Somethings in the air

Somethings in the air 

I don’t know that any of us don’t have a deep love for our instruments.  It might not be the same as our love for our families, friends, pets, or cheesecake (maybe that last one is just me) but we typically share a profound caring for our harps that leads us to want to take good care of them!  And one way is to manage all the somethings in the air.

Why yes, that is just another inartful way for me to introduce the topic! There’s a lot of stuff in our air and the better we manage it, the easier time we’ll have to love our harps (and play them!).  There are two biggies that seem to cause confusion with respect to our harps are – humidity and dust.  So, let’s look at each of them. 

Dust in the Wind – Let’s start with the easy one – for good or bad, there is dust (in the wind? Maybe, but there is definitely dust in the air!).  And no matter how much you filter or clean, there is dust! And that dust settles on your harp.  Does it hurt it?  No.  Is it unsightly?  Only under the lights (you know, the like ones you need to see the music!).  Should you clean it?  If by clean you mean wash it with a wet cloth, NO!  But can you dust it?  Of course – with a soft clean dry cloth.  Microfiber is popular and will do the trick.  I have also used a Swiffer – but those are expensive, and honestly, they don’t do a better job, they are just disposable.  None of these really clears the dust you find in the “fiddly bits” around the levers and along the string rib.  If you’re going to do the job, you should do it right, right?  I use a natural bristle brush.  You can use a blush brush or a paint brush.  I prefer the paint brush because it has a longer handle which I find easier to manage – but it’s up to you.  Just make sure the bristles are super soft.  I like the natural bristles because I don’t feel like thr synthetics have the same softness – but what you choose is up to you.  Just make sure you won’t scratch the finish of your harp.  Then dust, carefully and gently.  You can wash and dry the brush as you would normally.  Easy-peasy.  What you don’t do – use furniture polish!  Just Don’t!

Saraha(rp) – Not as easy to manage is the humidity in your environment.  Your harp is made of wood (unless you have a carbon fiber harp which has its own challenges, but this is not one of them).  Wood, as a natural material, is impacted by the humidity in the environment. If it’s too dry you might have a saraha(rp) (a harp as dry as a desert!) with the potential for dried out wood and broken strings.  Most of us live in controlled environments now which means that the air is managed at a (near) constant temperature via processes that pull moisture from the air.  Plainly, if you have the A/C or the heat on, it’s dry in your house, and your harp might not like it!  There are few solutions varying from cheap (but not so effective) to expensive (and fairly good).  But before you decide on a solution, you might want to get yourself a hygrometer (humidity meter)– there are inexpensive (and effective) options available online or in your local hardware store.  And knowing where you are starting will make changing (and maintaining) the humidity level easier.  As for solutions, on the cheap end, place a wide shallow pan of water near the air source and your harp (not where you will trip over it or knock it over, obviously) replace the water as needed.  At a slightly higher price is running a tabletop fountain in your harp room – it makes burbling noises which is pleasant.  I had one and I had to add about a quart of water a week to keep it full (translate – I was losing a quart of water a week to the aircon).  For slightly more cost you can install a room humidifier.  These do a good job but require a little more maintenance to manage the levels (filling or plumbing required to keep water in it and mold or mildew can be a problem, especiallyif you are sensitive).  Finally for the highest price, you can add a whole home humidifier to your HVAC system. The upside is lower maintenance and wider addition of humidity (so all the wood in your whole house will benefit, including your furniture).  The downsides are cost (I won’t lie, it’s expensive), and maintaining your whole house at 45 – 55% humidity (which might result in complaints from other members of your household).  But really, who is more important – your blood kin or your harp? (I’ll leave that to your discretion).   

With dusting and humidity sorted, your harp will be cared for and happy.  Meanwhile, a lot of harp care seems to be obvious but isn’t – what other challenges do you have with taking care of your harp?  What’s in the air for you?  Let me know in the comments!

It’s the little things

The year is still young so we’re probably still thinking we should be setting goals.  One thing about goal setting is that it is really focused on a later time and on achieving big things.  Now, don’t get me wrong, achieving big things is good and important and really nice to accomplish. 

But the challenge is that it’s easy to get caught up in the “big goals” and forget about the smaller goals.  You know the ones.  The goals that actually provide the foundation for those big goals.  They are usually small enough that they don’t make the cut for a goals list (or a visi-mood board).  Why?  Because they are small.  But they are also essential.  After all – it’s the little things.

