Harp store in french (full site)
Harp store in french (full site) |
We are in the vicinity of the Arc de Triomphe, where a warm welcome awaits you. Our shop is completly stocked with strings, music, harps and all accessories. We are prepared to service your harp for regulation, repairs, rentals and sales. |
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The harp- What is the difference between a celtic harp and a pedal harp ? - Is there any special maintenance ? Strings- Why are there coloured strings ? - Can I switch from nylon to gut ? purchasing a harp ?- Where can I find an instrument ? |
FAQThere's nothing complicated in the small world of the harp, however as a student or a parent you might ask yourselves a few practical questions when it's time to play! In any case, remember that your teacher will be the best person to find the most suitable instrument for you. Here are a few answers to the beginner's basic questions.The harp- Which one ? Beginners usually start on a celtic harp (sometimes called clarsach), very rarely on a pedal instrument. The size of a celtic harp is more adapted for children and is much less expensive than a concert harp. You can find many different types and brands. Teachers usually recommend a "standard" type, industrially made, so that the student will get used to positions and string widths that exist in almost every music school. Some independant harp makers keep the same proportions and their harps can be of excellent quality, though more expensive but with a more original design and sometimes customisable. - What is the difference between a celtic harp and a pedal harp ? Incidentals on a celtic harp are produced by levers. A lever is actioned by hand and sharpens the attributed string. If the string is tuned as a natural while the lever is already up, a flat note can be obtained by pulling down the lever. The simple movement pedal harp is like the celtic harp, but instead of levers there are seven pedals (one per note) enabling you to play whilst changing incidentals. The double movement pedal harp is an entirely chromatic instrument. Each pedal has three positions: raised for flats, in the middle for naturals and lowered for sharps. For example, when all pedals are in the middle position, you will be in C major. - Is there any special maintenance ? Celtic harps don't need any maintenance, apart from regular tuning and cleaning ! Pedal harps must be seen by a professional regurlarly, we would recomand once a year, although some harps are absolutely fine after years without maintenance at all. - How do I carry my harp ? Celtic harps generally measure less than 125cm high and therefore fit in most cars. Protected covers are compulsory if you want to avoid scratches or bumps. You can also ask a professional carriage company who pack harps in special cardboard boxes, the cost being very affordable due to the small weight (around 12 kilos). - Where do I store my harp ? Places to avoid are: near a window or source of heat (heaters, coal fires...) since heat and hygrometric variations can affect the strings and the wood. Humidification is not necessary in a house or a flat. When not in use, it's wise to store the harp with its back to a wall or to place a stool behind it: this will prevent accidental falling: due to its shape a harp is naturally inclined to fall on its back if pushed even very gently. Cigarette smoke makes the strings and varnish dirty which can damage the quality of the sound after a while. Clean with a soft cloth and an alcohol-free cleaning lotion. When not playing the harp put the cover on, and last but not least, never leave the tuning key on a tuning pin without holding it, since it might accidentally fall and damage the soundboard. Strings- How many strings ?Celtic harps usually have 34 strings, which is more than enough to play the whole celtic repertoire. You can also find 36 or even 38 stringed harps. These harps are a bit larger and sometimes have a more powerful sound. Some harps have only about 20 strings but are not convenient for proper practice. One movement pedal harps have generally 36 or 38 strings and double movement pedal harps come with 44 to 47 strings. - Why are there coloured strings ? Colours don't affect the sound, they just indicate which note is attributed to a string: a red string is a C and a blue (or black) string is an F. (some latin-american harps have the same colour code, but inverted). - Nylon or gut strings ? The tension on a nylon stringed harp is much less than on a gut equivalent, therefore nylon is softer for children's fingers as well as cheaper and stronger. However, the sound of the nylon is not as powerful and warm as the gut strings. Pedal harps usually come with gut strings. Bass strings are wire on almost every type of harp. - How do I tune my harp ? A well-tuned instrument is absolutely necessary. It's very frustrating for a young student to apply what he just learned and obtain a different sound at home. A harp must be tuned regularly, some will say each time you play it. You can hear the note A on the ring-tone of your home line phone* which can help you to tune the harp, or you can purchase an electronic tuner which is very easy to use. Basic models cost around 38€. Remember that B, E and A levers must be up if you want to tune a celtic harp in C major, and all pedals in the middle position for a double movement harp. If you are in any doubt, don't hesitate to ask somebody who knows. - A string is broken Don't panic! This can happen sometimes. You just have to phone (or go to) a harp shop and they'll send you the missing string. Each string has a different caliber so you need to know what note you need and which number. Counting from the high to the low (for example, the high A will be "A n°1").If your high note is a C, it'll be called "C n°00"(red), then the next one will be "B n°0", then "A n°1" etc... Don't forget to ask for nylon or gut and don't forget Cs are red and Fs are black (or dark blue). Ask your teacher how to make a proper knot and how to place the string on the harp, this should be part of the learning process. - Can I switch from nylon to gut ? Usually each type of harp is designed for a certain type of string. For financial reasons, one can be tempted to use nylon instead of gut strings. On the other hand some harpists use gut strings instead of nylon in order to obtain a better sound. Purchasing a harp ?-where can I find an instrument? On the web: some websites offer harps for sale. We would recommend being extremely careful purchasing an instrument this way. Crooks who have never owned a harp, inheriters who think their harp is valuable just because it's very old and second hand dealers who know nothing about music are not rare on the internet. -in a music shop: from time to time you can see a harp in a general music shop but the demand for such "rare" instruments is not great, therefore the shop assistants are not qualified to solve any potential problems and practically never have harp strings in stock. -in a "harp shop": obviously the best choice. Due to the small number of shops (three in Paris), it's not difficult to compare qualities of services and competence. Your teacher should give you the references of these harp shops. Even if a teacher has a preference for a certain brand, don't forget that he is not legally entitled to advantages of any sort (in France:Loi n° 2000-595 du 30 juin 2000 art. 1 Journal Officiel du 1er juillet 2000). Be sure when purchasing a harp that you know where it comes from, ask for an invoice and any proof of origin. Every single instrument has a unique number, so for example if you have to fix your harp for any reason, and the number is registered as a stolen instrument, you might lose your instrument without compensation of any kind! - Renting or buying ? When a child decides to play the harp, he or she has probably been influenced by romantic images from books, cartoons or other sources. Playing the harp seems very easy. Unfortunately, like every instrument, practice can be hard and fastidious. Renting is therefore a good option since you really know if a child is keen after at least one year. On a long term basis (more than 3 years) buying is financially more interesting. - Second hand harps ? It's very difficult for a non-expert to know whether a second hand harp is a bargain or a rip-off. In any case, don't buy a harp if it cannot be properly tuned or if the strings are not good quality. Important details to check: The soundboard must be as flat as possible without any cracks. When sitting behind the harp, the neck (the upper part of the instrument) must be vertical and mustn't be twisted. The column should be as straight as possible. The mechanic system must be clean and reliable (e.g. no noise when using pedals) The tuning key usually comes with the harp. In any case, always ask your teacher or a specialist. Purchasing a second hand harp in a harp shop is obviously much safer, as each instrument is guaranteed, checked, old strings are changed etc... Please also note that prices are not much different in a harp shop than from a private seller. Don't fall into the "really cheap harp"-trap that you sometimes see on internet (e.g. pakistani instruments on ebay...). They might look alright, but you'll never play them! - Should I insure my harp ? A celtic harp, whether you rent it or you own it, isn't of much value financially speaking, therefore a classic property insurance should be enough. Just send your company an invoice or a copy of your renting contract. |