How do the pedals on a harp work? - Coffee Break Harp 18

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Why there are 7 pedals on a harp (and so many more strings)? How do they work? Is there anything they have in common with levers on lever harps, and is it difficult to coordinate both hands and feet while playing a pedal harp? Find answers to all these questions in this episode!
More resources on PEDALS:
➡️ How to get started with pedals on a pedal harp? www.zuzanna-harpist.com/how-t...
➡️ Do you need high heels to play the harp? www.zuzanna-harpist.com/do-yo...
➡️ Make your pedal technique even more secure: www.zuzanna-harpist.com/7-ste...
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✦ Join Facebook group for Harpists who want to keep learning: / harpb. .
✦ Watch all episodes of Coffee Break Harp and Live Harp Lessons at
www.coffeebreakharp.com
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✦ Take my online course on reading music: www.readingmusicforharp.com/
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www.zuzanna-harpist.com/shop
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🕒 Timestamps
0:31 Pedal myths
2:23 Mechanics
4:29 Levers vs pedals
5:08 Why 7?
5:59 Double-action
8:00 Is it difficult?

[@verastone325]

My band director asked me if I would be interested in learning harp for a competition piece. Definitely stressful for a very average high school percussionist. I have seen so many videos about the basics of harp but this one is the most helpful by far. Explained in a way that is easy for everyone to understand, whether they are a musician or not. Thank you for making such an informative video :)

[@j.j.hagelsieb]

I'm studing orchestration and this video was so great to understand this instrument. Thank you very much!

[@hongtianzhang2475]

same, studying how harp works so that my composition is not bullshit🤣🤣🤣

[@emilycaballero6052]

Same here!

[@emb74]

Fascinating. You explain it so well.

[@julianneloy6010]

I'm getting into composition and studying different instruments, and I loved this video! I see a lot of music channels where it almost feels like your instrument is a status symbol. While a lot of those professionals compare price tags and make beginners feel guilty for buying something too 'cheap' or 'advanced' for them, you encourage people to start on whatever instrument, in whatever capacity, they want or can. We need more of that in the music world. I don't play harp, but if I ever do, this is the first channel I'm going to! 😊💛 Thank you!

[@bacura01]

Thanks, i dont have one . But i can learn so much from your video, thanks for sharing

[@Surenil]

I'm not even interested in playing a harp, but I saw a pedal harp on another video and wanted to know how that works - and you have explained it perfectly! Thank you very much! :)

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

I am really glad you found it helpful! Thank you very much for taking the time to leave your kind comment 💛

[@hongtianzhang2475]

This is very helpful thank you

[@myMusicHobby302]

thank you for the great explanatio!

[@Braindead24]

OMG...I didn't know...thats mindblowing, thanks for the the very good explanation

[@PeterRoos]

Excellent. For composers, an easy way to memorize the pedals is Did Columbus Bring Enough Food To Go to America. Or DCB left - EFGA right.

[@RikiGuitarist]

Very beginner friendly, yet in-depth explanation. Thank you.

[@stevehayman]

Trombone player here. I've always wondered what the deal with harp pedals is. Many thanks for this great explanation!

[@nihaimamoniquestamper7670]

Thank you for this information have a blessed day.

[@russpalmeri]

Wonderful! Very well explained.

[@ranachandra3543]

This video is amazing thank you! Keep up the amazing work!

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Thank you! 💛

[@NiklasFischerComposer]

Thank you, very useful video.

[@ambiclef7]

Thanks so much. Your video is clearly sequenced and easy for me to understand. I have just started learning some pieces in b/# keys so now I can try out the pedals properly!

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Thank you for your kind comment, and how exciting you get to try out the pedals very soon! Do let us know how it goes!

[@luislm1000]

Amazing explanation! Thank u very much, regards from Spain

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Aw, thank you for your kind words! Greetings from Scotland!

[@fabikoerner]

Really helpful, thank you so much!

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

You're very welcome!