These are the sort of thing that I tend to write on each day’s Things To Do list.  Not because I won’t remember to do them, but rather because they are that important. What am I talking about?  Where here’s one you might want to include on your list for 2022:

Tune your Harp(s) EVERY DAY!

I know, right?!  And yet, it’s easy to just let this one slip – “I don’t have enough time,” “It’s tuned enough,” “No one is listening” – the list of excuses goes on and on. 

We know that tuning your harp is important as part of harp maintenance.  As I have mentioned before, tuning is good for your harp.  And the more you tune, the better you’ll get at it, so it will become faster and easier. 

But tuning your harp is a daily activity that has absolutely nothing to do with keeping your instrument in tune!  The biggest benefit of tuning as an activity is that it can become a ritual.   

Rituals are important – they can help you settle and become attuned to the upcoming activity.  A ritual can act to help you enter into your practice and playing time in a useful frame of mind.  A ritual is a process, repeated daily, that can aid in transitioning from your everyday life to your harp life. 

And tuning is a good ritual to build into your day – it will help you focus and prepare to play.  Think of the ritual of tuning as a quiet, focused way to make the shift (and it will make you sound better!).

Adding a ritual like tuning – a small goal performed daily – might be that all you need to be comfortable that you can get moving on those big goals.  Every time you finish tuning you will have moved a little farther along on your (small) goals and set yourself up to feel good about tackling the next step of your larger goals. 

Do you really need to tune your harp every day?  Nope – just on the days that end in “y”!

Please tell me you tune your harp!  Do you have a ritual for your playing?  Did you define small goals?  Did you have small goals?  Let me know in the comments!

 

September is Baby Safety Month – is your baby safe?

I don’t know a single harp player who doesn’t, in one way or another, think of their harp as their “baby”.  Little girls, big burly men, people entering degree programs, middle aged beginners, pint sized masters – they all have that sense of their instrument being extremely special to them.  They may or may not name their harp.  And they may not all be vociferous about expressing the sentiment, but you can still sense it. 

And since September is Baby Safety Month, let’s review some important aspects of keeping your baby safe!  There aren’t a lot of things to keep in mind, but they are fairly important to assure your baby is taken care of.

In the Home:

1. Protective Posture.  Think about where your harp sits in the room.  While you want it to be accessible (because we all know that if you have to move your harp to play it, you’re not going to play as much) you also want it to be protected – from sunny windows and blow-y air vents and traffic in the room as well as from Fluffy and Fido, and small hands.  If you have the option, you can keep your harp in a corner or more protected part of the room.  No one wants to hear that gut-wrenching sound of a harp hitting the floor!    

2.  Dis the Dust.  No matter which harp you play – even if you play a Dusty Strings (full disclosure – I’m a fan!) – you don’t really want your soundboard to be covered in dust!  Use a soft, clean (duh) dry cotton or microfiber cloth.  If you’re particularly particular you can also use a soft makeup brush to dust the levers and pins (or so I’ve heard, I’m not that particular!).

3. Time to Tune.  Do I really need to tell you this?  The more you tune, the less you need to…

4. Even Keel.  Keep the temperature and the humidity comfortable.  If you are comfortable, your harp will be fairly happy as well.  Too warm, too cold, too dry – your harp won’t enjoy it either.

5. Zip It.  Close the case when you’re not using it.  Ok, this is probably just a preference, but I find that keeping the case zipped up between uses helps it hold its shape (which makes putting the harp in the case easier).  And it ensures that any cat/dog/rabbit/fish hair that might be floating around your house stays on the outside.

In the Car

1. Treat your baby like a baby.  This might be the best piece of advice I got when I first started playing.  Whenever you wouldn’t leave a baby in the car, don’t leave your harp.  Don’t forget that a closed car will be much warmer than the outside air when parked in the sun.  Remember that the glue may soften in the heat which would weaken the strength of the harp.  Park in the shade if you can.  Of course, too cold can also be a problem, potentially ruining the finish, or worse.

2. Watch the Windows.  For short journeys this might not be important, but longer trips are different.  Try to keep in mind where the sun will be – when the sun beats on the window it gets hot so if you harp is in that window, it will get hot.  If you’re able, put your harp on the other side of the car.  If you don’t have that choice, consider blocking the sun with a sunshade (or a t shirt) – just like you would for a baby!

