Harp Lesson | How the harp works

[@TheDimaSomov]

I am a piano and guitar player and accidentally ran into a piece performed on harp. And I wondered, if there are clearly 7 strings per octave, how do you play sharps and flats? Now after your video I can say that this pedal mechanism is a state of art itself, combined with the beauty of a harp. Amazing!

[@HarpistAngelina]

Hi, yes there is definitely more than meets the eye! Thanks for watching :-)

[@rugbygirlsdadg]

I learned the same thing just yesterday but fo a much smaller harp without pedals. Just levers, so the key can't really be changed mid tune. Fascinating.

[@user-tx2tw8qy9f]

I have a whole new level of respect for anyone playing this enchanting instrument. I have heard that it is difficult to play but this just boggled my mind!

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thanks, sorry to boggle your mind! Do you play any instruments yourself?

[@JainaSoloB312]

Very cool, that pedal mechanic is fascinating! Brief but well-explained, thanks for the lesson!💜

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thank you very much :) I might do a more in-depth version at some point! Are you a musician?

[@JainaSoloB312]

@@HarpistAngelina I'm an opera singer and I'm in perpetual awe of anyone who can play an instrument haha, this one especially!

[@TheWarmHousePiano]

Thank you very much. It was really helpful to me. May God bless you

[@meduzo]

Thank you for posting this video! I'm creating virtual reality instruments and I'm going to use your explanation as a base for the harp I'm making!

[@HarpistAngelina]

Awesome! That sounds so cool.

[@manoramapatel3454]

नमस्ते हार्प से परिचित कराने के लिये बहुत धन्यवाद

[@clfm20]

Thank you for that succinct explanation.

[@MRegah]

Thank youuu! This was exactly the information I was looking for on the www. Great that you show everything and explain it so efficiently.

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thank you very much. I'm glad it was helpful.

[@patriciahill6839]

Am playing a brass band version to accompany the film The Wrong Trousers and it includes a harp part.

[@apeterwarren2061]

Thank you for your very helpful demonstration of the mechanism of altering the vibrating length of the strings. I mistakenly thought that the length was altered down at the pedals, analogous to a guitar, which implied that the pitches are changed by altering the physical length of the string. Your effective video demonstrated how it changes at the top. Nice thinking by the designer. I am attending a course on arranging music, and have been set an exercise to make some piano music 'playable' on the harp. Very helpful to better understand how the harp actually works.

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thanks Alan, hope your course goes well.

[@lesleykhorombi]

Great video. I really enjoyed watching.

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thank you, do you play the harp yourself?

[@lesleykhorombi]

@@HarpistAngelina Not at all. I just enjoy listening to music and learning new things. I’m a curious fellow. 😅. Wish I could play, though.

[@tornado1991]

Thank you for the explanation ! Cheers from Switzerland

[@HarpistAngelina]

You are very welcome!

[@NiklasFischerComposer]

Thanks for this video. Happy to be your viewer no. 10,000 :) Having listened to a few orchestral works featuring a harp, I think it is a very powerful instrument with a distinctive sound that is easily heard through the rest of the orchestra, despite there only being one (or sometimes two). Is that your impression too?

[@HarpistAngelina]

Hi and thanks for your comment. It really depends on what else is going on when the harp is playing. It is easily overpowered by other instruments. Composers who know this will have the harp playing when the texture is quite thin, so it really stands out. Shostakovich and Mahler are particularly good at this, or have a listen to Holst’s The Planets for a great example of harp writing in an orchestra.

[@thecatladytm7172]

I'm in orchestra in school and my class has a student who plays the harp. We're doing a piece with her for our concert next Wednesday, but the harp always so quiet compared to everyone else. We adjust to be quieter for her, but it's still hard to hear her sometimes. How do harps project? I assume the soundboard resonates, but it's aimed at the floor/your shoulder. Does that diffuse a lot of the sound that is produced and cause it to be quieter? Thank you for your video, it's very interesting to see how the harp works.

[@HarpistAngelina]

Hi, thanks for watching and for your question. Does she play lever or pedal harp? You are right, the soundboard resonates, but it goes forward and upwards as well. Unfortunately, the sound of an orchestra will cover even the strongest of harpists, it’s just one of those things with the harp. A good composer will orchestrate music so that the harp part is exposed and has a better chance of being heard. Otherwise, we just have to play as loud as we can almost all the time and hope for the best 👍 we play louder by squeezing the string more before we pluck it. Hope that helps!

[@PaVIThRa9188]

Thank you this is so helpful !

[@HarpistAngelina]

I’m so glad you found this helpful :)

[@PaVIThRa9188]

@@HarpistAngelina 💐

[@adamwalker2619]

Great video learnt a load I never knew :)

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thanks Adam I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@mathaeus]

Great useful video, thanks so much! Do you consider pieces with more accidentals than ‘usual’ less enjoyable to play?

[@HarpistAngelina]

Hi, thank you. It really depends on the piece, some of the most beautiful pieces I've ever played (Debussy Danses, Faure Impromptu) are very pedally and challenging but it's worth it for the result.

[@hayleycomet8029]

Thank you, I've always wondered!

[@HarpistAngelina]

Glad it was helpful!

[@fancydeer]

thank you for this!

[@HarpistAngelina]

You are so welcome :)

[@saodavi6267]

Very informative. Thanks!

[@HarpistAngelina]

You're welcome!

[@mason11198]

as a composer this is quite helpful, thanks :) How hard is it to play more accidental full works would you say?

[@HarpistAngelina]

Hi Mason, it really depends, double sharps and flats have to be re-written enharmonically for the harp, but apart from that we can tackle most things.

[@mason11198]

@@HarpistAngelina thanks!

[@johnprice3341]

I bet the chromatic scale is hard to play

[@csbluechip]

What a good point! ...Is is even possible? ...If so, how far could you push it? ...I'm off to see if anyone has pulled off Flight of the Bumblebee on a harp...

[@johnprice3341]

@@csbluechip I’m pretty sure the pedaling can’t be done fast enough haha! Then again, I have no idea. There are chromatic harps for that

[@coaatzinsanchez967]

I love your socks

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thanks! 🙂

[@MiaStrayer]

Awwwwwwww she’s beautiful

[@HarpistAngelina]

Thank you!