope to demonstrate during this article, there are so many things to look out for when buying a harp that you significantly improve your chances of getting a harp that will be rewarding to play if you pay that bit extra. Ultimately, if it won't stay in tune or if it sounds dull and lifeless, you won't want to play it.
Harps are very individual instruments and even the same model can vary significantly. There is no substitute for going to a showroom to try them out for yourself. Here at Clive Morley Harps we have one of the largest selections of harps in one place in the world and we encourage visitors to come along and play our harps. Try as many as you like and see which one feels right for you.
For your first lever harp, we advise going for a harp with 34 strings (or more). 34 Strings is standard for educational use, but even if you just want to pick out a few tunes for your own pleasure, you will find yourself restricted with less strings. There are some wonderful lap and travel harps available in 22-26 strings and these are ideal for use as a second harp, when the larger harp would be too cumbersome to carry.
If you do decide to go for a pedal harp to begin with, try to get some advice about whether the size of the harp is a good match for you. Some people choose the smaller, less expensive 42-44 string pedal harps for financial reasons, but these harps are generally only suitable for children and smaller adults. Likewise, its possible that a full sized 47 string grand concert harp may be too large.
As a general rule, avoid any harp that has any sign of warping. Likewise, avoid cracks in the soundboard, the harmonic curve and around the tuning pins. Make sure that the tuning pins stay in position when they are turned (and if they do shift, gently tapping the pin on the side opposite from the strings should sort it out). If there is significant wear on the strings, check that there are no sharp edges on the levers.
Test the regulation (tuning) by playing each string in all possible ways (ie, in both lever positions or in all three pedal positions) and listen to whether the string remains in tune when its position is altered.
If you are trying a new harp, make allowances for the fact that the strings will not have had time to settle in tune and the levers may be stiff. Its worth bearing in mind that it takes about 2-5 years for a harp to mellow, so a new harp will sound less warm and rich than an older counterpart.
Harps are designed to sound best to the audience, not to the player, so if possible, get someone to play the harp for you and listen to its sound at a distance. However, be aware that there are as many possible harp sounds as there are harps and players: some combinations of harp and player just don't work and the harp that could one day sound beautiful in your hands may sound downright unpleasant in someone else's.
You will need to choose between gut, nylon and wire strings. (Gut and nylon strung harps have wire strings in the bass as standard.) Wire strung harps (often known as Clarsachs) are the most specialised of the three options. Popular in Scotland and Ireland, they have a distinctive sound (imagine a hammered dulcimer being plucked rather than hammered). They require a different playing technique and for that reason, if you are attracted to the sound of this harp, its worth checking that there is a wire strung harp teacher in your area as a classical harp teacher would not know how to approach this instrument properly.
If you want to go on to the pedal harp, or take lever harp exams, then you will need to choose nylon or gut strings. Nylon strings have the advantage of being easier on the fingers. They stay in tune better, are less liable to break and sound brighter. Gut strings can break without warning and can go out of tune with the slightest change of temperature. They tend to be quieter and older strings can sound dull. However, in the opinion of many harpists, gut strings are capable of far more expressive playing. The best advice is is try both and see which sound and feel you prefer.
Another important factor to consider is string spacing (literally the distance between the strings) and tension. Concert harp or pedal harp spacing is wide and therefore desirable, especially if you want to go on the pedal harp later on. Slightly smaller than concert harp spacing is perfectly acceptable for a beginner though, as long as you avoid strings which are very close together as these are difficult to play without catching neighbouring strings. Whatever spacing you go for, the most important thing is that the spacing is equal throughout the harp.
Tension is also important. You won't get concert harp tension on a lever harp (the frame of the smaller harp wouldn't stand up to it) but, do try to go for fairly high tension strings. Although they are harder to play at first, the higher string tension forces you to work harder, meaning that you can get a warmer, richer tone. In general, gut strings allow higher tension than nylon. One problem area can be the lower strings on a nylon strung harp. If they are too slack, you won't be able to play cleanly in the bass.