3. Belted or Bedded.  Hopefully you have carefully selected your harpmobile either to carry your harp “belted” or “bedded”.  When it’s belted your harp is on it’s back through a split seat or across the backseat (and you can actually use the seat belt to help hold it in place!).  If you’re not interested in carrying it that way or your car isn’t shaped for that, you can lay it on its side in the trunk or hatch (assuming a large enough back).  If you decide to “Bed” it, make sure you keep it levers side up and that the surface it’s lying on is level.  Conveniently, a lot of cases have the pocket on the lever side, so as long as you keep the pocket up, you will be ok.

4.  Zip Zip.  Since you have a lovely case – use the case!  Whenever possible put your harp in the case when you put it in the car to help protect it.  And put the levers down to protect them from breaking while in the case.

All the time

Ensure you’re Insured.  No matter it’s age or size, a harp is an investment.  Protect it!  I’m horrified by the number of people I’ve talked to who have not insured their harp!  Just do it.  Call your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance carrier and get a valuable personal property or musical instrument rider.  You will probably have to provide a statement of the value of the harp (like the bill of sale or a letter from a seller stating its value).  If you are making money from your harp (gigging) you may need to buy separate insurance which will be available via an organization (such as International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsman (ISFHC) or American Harp Society (AHS)).  Don’t dither over the price – buy the insurance!

Keep your baby safe and protected.  Are there any other things you do to care for yours?  Let me know in the comments!

 

 

Ensure Insurance is Assured

insurance

I have yet to meet a harp player who is blasé about their harp.  There are people who name their harps.  Some people talk to their harp.  We all love our harps.  We do our utmost to care for them.  But have we done everything we can to protect them?

(that sounds like one of those cheesy tv commercials for medicine, medical assistance devices, and just about anything you can get 2 for $19.99 + a small additional fee)

Anyway, no matter how much we love our harps, how careful we are to keep them from harm and to pamper them – they are not our children, or our friends.  They are, however, unbelievably valuable musical instruments!  And as such, you should ensure that your harp(s) are fully insured. You need to insure against all the same things you ensure other valuable things against – theft, damage, or other disasters.   

The best way to get started is to talk with your current insurance carrier.

How you insure your harps will be bounded by some other factors. Here are some suggestions on ensuring your insurance is assured.  The goal is Goldilocks – not too much coverage, not too little…you want your coverage to be just right:

  1. If you are a hobbyist – that is, you play only for the cat and the curtains (and perhaps the occasional family member?).
    1. start with a call to your homeowner’s/renter’s insurance provider. If you are playing at home, only rarely taking your harp out and then only going to workshops or lessons, then this is probably your best solution.  They will likely sell you a rider to cover valuable personal property/musical instrument.  Be sure you include all your harps! 
    2. If you’re traveling with your harp a great deal you might also check with your auto insurer – you need to be sure you have enough coverage should you harp be in the car if you are in an accident.
  2. If you are a professional – that is, if you are leaving your house to perform and being paid (regardless of your opinion of your level of performance!):
    1. Still start with your homeowner’s/renter’s and auto insurers, just be aware that they are likely to tell you no.  This would be appropriate – you need professional coverage!   If you are not a full time musician, this is where you might be tempted to fib. If you are a professional (even if you’re just starting out or only play one gig a year) be frank and honest.  If something happens to your harp and you make a claim, the insurance company will not quibble over your level of performance.  You don’t want to find that your very small prevarication when buying the insurance invalidates your claim!
    2. There are insurance companies that specialize in musical instruments. You will need to provide an estimate of the value of each of your instruments which will require someone give you a valuation (I have gotten these from my instrument maker or by sending a copy of the bill of sale).
    3. You will get the best rate on your premiums if you are a member of an organization such as International Association of Folk Harpers and Craftsman (IAFHC) or American Harp Society (AHS). You can find other available coverages by searching musical instrument insurance.
    4. When researching your choices, focus on what is covered and the coverage of the instrument specifically. Some companies (such as Anderson) offer harp-specific coverage while others have more general coverage.

We never want anything bad to happen to our harps, but they are expensive as well as being important to our daily lives so ensure that assure your insurance!  Make sure your coverage matches your usage.  Also focus on the policy, the exclusions, etc.  You want to feel confident that your insurance will cover you if something happens to your harp!

What’s in your harp case?

