9 replies to this topic

[HarpyMum]

Hi again

Sorry about posting the first topic 3 times, I didnt mean to, am new to this posting !!!
I have an Elysian traditional 40 string harp that I love, I am also really looking forward to moving up to a pedal harp, is the transition easy? let me know your thoughts and what harp you play,
ANY OTHER 13 YR OLDS out there???

Emily-Lou

[Shaolin_monkey]

Hi again

Sorry about posting the first topic 3 times, I didnt mean to, am new to this posting !!!
I have an Elysian traditional 40 string harp that I love, I am also really looking forward to moving up to a pedal harp, is the transition easy? let me know your thoughts and what harp you play,
ANY OTHER 13 YR OLDS out there???

Emily-Lou

I actually found the pedal harp to be easier to learn than my lever. For some reason, lifting my hands to flip levers to change key or put in accidentals always threw me, whereas moving my feet to do the same on a pedal didn't cause such a problem.

I think the toughest thing on the pedal was just getting the timing of my feet in synch with my hands to avoid buzzings and other horrible noises.

[rachelviolin]

This is rachelviolin's daughter:
hia,
I have a pedal harp but have never had a lever harp. you have to be very careful with your pedals as Shaolin_monkey said it can make horrible noises. I have never tried a lever harp before. I'd have thought that it would be harder but as I said, I have never tried it before.
Emily

[Panthera]

I played a lever harp for a few months when I first started but then moved on to a pedal harp once I knew I definitely would stick with it. I agree that pedal harp is much easier than flipping the levers!

[jennifer-harp]

The transition from lever to pedal is very easy I think! A good way of getting your pedal changing more confident is to learn La Desirade by Salzedo, it may seem hard at first but it is a very good piece to develop pedal technique. It's in the book Method for the Harp.

[Angel14]

I started playing pedal harp and love it. I now need a smaller travel harp so will need to transfer skills back and forth between pedal and lever harp. I'm not concerned - it's part of life as a harpist. My teacher teaches both and appears to have no difficulty changing between the two at a moments notice.

[Collyermum]

Hi

 

The problem with changing from pedal to lever and back all the time is the difference in string spacing.  There are very few "pairs" of pedal/lever harps that have the same spacing - lever being smaller spacing and variable between makes! That said, Teifi's Eos is concert spacing but that quite definitely doesn't qualify as a "smaller travel harp"!

[sopsaxharpflute]

Hi

 

The problem with changing from pedal to lever and back all the time is the difference in string spacing.  There are very few "pairs" of pedal/lever harps that have the same spacing - lever being smaller spacing and variable between makes! That said, Teifi's Eos is concert spacing but that quite definitely doesn't qualify as a "smaller travel harp"!

There are a lot of lever harps with 'concert harp spacing'. You may like to look e/g/  to Camac, Salvi or Lyon & Healy lever harps. String tension is quite a different matter, but even on that point: there are some lever harps with concert string tension.

[Collyermum]

Indeed! My teacher's Lyon and Healy pedal harp is narrower than other pedal harps and more similar to my (Triplett) lever harp!

 

So, it's suck it and see with harps!!!!

[Padster]

I started learning harp in the summer and have got one of those 19-string Gothic instruments. It's very nice, but I see now why levers are so useful.

 

Best wishes,

Padster