Once you have chosen the harp you like, there are alternatives to buying outright. We offer a rental scheme with a proportion of the hire payments going towards purchase later on. Click here for more information on hiring our harps.
Be aware that there are other costs associated with buying a harp. You will need a tuning key (often included with the harp), a carrying case (£100-£350) and possibly a stool. A chromatic tuner and pick up are a good idea. As strings can break for no reason, it is highly advisable to keep a spare set of strings which can cost £150-£300. Separate insurance is also a good idea.
We have a database of teachers around the UK and should be able to put you in touch with one in your area. Even if you are the type of musician who prefers to teach themselves, please, we beg you, have at least five or six lessons just to get the finger technique and hand positioning right. Good harp technique is not obvious unless you are shown and without it, you will never have the stability needed to play fluidly or create a wonderful, sonorous sound.
Can I Teach Myself?
Good harp technique is not obvious and needs to be demonstrated by an experienced player. Without good technique, you will not be able to get the most out of your harp playing. For this reason, we recommend that you have at least a few lessons with a harp teacher to start you off correctly.
We are very happy to put you in touch with harp teachers in your area. Contact us by email or telephone or fill in our online enquiry form.
Don't forget, there are many workshops and courses for harpists of all levels, including beginners, taking place all over the UK. Keep an eye on our events page for up to date details.
I Can't Find a Teacher - What Shall I Do?
There are a number of harp tutor books suitable for those who are teaching themselves without the benefit of a teacher.
We recommend:
Mel Bay's Basic Harp for Beginners by Laurie Riley. Aimed at the adult beginner by an experienced lever harp player. Features Celtic music.
Begin the Harp by Nancy Calthorpe. This is aimed at the adult beginner and has a distinct Irish slant, with mainly Irish and some Scottish music. There is also a section on the history of the harp in Ireland.
Teach Yourself to Play the Folk Harp by Sylvia Woods. Aimed at the adult beginner. This book proceeds at a lightning pace, so if you prefer to consolidate what you have learned before moving on, it is not the right book for you. Features traditional and Celtic music.
Teach Yourself to Play the Folk Harp DVD by Sylvia Woods. Companion DVD to the above book.
The Small Harp by Alison Kinnaird. Written by respected player of the Scottish harp, there is a good section on authentic ornamentation and is recommended to anyone interested in the Scottish tradition. An accompanying CD demonstrates the lessons in the book.
The Welsh Triple Harp by Eleri Rhiannon Darkins. For those wishing to acquire the specialised technique necessary to play the Welsh Triple Harp.
Fun From The First Vol. 1 by Samuel Milligan. Suitable for lever harp, this book is written from a more classical perspective than the other tutors listed and would therefore be suitable for those interested in playing classical music and / or going on to play the pedal harp.
How to Identify A Harp String
As the range of strings vary from harp to harp, it is not possible to identify strings universally by number. Some manufacturers do use a numbering system, but this is for their own harps only.
So, to identify harp strings, we need to know the note, the octave and type (material) of the string in question, as well as the type of harp it is for.
Note
Notes are identified by colour. Red strings are Cs. Black (purple or blue) strings are Fs. To identify the notes of the other strings, find a red string and start counting upwards (towards the shorter strings) as follows:
Red String: C
Next White String: D
Next White String: E
Black String: F
Next White String: G
Next White String: A
Next White String: B
and so on.
As you can see, each note occurs several times, so to fully identify a string, we also need to know which octave it is in.
Octave
On a harp, octaves are counted downwards from the top end (where the strings are shortest). Octaves start on E and end on F.
On a Pedal Harp
Find your highest E string. This will be your First Octave E. Any strings occurring above the first octave E are in the Top Octave. These are typically Top Octave F; Top Octave G and Top Octave A.
The six notes immediately below First Octave E are also in the First Octave and can be identified as First Octave D, First Octave C, First Octave B etc.
Below First Octave F, another E string occurs: this is Second Octave E and the six strings immediately below this are also in the second octave. Continue counting down the harp this way, through Third, Fourth, Fifth, Six and Seventh Octaves.