 

In case you’re wondering or interested, these are not compensated product placements – I’m not that smart a blogger.  I have Anderson Insurance and I have been happy with the price and the service.  I have not ever had to make a claim but they have received good ratings from others that have.  They are not the only insurance product available, so do your homework. 

It’s been that kind of week – Six (or so) elements of Harp Care

Ok, it’s probably more like two weeks, but it sure feels like it’s all happened in a week.  Two subscriber emails that didn’t quite work the way I wanted.  And a surprise trip that sort of skewed the entire week toward the weird.  And then, on top of everything else, six broken strings on three harps!   SIX!

This is especially perplexing because I don’t think over my entire harp life, over all of my too many harps, I’ve had this many broken strings – total!  (ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but not much of one).

I’m pretty sure I know why it’s happened – temperatures swinging nearly 40 degrees, a hurricane passing not too far away, bright sunny days, heavy humid days, the placid shift toward autumn, and frequent travel that resulted in infrequent tuning all probably went a long way to disturbing the gentle equilibrium of the strings on all my harps.

And then this.  What’s wrong with this picture?

I wish I had staged that photo, but nope.  I really did that.  Which just highlights that  e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g needs to be practiced so that it is as effortless as you can make it.  If you’re still trying to figure out what’s wrong with the picture – I knotted the string on the wrong end!

All of this combined to highlight that you can always be doing something to improve your playing.  Regular harp maintenance is an important piece of your self-care.

How is that self-care?  Because when you take good care of your harp, it will be ready for you to play when you want to practice, when you need to practice, and when you just need to play.

What things should you be doing regularly to care for your harp?  Here are six (or so) things to include:

  1. Change strings quickly.  After a string breaks, install a new one as quickly as possible.  Have spare/extra strings available.  Know where to get the ones you need.  Keep your string chart up to date.  If you have questions about what strings to get – ask!
  2. Dust it!  Using a soft microfiber cloth or a fuzzy sock.  Don’t use your vacuum cleaner. Definitely DO NOT use polish!  There are also dust covers available.  I don’t have one but having one would probably cut down the amount of dusting needed.
  3. Check your air.  Buy yourself a hygrometer so that you’ll know how dry the air in your house is (you can buy them at huge online or IRL retailers – you know the ones).  Hygrometers measure the humidity in the air.  Harps are happy when the humidity is about 40 – 60%.  If you’re constantly running your air conditioner or when you have the heat on, it will be dry.  You can improve the humidity relatively inexpensively by installing a small tabletop fountain (with the additional benefit of having the delightful sound of running water in your harp room).  You could also add some house plants.  If you want to spend more money you can get a room humidifier (like you’d use for a bedroom) or install a whole house humidifier (which is quite expensive).  A final suggestion (especially for housebound harps) is to put the bottom of 2-part travel soap keeper on the bottom of your harp (inside the sound box) and place a dampened (cut to fit) sponge inside the lid. Check it daily to assure the sponge is damp. This will likely provide enough moisture to keep your harp happy – and you won’t be broken up at finding a cracked sound board.
  4. Very early in my harp career (before it was even a harp career at all!) I was told that I should treat my harp like a baby – never leave it in the car, or in the sun, or in cold or the heat, and never just stand it up and walk away.  I think you can take a little liberty with this, but it bears thinking about before you just leave it somewhere.  Remember that your harp is held together with glue so especially in warm weather, it could be vulnerable.  And it is your baby after all!
  5. Tune it or die!  (ok, I stole that from a bumper sticker – but it’s true).  Tuning frequently is a good idea to help keep your harp in good shape.  All the parts of the harp really do need to work together – the strings are a part of that.  Letting the strings get way out of tune puts unnecessary stress on the sound board.  It doesn’t take long to tune.  Yes, I know it seems to take forever, but it really doesn’t.   And, of course, the more you do it, the faster (and more accurate) you’ll get.
  6. Related to tuning – make sure you play all your harps.  I try to have a rotation so that I play each of my harps.  Note, I say try because I’m always playing favorites.  When I’m feeling dramatic, I play my Dusty Strings FH-36S.  When I’m feeling outdoorsy, I play my Sharpsicle.  When I’m stressing about playing an upcoming gig, I play my Fisher since it’s currently my “work” harp.  But I do try to make a concentrated effort to play each of them (which also assures that I tune them all!).

