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Esabelle Cross-Strung Cherry Lap Harp
PLEASE NOTE:
This beautiful Lap Harp is made of fine Cherry wood. It's three octave range is tuned from G to G (the lowest C is Middle C on a piano). Because of it's size (approx. 32" tall), it sits quite comfortably on your lap, and weighs just 7 pounds. It's size also allows it to be very portable (it will even fit in the overhead compartment on a plane). The harp is finished with 3 clear coats of Deft brand Nitrocellulose Lacquer. The soundboard is Finnish aircraft-grade 3 millimeter Birch laminate. The strings are nylon (as generally used in Celtic and Folk music), with the C and F strings color-coded (C strings are red, F strings are blue). This make it very easy to visualize the notes being played.
On most other harps, if you need to play sharps or flats, you have to use "sharping levers". These levers change the pitch of a sting by 1/2 step, but obviously the original natural note is not available when the sharping lever is being used. That's what makes this harp so exciting, it's actually fully chromatic - all natural notes, sharps and flats are playable at any time! As you'll see in the close-up pictures below, the clear strings (natural notes) are set at an angle, then the black strings (sharps and flats) are set at an opposing angle, crossing between the clear strings. The clear strings relate to the white keys on a piano. The black strings relate to the black keys on a piano (and are set-up in the same 2,3,2 configuration as the black keys on a piano). In other words, you don't need any sharping levers to play sharps and flats - every note is always available! This is a great plus to someone that already can play piano - it's very easy to visualize the notes that you're playing.
With a cross-strung harp, by simply repositioning either hand slightly you can play any of the black strings. When you return your hand to the normal playing position, the black strings do not interfere in the least. Advanced players can also re-tune the black strings to the natural notes if desired, to get a "Double Harp" effect - the possibilities are endless! Please feel free to contact us via email if you have any questions about how this cross-strung set-up works.
As with any nylon string instrument, there is a break-in period of a week or two, in which the strings will have to be re-tuned quite often. This is normal, after the strings are broken-in the harp will stay in tune. Even if you have a very good ear, we do recommend that you purchase a Chromatic Tuner to help you properly tune your harp.
The following items will also be included with your harp:
Teach Yourself to Play the Folk Harp
Folk Harp Journal
You might also want to consider the following accessories for your Lap Harp:
PLEASE NOTE:
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