On a Lever Harp
Lever harp strings do not usually extend as high as pedal harp strings and the Top Octave and parts of the First Octave are likely to be missing. It may be the first E string on YOUR lever harp, but its probably not THE First Octave E. Lever harps often start on First Octave A or First Octave C. The highest E String on your lever harp is most likely to be Second Octave E.
Confused? Remember, if all else fails, find Middle C. This is Fourth Octave C. Then count up octaves from there. You should be able to identify the highest string on your harp using this method and then you can count down using the above method.
Type of String
It is important to use the correct type (i.e. material) of string. You need to know whether the string you require is nylon, gut, synthetic gut, or wire. This can be established at the time of purchase. If you are not sure, check our string lists for common models of harp in the UK, or contact us and we should be able to advise.
Type of Harp
Lever or Pedal Harps
Finally, a Third Octave E Gut string for a pedal harp, for example, would need to withstand a higher frame tension than the same string on a lever harp. In other words, pedal harp strings are a higher gauge than lever harp strings. Therefore, you do need to specify whether the string you require is for a pedal or lever harp.
Large Lever Harps
Some larger lever harps use pedal harp gauge strings. Others use a gauge which is in-between lever and pedal harp - this is known as Pedal Light Strings.
Antique Pedal Harps
Antique Grecian harps use a special gauge, as the frame of the harp would not stand up to the tension created by modern pedal harp strings. For these harps, use 18th Century Strings. Antique Gothic harps may use standard pedal harp gut strings, but special Gothic Harp bass wires.
In general, it is advisable to use the same make of string as those initially supplied with your harp. In most cases, this is for uniformity, but in some cases, such as Dusty Strings harps, strings have been specially designed for use with a particular harp.
How to Change a Harp String
Follow Our Guide to Replacing Harp Strings
Preparation
1. Make sure that you have the correct replacement string. See our section on Identifying Harp Strings for further help.
2. Remove the broken string. (If it is a relatively thick string, you may want to cut it into 1-2cm sections to make string tags for later use.)
3. Wind the string peg so that the open end of the drilled hole points towards the soundboard.
4. Disengage pedals or levers.
We will start with the end of the string that sits under the soundboard.
5. Thread the replacement string through the hole from the top of the soundboard and pull it through so that you have a good length of string to work with, but not so much that the whole string passes through the hole. (If you have a bass wire string with a catch or a felt washer, you will have to push it through from underneath the soundboard.)
6. Hold the section of the string that you have passed through the hole so that the harp is on your left.
7. Make a loop by placing the SHORT end of the string OVER the rest of the string.
8. Make a second loop by placing the LONG length of string UNDER the rest of the string.
9. Pass the second loop through the first loop from the front.
10. Pull the short end. If you have done it correctly up to this point, then the loop should be tightening.
11. Just before the hole disappears, insert the tag into the remains of the original loop.
12. Pull tight.
13. If necessary, snip the end of the string, so that it is 1-2cm long. Any longer and it could touch the soundboard, making undesirable, extraneous noise.
Now we will finish off the other end of the string:
14. Pull the string up through the hole in the string peg. Make sure that the knot at the end of the string is pulled tight against the soundboard.
15. Check that the string is sitting in the correct position: on lever harps, make sure it is on the right side of the lever; on pedal harps, make sure it is lying in between the disc forks. Make sure the string is resting above the bridge pin.
16. As you pull the string through the hole in the peg, leave enough slack to accommodate three or four wraps of string around the peg when the string is at pitch. This can take practice and don't be afraid to repeat this process until you have got the right amount of wraps. Eventually, you will get a feel for the correct slackness of each string.
17. Turn the peg with your tuning key, making sure that the second wrap sits behind the first wrap. This catches the loose end and keeps it securely in place. Keep winding until the string is up to pitch and you have three or four wraps on the post. All should sit snugly next to each other, without crossings.
Once you are satisfied that you have replaced the string correctly, snip off the end of the string. Some harpists leave string ends on the harp, but snipping the string prevents contact with other strings or the harp and therefore, any resultant buzzing or scratches. It also prevents a poke in the eye!