Finally, find a luthier you like, know, and trust.  Not everyone has a local luthier (I am forever grateful to live nearby my solidly reliable, dependable luthier who clearly knows more about my harp than I do, and that I just genuinely like).  If you don’t know a luthier and especially if you don’t live near one – make sure you find a harp luthier (because luthier is general term for anyone who makes or repairs stringed instruments – but you might have noticed that a harp is quite different from a guitar!).  You can also watch for harp technicians that travel and/or participate in workshops and conferences.  Build that relationship.  Make sure that you have your harp regulated regularly (or learn to do it yourself).    

So, as you can see from the photo, I was having that kind of week – the kind that comes from being relatively out of practice with changing strings!  Be sure to include taking good care of your harp in your regular practice.  There are other things you can do, and I’d love to hear what you do as part of your regular harp maintenance – let me know in the comments below!

It’s St. Valentine’s Day – show your harp some love!

You would think, for as much as we have a fondness for our instruments, that we would treat them extra specially. But sometimes, like so many other things we love, we may overlook basic maintenance, neglect derived from the familiarity that comes with daily use of our favorite tool.

Since you want it to last you forever (or at least until you fall in love with a different harp), a little maintenance will go a long way to making you happy, make your harp sound it’s best and to make it a keeper (or ready to sell on, if you do fall in love with a new, different harp). Regular maintenance will keep your harp in good health for a long time.Your harp is a system – all the parts work together to make a beautiful instrument. If you are not going to treat it as a whole entity, you might as well buy one of those well carved HSO’s (Harp Shaped Objects) from an airline shopping catalog. Regular maintenance will assure that your harp stays strong and sounds good. That will allow you to enjoy its aesthetics – sound, feel, and look. The major parts of your system are the Strings, the body of the harp and the articulators. Since most of you are lever harpers, I’ll focus on that here. If you are a pedaler and would like equal time, send me a comment and I will be happy to oblige!

