Does anyone have any experience of playing lap harps? I am tempted to get my hands on one as I want to play a harmony instrument that isn't piano or guitar, that doesn't cost too much and isn't too big - I thought a lap harp might tick all boxes. I'd like to learn to play simple-ish folk/early pieces in particular. I also thought it might be interesting for children at school to see and hear and may have benefits to me in terms of reducing blood pressure!

Any thoughts/comments/advice welcomed!

You need a theorbo! Hmmm... fails the portability test though! I'm sure this has come up before so someone will leapo in with assistance.

You could try one of these

http://www.welsh-harps.com/catalog_view.php?id=148

Hmmm not sure what happened I wrote a post and it vanished any way, back to The front page of EMS currently hits both harps and recorders....

There are all kinds of things called "chromatic lyres" around now. I like the sound of them, but have no desire to tune even 13 strings, let alone 27 or 36! Look for rose lyre, celtic lyre, chromatic lyre.

They have become quite popular in Japan because they are fairly compact. Look for "liraxtime" on youtube.

or one of these

http://www.pilgrimharps.co.uk/Lever-Harps/...e-lap-harp.html