String Breakage
One fact of harping life is that strings break - often for no apparent reason and usually at the worst possible time!
The good (or bad news, depending on your point of view) is that a certain level of string breakage is quite normal. However, if you think that your strings may be breaking too often, then this section should help you decide whether there could be an underlying cause.
The Type of String
The thinner, higher strings tend to break more often than the thicker, stronger, lower strings. On lever harps, B, A and E strings break most often, as these are the strings that are most commonly engaged by levers.
Gut strings will break more regularly than nylon or synthetic gut strings.
Changes in Temperature
All strings, but particularly gut strings, are prone to breaking in extreme changes in temperature (going from a cold car to a centrally heated room, for instance) or during changes in the weather and air pressure (thunderstorms are notorious for broken strings). So, as far as possible, try to avoid exposing your harp to dramatic changes in temperature.
Wear and Tear
Another common cause of string breakage is wear and tear. Often, a string will show warning signs that it is about to break. They tend to fray first at the points when they come into contact with levers or disc forks, as well as bridge pins, so keep an eye on these weak areas. However, strings can fray at any point along its length. If a string frays in the middle, while you are playing, snip the frayed part as soon as possible to stop it fraying further and replace it when convenient.
Any string which appears worn anywhere should be changed before it breaks.
Bear in mind that gut strings are an organic material and occasionally you may come across one that is flawed. Any string that comes out of the packet with a kink or knot should be discarded.
Over-Tensioning
Strings also break if they are subject to over-tensioning by being wound too tightly. For this reason, it is important to make sure that your harp is tuned to the correct pitch (A=440 or thereabouts). Using an electronic tuner will help you achieve this easily. Even if you prefer to tune by ear, make sure that you have the correct starting note: otherwise, you can end up with a harp that is in tune with itself, but is two or more pitches sharp. This puts too much strain on the strings and they will tend to break.
In particular, the bass wires strings of Dusty Strings harps can be broken due to over-winding. These strings need only a very slight movement to alter the pitch, so do keep an ear out for the pitch change as your tune.
A quick way to break a string while tuning is to have your tuning key on the wrong pin. Nothing appears to be happening to the string you intend to tune, so you keep on turning, until... snap!
Resonant Frequencies
Sometimes, a string AND its replacement will both break in a short space of time, causing the harpist to conclude that there is something wrong with their harp. This can be true, but it is also possible that there is another reason.
There could be a resonant frequency in the room where you keep your harp, which matches the frequency of the breaking harp string. This can cause the string to vibrate sympathetically and in extreme cases, break. If you can see no obvious reason why the same string keeps breaking, move the position of your harp (if possible, to another room) and see if things improve.
Abrasive Surfaces
However, if on examination, you discover that there is a sharp point or abrasive surface that comes into contact with your consistently breaking string, you have your answer! You may be able to file smooth the offending surface, but if not, you will need to replace your lever, pedal disc or bridge pin. We can supply you with spare parts for your harp: when ordering, make a note of the string in question, as these spare parts vary slightly in size, depending on the string.
Further Advice
People ask how many broken strings is an acceptable number. Harps do vary considerably in this regard, but to give you an idea, I think nothing of breaking 6-10 gut strings on my lever harp and 4-8 strings on my pedal harp per year. I wouldn't give it a second thought until I got to about 15 per year. If your harp is breaking more and you cannot detect an underlying cause, then you may decide to have your harp looked at by a harp service specialist. Again, we can arrange this for you.
Due to the nature of strings, we recommend having a spare set of all gut and nylon harp strings. However, for those on a budget, it is most important to have a spare set of the first three or four octaves, as these are the most likely to break.
Wire Strings
Wire strings rarely break. In fact, it is more common to need to replace worn out wire strings long before they break.
Signs that your wire string has come to the end of its useful life include tarnishing and flabbiness. Wrapped wire strings can start to fray and shed. Regularly used wire strings can become greasy. All these conditions will affect the sound of the string, causing a dull response and muffled sound.