  1. Strings – are the highest maintenance element of your harp. Take care of them – they give your harp it’s characteristic sound – you know, the sound you fell in love with at first. But maintaining the strings will also make your life easier – everyday.
    1. Tune your harp – DAILY. All of it. A-L-L of the strings. DO NOT, as one person once told me, only tune the ones you’re going to use (yes, someone did tell me that one time – I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry). If you have had to replace a string, tune multiple times a day until the string settles. How will you know the string has settled? It won’t need to be tuned multiple times a day! Tuning has two other potential purposes or benefits. First, it gives you a chance to really look at your strings to be sure they are in good repair (and don’t need to be replaced) and second, tuning can be a type of meditation in which you are breathing and really focusing on the harp itself and its overall condition.
    2. Wash your hands! No matter the material from which your strings are made – wash your hands! You will get stuff on the strings – skin oil, cookie crumbs, brownie frosting, mayonnaise, cat hair – it will get on the strings. Did I mention – WASH YOUR HANDS! (Caveat – be especially vigilant if you enjoy encouraging potential players to give your instrument a go – I once had a delightful pre-K’er get strawberry jam all over the strings of my little harp before I could stop her. I didn’t think I’d ever get it all off my wound strings!)
    3. Replace your strings (annually or thereabouts) – hopefully you listen to your harp while you’re playing it and will hear when the strings have seen better days. They get “thuddy” – they don’t ring true. They may also refuse to stay in tune. How frequently you need to replace your strings depends on a number of things including how much you play, how you play, and how much money you have. A full set of strings can be pricey, so factor that into your budget. A full set of replacement strings for my Dusty 36 would run about $170 (and if I liked gut, that would rise to $400) so plan ahead. When you do replace your strings – remember that you need one set to install and an additional full set so you’ll have spares for potential breakage. You should know how to change strings on your harp (for when they break), but you can also pay someone else to do the restringing for you. Many luthiers offer this service for a charge. However, like many other chores, restringing can take on a rhythm which makes it, if not fun, at least not unpleasant.
  2. The Body – Protecting your harp
    1. Protecting the glue – don’t leave your harp in the car in warmer weather. Some take this to the extreme of never leave your harp in the car, but that can be a little bit unrealistic. However, when the weather warms up, just like an infant or a dog, you can’t leave your harp in the car when the inside will warm up rapidly and to a high temperature. At these higher temperatures, the glue will soften and, with the tension on the harp, it may loosen or at worst, come completely apart…at some time (maybe not right away!). By the same token, protect your harp from harsh sunlight and away from windows. Also keep it away from fireplaces or other heat sources!
    2. Protecting the finish. All harps have some sort of finish. Each manufacturer uses their preferred method. You should check with the manufacturer before attempting to clean the surface with any type of cleaning product. You can, however, dust your harp regularly with a dry microfiber cloth, or a “Swiffer” type duster (do not use the plastic handle/holder – just keep the duster in your hand). While dusting, be sure you get the surfaces and anywhere dust can easily collect (like the tops of grommets, between the bridge pins and the arm, inside any frippery/scroll work), and where the column meets the base of the soundboard. DO NOT use anything wet (unless directed by the manufacturer). Whatever you do – definitely don’t use Pledge or other furniture polish – it’s your harp, not furniture! By the same token, do not leave your harp in the car when it is very cold. The cold will not damage the glue but may damage the finish.
    3. Protecting the harp from falling. Harps seem really big and imposing (especially when you’re carrying them any distance) – until they are not. Make sure your harp is not in physical danger. Because they are larger on the top than on the bottom, harps may easily fall over – and some harps are more prone to falling that others. It is a sickening feeling to hear a harp falling and becoming damaged. Consider stowing the harp in a corner or other protected space (this is essential if you have rambunctious cats, dogs, or small children). Don’t storing it in its case – because unpacking it becomes a chore that gets in the way of easily practicing.
    4. Protecting the wood – Humidity. Harps are made from wood (most of them). Wood is from trees – living things. So, just like other natural materials, your harp will be impacted by the humidity – swelling when the air is moist and contracting when it is dry. Dry is the big problem. Just like it is bad for your skin (think of the ashy flaking of dry winters!) it can be too dry for your harp (you can’t smear moisturizer on your harp!). Try to keep the air about 45% (this can be very difficult when the heat is on). You can use an inexpensive hygrometer to monitor the humidity in your home studio. You can run a humidifier or use a fountain (which is not very efficient for humidifying the air but does a little – and looks nice) to help keep the dryness at bay.
    5. Transportation. Moving your harp can be tricky. Simply leaving your house, putting the harp in the car, controlling the air in the car, then arriving somewhere else to play – you’ve gone through at least 3 microclimates all playing havoc with not only the wood but also the strings! Just plan for that as you time out your transportation to your event. While in the car, keep the harp in the case and assure that it is stowed with the levers not constrained (either on its side with levers on top or upright on it’s back with the levers protected (so the harp doesn’t fall over and break levers).
  3. Articulators (Levers!) Required Maintenance.  The upside is that your levers shouldn’t need too much maintenance. However, sometimes they will need to be regulated. Regulation is the name for the activity of adjusting the levers to calibrate the pitches of the strings when the levers are engaged.  I’d suggest doing this when it needs it.  “When it needs it” will be impacted by how you play, how much you play, and your harp itself. You’ll know your harp is out of regulation when, after you tune it, you set the levers and it plays out of tune. You can regulate your harp yourself, but unless you have the patience of Job and you know what you’re doing, I would strongly recommend you take it to your luthier! It’s totally worth the cost to not pull out your own hair, or continuously move the levers in the wrong direction or too much or too little. Just take it – it’s worth the peace of mind to let someone who knows what they’re doing take care of it! (but if you really want to do this yourself, there are instructions on line).  You should also check your levers while tuning or playing to see (inspect really) any cracks, breaks, or other flaws that may become obvious with use over time.

If you have multiple harps – not only do you want to do all the above for each of them, but you also need to make sure you cycle through your harps. Play and practice on each of them. This assures that you are tuning them regularly, keeping an eye on them, monitoring the strings, and enjoying each of them. Be sure to rotate through them – and to really revel in the differences between them [there may also be a benefit from changing from harp to harp in terms of being more comfortable with the variations between them which might make you more confident when playing someone else’s harp or when on stage!].

I’m sure there are other ways to show your harp some love this Valentine’s day – and every other day – leave me a comment and let me know what you do! And happy Valentine’s Day!

Planning for everything

Recently, a harp friend died. This was a tragedy as she was a lovely person and a very good harp player. I had known her almost all of my harp life.

Not long after that, her family wanted to move on and part of that was to assure that her harps went to good homes. And so I was fortunate to be able to help the family in finding each harp a new loving home. But it got me to thinking.

