How to Identify the Strings on a Harp
Harps use many types of gauges on strings to get a wide range of notes. How a harp is tuned depends on the type of harp you are using. Most harps are tuned diatonically in a seven note scale. Some harps are tuned chromatically with a twelve note scale including all sharps and flats. Diatonic harps obtain sharps and flats by using levers, pedals or hooks. Full size harps usually have 47 strings while semi-grand harps have 46 strings. Some pedal harps may have 44 strings. It is important to identify which type of harp you have before determining which type of tuning the harp uses and which note the strings are tuned to.
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Instructions
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Identifying the Notes of the Strings
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1
Identify what type of harp you are playing. Pedal harps are the main type of harps. They are also called Concert harps and can vary in their size and the amounts of strings. Changing to sharps and flats on a pedal harp is done by using your feet. Lever harps, in contrast, consist of folk harps, Celtic harps, and Irish harps. They use hand-operated levers to switch to sharps and flats.
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2
Identify the C and the F string. These strings are usually easily identifiable because on most harps they are color coded. The C string is red and the F string is black.
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Use your electronic tuner to confirm the C and the F are the red and black strings (or if they aren't color coded, which strings are the C and F). Because tuning a harp is flexible depending on the player's preferences, identifying the notes of each string is a matter of the tuning you are using. Most harps are generally tuned in C Major.
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Use the electronic tuner to make sure the other strings of the harp are tuned. The tuner will tell you the correct notes of the C Major scale. Tune the notes in ascending order with the shortest string as the highest pitch note. A C Major scale is easy to identify because it has no sharps or flats.
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Place pieces of colored tape on the neck by each string to help identify the notes of the strings. This will assist you when you are beginning to learn the layout of the harp. Each piece of colored tape will correspond to a different note within an octave.
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References
- Photo Credit shepherd's harp in the light, purple image by Scott Slattery from Fotolia.com