Of course, if your wire string starts to fray around the tuning pin, then replace it before it breaks. A snapping wire string can do quite a bit of damage, so it best to avoid, if at all possible.
Replace Broken Strings
One final word of advice: do try to replace broken strings as quickly as possible. Missing strings alters the balance of tension on the frame of the harp and left too long, this can cause structural movement in the harp.
Harp Tuning
This article relies on a basic understanding of the concepts of pitch, note, key, key signature, sharp, flat and natural. If these terms are new to you, click here for a brief explanation.
Harp string are always coloured in the same way for ease of identification and always represent the following notes:
Red = C
Black / Blue / Purple = F
White = D, E, G, A and B
They can be identified as below:
However, as any musician will tell you, each note has three permutations: natural, sharp and flat. On a harp, pedals or levers alter the pitch of the individual string in semi-tone increments to produce our naturals, sharps or flats. The mechanism on a Pedal harp is able to alter a string in three ways, which means that each string is able to sound as a sharp, natural or flat. Lever harps are only able to alter a string in two ways: depending on the tuning of the string, you will get a flat and a natural, or a natural and a sharp.
Pedal harps are always tuned in the same way and the pedal position determines the exact note as follows:
Photo of pedal harp positions showing, from left to right, pedals in a Down, Middle and Up position.
Lever harps are more complicated. To begin with, tuning is not standard. The most common tunings are the keys of C and E Flat and, to a lesser extent, A Flat. In addition, individual strings can be re-tuned for special effects, or as a means of playing accidental notes (naturals, sharps or flats which are needed at some point, but do not appear in the piece's starting key.)
Let's identify the note of each open string (without the lever engaged) in each key:
When the levers are engaged, the pitch is raised by a semi-tone, giving us the following notes on each string:
*These two notes are enharmonic, which means that they sound at the same pitch.
Combine the two above tables and we can see all our available notes for each of the three standard lever harp tuning keys:
From the above, we can work out which keys are available to us in each tuning:
Lever Positions for C, E Flat and A Flat Tunings
Click here for a demonstration of the lever positions for each key with the harp tuned in C, E Flat and A Flat.
Pros and Cons for Each Tuning
There are pros and Cons for each Tuning:
Key of C
Pros
A lot of tutor books and elementary music for beginners are written in the key of C, so no lever changes are necessary to play many easy pieces.
Tuning with an electronic tuner is also simplest in this key as there are no sharp or flat notes to confuse matters.
Cons
The harp needs to be re-tuned to play in any key which uses flats.
Singers are generally more comfortable in flat keys, so if you are a singer, or if you are accompanying one, you may find that you do need to tune to either E Flat or A Flat.
Key of E Flat and A Flat
Pros
This is the most versatile way to tune your lever harp, as it allows you to play in both the most common sharp and flat keys. The choice between E Flat and A Flat, is primarily a matter of deciding whether you are most likely to need a D Sharp (if so, tune in E Flat) or a D Flat (in which case, tune in A Flat).
Flat keys are more resonant than sharp keys.
Cons
You need to engage levers more often, which takes time. It also causes wear on the strings. Finally, if the levers are not well regulated, i.e. correctly in tune (as would be the case with a poorly made harp), then your harp will sound out of tune when the levers are engaged.
Conclusion
As you have probably realised, the lever harpist will tune their harp according to which key or set of notes they anticipate needing most often, taking into account the type of music they perform and the type of ensemble they play in. Its worth stating that there are regional variations: England and Wales tend to tune in E Flat, while A Flat is popular in Scotland. C is the most common tuning in the United States.
How To Tune Using an Electronic Tuner
Click here to buy the Seiko SAT500 Chromatic Tuner - recommended for use with harps.
1. Prepare the harp:
Lever Harps
Disengage levers.