Picture1It was very difficult for the family – it’s a difficult time as it is, but having to figure out how to move these harps along was just another burden for them. Because we love our harps and our harp friends/family so much, we may forget that to our “real” family isn’t as plugged in to our harp world. They don’t know how we communicate, how to “shift” a harp, where to go for help, how to move on.

In addition, while our families might try to meet all our wishes, we may not have shared what we would like to happen to our harps (and their assorted detritus!). You may want to be sure that your harps go to a chosen friend or you might want them embedded in a local organization’s harp rental program, or you might want your local (or favorite) school to receive your bounty. But if you don’t tell anyone, no one will know. Be specific – remember that it is likely a loving, non-harper will have to attempt to do what you want, so guidance from you would be a big help!

Therefore it is important to document and share your harp wishes with your family. Think about (and plan for) where you’d like all your harps to find a new place when you will no longer need it. If you will donate to an organization – be sure that the organization knows it will eventually receive your bounty. Be as lovely and generous as you always have been and others will appreciate your kindness.

The Dr. is in

Last week we talked about the environment you can set to help assure your harp’s health so this week let’s talk about getting your harp to the Harp Doctor – your luthier. You want to keep your Harp healthy after all!

While many harp maintenance tasks can be performed at home, I prefer to take my harp to my local luthier* just to be sure I don’t break anything!  What do you mean you don’t have a luthier?!?

There are some standard maintenance items you should take care of annually – regulation and restringing.  Regulation is the practice of calibrating your levers so that, when engaged, they raise the pitch of the string one half tone.  Not about a half, not, like a half, not halfish, but a true half tone.  This assures that when you tune and when you play you get the tones you expected and desire. Regulation is a delightful and desirable thing because after you spend all that time tuning, it’s nice to set the levers and be in tune still! But I ask my luthier to do it because regulation is a fiddly business and I don’t have the patience to get it right**.

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Restringing is needed because your strings will get dull with age and wear.  You might have a hard time hearing it because you play on them every day. Sometimes the string will let you know it’s time, refusing to hit or hold a pitch for very long or sounding “thuddy”.  Its as if it is saying, “I’m soooooo tired, I just can’t hold this pitch any longer.” Restringing is not difficult but it is time consuming and can be hard on the hands.  Your luthier can do this for you (for a well-deserved price) or you can do it yourself.

Now annually might be a bit of a convention because how often you need to restring or regulate is a function of many things including how much your play your harp, how hard you are on it, how much it travels, how often you tune, and the harp itself.  Use “annual” as an estimate. Keep an eye and an ear on your harp and perform maintenance as needed.

So, take your harp to the Harp Doctor for regular checkups to keep it harp healthy!

*my local luthier is Rick Kemper (http://www.sligoharps.com/misc) and he does excellent work. There are other great luthiers throughout the country and there is likely one near to you – let me know who works on your harp and we’ll give them a shout out here too.

** knowing yourself is important in this – I am not patient, nor do I do well with tedious, repetitious, fine work.  If you are good at this sort of thing (clock repair, zymurgy, or other fine work) you’d probably do a good job.  I’m not like that!

In the Bleak Midwinter….

I assume, if you’re reading this, that you have a harp and likely you love it very much – all the joy it brings to your life, the opportunity to share your gift with others, the just plain physical pleasure of playing.  I think we would all say that our existence would be diminished without our harps.

So, the obvious question becomes, are you taking care of your harp?  In this, the bleakest part of the year, you can’t be harp healthy enough!

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It is winter – a time when the air is very cold and dry.  Be sure to heat your house enough to keep your harp room warm enough.  Don’t let it get below 55oF.  Ok, that’s not so much for your harp as for you – below 55o you will not have enough feeling in your fingers to do the fine work of playing.  You don’t have to keep it excessively warm but I do find that below 65o it’s a challenge to sit still long enough to get any practice in.

Whether you have electric, gas, or wood heat, the air is being dried – and that’s not good for the wood of your harp. If you get a shock every time you touch something, your house is too dry.  Try to keep the humidity up between 45 – 55%.  I suggest investing in a room hygrometer (inexpensive ones are available at your local ginormous hardware store) so that you will the humidity in your harp room. You can also invest in a humidifier – this could be anything from a pan of water (best if you have a wood stove), a small water fountain (best if you have the room for it), or a humidifier (best solution although the most expensive) for the room.

Take good care of your harp in winter so you can enjoy it year ‘round!