I've tried to answer the questions I'm most often asked.

If you'd like more information about harps, chances are that others do too. Help everyone by contacting me at info@harpfolk.com.

I'll give you my best answer and post it here for others to see.

What is a Celtic Harp?

• The Celtic Harp is an ancient folk instrument traditional in the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
• Celtic harps have eight strings to the octave, with sharping levers to raise the pitch of a string one-half tone.
  • Think of harp strings as the white keys of a piano.
• Celtic harps come in many sizes
  • Lap Harps are very small and can be held while sitting in a chair
  • A freestanding floor harp can be of any size, counted by the number of strings it has. (21, 27, 32, 34, 36 are common)..
  • I play a Double Celtic harp which has two rows of strings (one for each hand) containing a total of 64 strings.
  • The Triple Harp is a Welsh instrument with 3 rows of strings. The middle row contains sharps and flats, and is a truly chromatic instrument.

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Is this the harp played in orchestras?

• No. Concert harps are quite large (to be heard among the other instruments) and have pedals to get sharps and flats.

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Is it difficult to learn?

The harp is not difficult - you can't make an unpleasant sound!

Here are some of the advantages to choosing to learn harp:.

• Strings are layed out like the white keys of a piano - low notes to high notes, all in a straignt line.
• Strings are color-coded. The "Cs" are red; the "Fs" are blue the colors help you
  • Find the right string to pluck
  • Use the sharping levers
  • Learn to read music. (My students learn by coloring the notes in their music books.)
• With a wind instrument
  • You need to learn propler breathing
  • You must use several fingers to play one note
  • You can't play chords with the melody..
• With other stringed instruments (guitar, violin, etc.)
  • You need to shorten the strings (with your left hand) to make different notes.
  • The layout of the strings can be confusing..
  • Learning how to use a bow (with violin) can be difficult.

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At what age can you start lessons?

• It is never too late to learn to play the harp! (Ignore people who say you must start lessons as a child! (I have given lessons to people in their 70s.)
• I recommend lessons to children who have an idea of Tune and Timing. (Can your child sing nursery rhymes?).

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What size of harp should I get?

• To find teh right harp for you, consider portability, sound, and cost
• Portability
  • Smaller harps are easy to carry.
• Sound
  • Larger harps have more strings and make a deeper, richer sound.
• Cost
  • Larger harps are more expensive.

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Can I rent a Celtic Harp?

• I rent small practice harps to students. (I teach using a 30 string Celtic Harp.)
• Some music stores (especially those that carry acoustic instruments) rent harps.

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What should I look for when buying a harp?
Should I buy a harp over the internet?

I get this question more than any other.

In every purchase we make, we want:

1. High Quality,
2. Low Price, and
3. Quick Deivery.

Expect to get (at most) two of the three.

1. Quality and Speed do not come cheaply.

You walk into a reputable music store, pick a harp, pay what is asked for it, and take it home. (You need the money on hand to spend.)

2. A Low Price and Speedy Delivery usually means that the product is not the best Quality.

• If you buy something sight unseen, it will be smaller and less well made than you think!
• Do not rely on pictures - little things will look big. A small bread plate and large dinner plate look exactly the same (unless they are in the same photo).
• Trust me - you will not get the harp of your dreams for $200 on eBay.
  
• Remember the old adage - "If something seems too good to be true - it usually is "

3. High Quality at a Low Price (What we all want) - takes time.

I recommend that you

• Look around
• find a reputable seller or harpmaker
• search for a special deal.

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