Pedal Harps
There is some debate as to the best pedal position for tuning. Many classical harpists will tune with the pedals in the flat position. This is because a lot of pedal harp music is written in flat keys, as the harp is more resonant in these keys. However, if your harp is not perfectly regulated, some tuning deficiency could be discernable in sharp keys. My own preference, when playing in a variety of keys, is to tune with the pedals in the natural/middle position, so that the harp will be reasonably in tune in both flat and sharp keys. However, when performing a single piece, I would tune with the pedals in the correct position for the key of the piece in question.
2. Switch the tuner to its "auto" position and place near the harp.
3. Starting with the low end of the harp*, pluck an individual string. Wait for the tuner to detect a note (which it should do automatically - if it does not, see below for a solution) and watch whether the tuner indicates that the note is on pitch - in which case, the central, green light will be lit - or whether it is sharp or flat (the pitch indicator will be pointing to the left or right of the central, "in-tune" position.
*We start from the low end because moving the heavy bass strings can cause slight movement in the upper strings. If we tuned the higher strings first and then went on to the low strings, we might have to re-tune the high strings again.
4. It can be confusing for beginners if the tuner displays notes as sharps, when you are thinking in flats. However, by using the table below, you can identify the note you need whatever your tuner calls it:
Another confusing issue for beginners is that we talk about sharp and flat in two ways. The first way refers to notes: the note C Sharp is a separate note, one exact semi-tone above C Natural and the note B Flat is a separate note, one exact semi-tone below B Natural.
When we are talking about tuning, the terms sharp and flat also refer to notes that are not at correct pitch. As we know, the correct frequency for A is 440Hz. If we pluck our A string and it sounds at 438Hhz, for example, it will sound slightly lower than the correct pitch. It would, therefore, be referred to as flat - it would not, however, be low enough to sound the separate note of B Flat.
5. If the string is sharp or flat, you need to turn the tuning pin with the tuning key to alter the pitch. It can be helpful to pluck the string just before you turn. This way, your tuner can pick up the changing pitch of the string and can show you how far you still need to turn. This is usually not very far.
6. In a noisy environment, the tuner will be unable to distinguish between the plucked string of your harp and other sounds. The solution to this problem is to use a tuner pick-up. This clever device clips onto the harp, then picks up the sound of the wood vibrating as you pluck a string and conveys the information to the tuner.
Click here for more information on our recommended tuner pick-up - the Seiko STM 20.
7. Sometimes, neither the tuner, nor the pick-up can identify very high or very low notes. In the first instance, you need to start at the lowest note the tuner can hear and then tune in octaves by ear. In the same way, with high notes, move down to the nearest octave that the tuner (or pick-up) can hear.
How to Tune By Ear in Octaves
Example: Tuning a low F string
Play the nearest F string that you know is in tune. Then quickly pluck the string you want to tune and listen to both strings together. If the low F string is out of tune, this will sound most unpleasant. The trick here is to turn the low F's tuning pin by tiny amounts until both strings sound in tune. Hearing in this way takes practice and most ears can be trained: practice tuning by ear with strings in the middle in your harp, as these are the easiest to hear, and check your tuning with your tuner.
Equal Temperament
A harp is tuned in Equal Temperament, which is a universally accepted tuning system devised to make all semi-tones equal. The advantage of this system is that intervals between tones and semi-tones are the same in all keys. If the instrument were not in Equal Temperament, then you would need to tune each key individually. The big problem with tuning in an individual key is that you get one perfectly in tune key, but all other keys are noticeably out of tune - especially the octaves - and for modern ears, this makes for very uncomfortable listening.
The disadvantage with Equal Temperament tuning is that all intervals, except the octave are very fractionally out of tune. There is no need to be concerned about Equal Temperament: your electronic tuner will tune in this way automatically and it takes a highly trained ear to hear that the intervals are very slightly out of tune - but it is worth bearing in mind that in absolute terms, one feature of the harp is that it is never exactly in tune.
If the string is sharp or flat, you need to turn the tuning pin with the tuning key to alter the pitch. It can be helpful to pluck the string just before you turn. This way, your tuner can pick up the changing pitch of the string and can show you how far you still need to turn. This is usually not very far.