How to Play the Irish Harp
Irish harps, sometimes called Celtic, folk or lap harps, are smaller than orchestral floor harps. The average orchestral harp has 47 strings and can stand up to 6 feet tall, while Celtic harps have 22 to 38 strings and can be held on the lap or balanced on the floor. They can have no levers, levers on some strings or levers on every string to control the pitch.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Tuning the Harp
-
1
If your harp has no levers, tune it to the key of C. Each string is the equivalent to a white key on the piano, with the red strings representing C and the black strings F. Place the tuning key on the peg attached to the end of the string and use the electric tuner (or a tuned piano if available) to determine if the string is in tune. Using the key, make the string tighter to sharpen it and looser to flatten it.
-
2
If each string on the harp has its own lever, then each note is tuned individually. For example, to play in the key of G, move the levers of each F string up, to make it F sharp. (Or, only move the levers for the F strings you plan to use in your piece.)
-
-
3
Some harps have levers only on certain strings. If so, depending on which strings have levers, tune the base key to something other than C in order to maximize the amount of keys you can play. The base key matters because the levers only have two positions, to make notes natural or sharp, not flat.
Playing Technique
-
4
Harp music looks just like piano music. In the case of accidentals, the music will notate when to change a lever to sharp, and when to return it to natural.
-
5
To correctly position your hand, reach out your right hand with the thumb on top and four fingers close together and curved on the right side, as if reaching into the refrigerator for a soda can. Keeping your forearm parallel to the ground, maintain that hand position as you bend your elbow outwards, bringing the palm of your hand parallel to the harp strings. Repeat with the left side.
-
6
Use only your first three fingers and thumb to pluck the strings, never your pinkie finger. When plucking strings individually, bring all four fingers straight into the palm, with the thumb curved down over the index finger. As you close your hand, pull your forearm a few inches away from the harp in a graceful, fluid motion, while keeping your elbow still. To pluck the next string, move your forearm back to the strings and open your hand into the original position. When playing three or four strings in a row, bring each finger into the palm as you use it.
-
7
When playing a glissando, or long stroke up or down the harp, use your index finger to go up and your thumb to go down. Some music will note the proper tuning to produce harmonious glissandi.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
New strings and strings exposed to extremes in temperatures require more frequent tuning.
When tuning, if your string is only slightly sharp, use the palm of your hand to pull the string toward the string next to it, moving all the way down the string, and that should loosen it enough to get it in tune.
Playing the harp will cause blisters and eventually callouses to form on your fingers, most notably the thumbs and the left ring finger (which plays the lowest, largest strings). These are normal with regular playing; do not attempt to burst the blisters.
References
- Photo Credit play music wood string instrument harp sound image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com
