Celtic harp how many strings

The levers can be harder to use compared with more expensive harps. However, they can be great starter instruments to whether the harp is for you.

Then you can always upgrade when you're sure! To give you an idea of price, here are some starting prices of some of the harps we stock:. There are three types of strings: nylon, gut and carbon-fibre. Nylon is the most common for lever harps. Nylon strings produce a bright sound and are more durable and less expensive than gut strings. Gut strings produce a warm sound and are the most commonly used strings on pedal harps. They can be affected more by changes of temperature and humidity, so are much more likely to break.

Carbon-fibre strings produce the brightest sound of all the strings and are the most durable. However, they are more expensive! Click here for our latest newsletter. May 15, What type of harp? Next on our list, we present you the Celtic harp. Many experts assume that the name is from the region where this harp's revival started.

The average number for these harp strings is Among Celtic harp models, there are differences in the string number and variants in the construction. Some models offer only 22 strings, while some have 38 strings. The tone range of the Celtic harp is from 2 to 6 octaves. Like its name, the Multi-course Harp has one string row and two, or even three rows sometimes. With the double-coursed model, strings run down its neck on each side of the harp, and harp designers strung the strings as parallel lines.

Normally, each side of the double harp has 23 strings. As a result, there are 46 strings like the modern pedal model, and each pair is for the same note. You will see that the standard number of this harp's strings is 40 to When you compare to other types of harp, the only difference between the electric and the lever harp is the electric power source.

Yet, recently there are more models following the pedal harp's structural framework. But unlike the acoustic version's hollowed structure, the electric harp's body is all very solid. Hence, don't worry about the quality of any electric harp's versions. In ancient Greece and Rome, this harp was one of the most favorite harps. Besides, according to the ancient Mycenaean, the lyre harp had only four strings in the beginning.

The number gradually increased to 8 or Most lyre harps have more than seven strings, and some lyre models even come with 16 strings. The lap harp showed up sometime between the late 9th to the early 10th century. With its pretty small size, the lap harp has about 18 strings on average. As such, the strings of the instrument have varying lengths. In a harp, the longer the string, the lower is its pitch. That means the longest string in a harp produces the lowest pitch, and the shortest string delivers the highest pitch.

There are 7 pedals in a typical concert harp. A harpist uses these pedals to produce sharp and flat notes on each string. There are no sharp or flat strings on a harp.

These strings are tuned like the white keys on a piano. The primary reason for their size variations is the number of strings they have. As you now know, a harp can have as many as 47 strings or as little as 7 or 8 strings. In other words, the number of strings will greatly affect the size of the harp.

But that is not all. Harps with the same number of strings can also vary in size. This is mainly caused by the particular design of the harp. There is no standard size and design for harps, just as there is no standard design and car size. The size and look of a particular harp largely depend on its maker. Harp makers use their own ideas on aesthetics and not just the number of strings to create their bespoke harps.

Harp strings are made of various materials. Four different kinds of materials are used to make harp strings, each having its own particular strengths and advantages.

Here are the four materials used in producing harp strings:. Harp strings made of gut material create hot sounds. The material is typically called Catgut.

This material is made from animal gut. It is typically used in concert harps and lever harps. Gut materials are sensitive to humidity, so harpists who use gut strings need to frequently tune their instruments.

Since it is sourced naturally, this material can also break easily. Harpists need to tension gut strings lower than they do with other types of strings. There are two kinds of gut materials used for harps:.

This is a synthetic material that is commonly used in acoustic , classical guitars. It is not as sensitive to humidity as gut strings. But the sound they produce is not as warm as those produced by gut strings. There are two kinds of nylon material used to make harp strings.

The first one is the monofilament nylon. This kind of material produces clear sounds and warm tones. They are also relatively resistant to humidity. The other one is the nylon-wrapped monofilament nylon. In other words, this nylon string material is made of monofilament nylon-wrapped by another nylon material. Strings of this type also produce warm and bright sounds. However, they are not as resistant to humidity as the bare monofilament nylon. This harp string material is produced by combining different polymers, which are materials that have long and repeating chains of molecules.

This article will give an in-depth discussion of the different materials used to make the harp strings. Concert gut is mostly used on pedal harps. It is firm and produces a warm tone. Their firm tension necessitates those harp players using gut-stringed harps to have strong hands.

This type of gut is lighter and softer in tension compared to the concert gut. Gut harp strings usually produce a very warm sound. They are very sensitive to humidity and thus require users to have their harps frequently tuned. Additionally, gut breaks easily, usually because it is a natural substance, and therefore, its tensile is lower compared to materials like nylon.

This string material is synthetic, and strings made from it are either monofilament or nylon wrapped. Strings made from monofilament nylon usually produce a warm and clear sound. They are also not very sensitive to humidity. Nylon wrapped strings refer to monofilament nylon strings that are wrapped with another nylon layer. They also produce a bright and warm sound but are more sensitive to humidity compared to the monofilament nylon.

Strings made from nylon are long-lasting, mainly because nylon material is synthetic. They produce a sound not as warm as the gut harp strings.

This string material is made using polymers. Strings made from carbon are stable, light, and not sensitive to humidity. They produce a sound that is warmer and brighter than the nylon strings but not as rich as what gut strings produce. Bronze strings have a crystalline structure and break easily. Steel strings, on the other hand, are stronger and do not break easily.

Different molecular structures in every metal cause a difference in the type of sound a harp produces. Usually, steel harp strings produce a rich sound. Most Harps use the same types of strings. Gut strings are the most common in lever harps. Other materials such as carbon and nylon can be used in some lever harps. You must be logged in to post a comment. Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. There are different types of harps, such as the pedal harps, lever harps, and many more.

Type Of Harp. Pedal Harp.