[@RELAXINGMUSICCOMPASS]

Thank you for sharing. Have a great day

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Thank you very much! 💛

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

I wish I hadn't seen this. You've removed most of the mystery and almost made it dangerously accessible. Now I'll be watching Craigslist and estate sales hoping to find a used pedal harp. It's got similarities to the chromatic harmonica in that you can get 3 notes out of each string, where in a harmonica, you can get 3 or 4 notes out of each hole. It's got to be great for the brain.

[@davewestner]

Harp is pretty much off of my radar in my day to day life, but I love the sound of it. Always wondered what the story with the pedals are. Appreciate that you took the time to make this video. The inner workings of a harp like this must be pretty complex. I assume that you have to tune the pedals too? To make sure that the pins move just the right amount?

[@theoboueid6450]

Thank you so much for the insight, this was very instructive. I'm a pianist, but the harp always has been an instrument that fascinates me. Despite the all the great explanations though, I still can't help but ask myself why there has to be so many pedals, and why they each have to change the pitch of the strings 3 different ways. Enharmonic equivalents exist, so the mechanism seems so much more complex to me than it really needs to be, at least to me. If you only had 5 pedals instead of 7, with each pedal altering the pitch only 2 different ways instead of 3, you'd still have access to all the chromatic notes ! Instead of moving the pedal to reach C-flat, why not just pluck the B string ? I'm assuming all of this might have something to do with the key you're in, but I'd still love to see you go in depth in this topic ! Thanks for the awesome videos.

[@ilovepedalharpstheybeautif6692]

I want one of those they sound very beautiful and they're very beautiful

[@prosperousmarc5518]

Great video, is it possible to do a video showing your pedal technique thanks

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Thank you! A while ago I created a blog post about pedal technique, where I've included a small video snippet of my pedal work: www.zuzanna-harpist.com/7-steps-making-pedals-secure/ Could you please let me know if there's any particular aspect of pedal technique you would like to know more about? Is it just the very moment of moving a pedal, or something else around this topic?

[@lenierdavidstewart-pernas1161]

I always wanted to play the harp (I play piano, organ and strings) One day...

[@ilovepedalharpstheybeautif6692]

That thing looks so beautiful I want one you know where I can buy a pedal harp or at least a petite pedal herp because I want one

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Have you seen my FREE video-training for harpists who want to read music with more confidence and have more freedom in learning new pieces? Sign up to get it directly to your inbox! subscribepage.com/readingmusic

[@imanuelgarayar]

Hi! Nice video! I found this on a book: "I should point out that the disk mechanism of the 47-string pedal harp typically does not extend to the high G and the contrabass D and C. (In fact, the lowest two bass strings on any size pedal harp do not have a disk mechanism.) These strings must be manually retuned and the harpist must stand to do it. Therefore, the composer should consider these strings to be permanently fixed in pitch in the natural position, not capable of any semitone alteration." Is this affirmation true?

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Yes, that’s correct!

[@IfUfindthisURlost]

I have very limited musical knowledge, but since C flat is the same as a B natural, is there an advantage to having a pedal that can change the C string, to a B, as well as having a B string? (Same for F down to E). I hope this question makes sense.

[@christophorusblock2794]

Thanku for the wonderful video! I'm thinking of building myself a pedalharp... Would you possibly be able to point me to any resources on the topic?

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

Hello and thank you for your comment! I'd perhaps check out first one of the build-your-own-harp kits for lap harps, just to start with an easier challenge and get to know how the strings and the soundboard make the sound. There are quite a few around these days so I hope you'll be able to find one that can get delivered to where you are. Good luck with your project!

[@christophorusblock2794]

Thanku!

[@xanthousproxy5937]

So are semi-tone trills out of the question? Or is there a work around?

[@CoffeeBreakHarp]

You won't be really able to do trills using 2 different notes requiring the same string (so not G-G#, or F-F# as that requires pedal move for each change) but definitely possible when you get the right setting using two different strings (like G - A flat, or F - G flat).

[@xanthousproxy5937]

@@CoffeeBreakHarp That makes sense. The mechanism in the pedal harp is fascinating. I can see how this would have made key changes and playing in multiple keys possible, rather than a simple lyre. :)

[@michaelprozonic]

chromatic scales must me a bitch

[@gugugustavovovo]

trigger alert: people with size issues