The Harp Herald

the moss harp service blog

How to Tune Your Harp

by | Nov 23, 2010 | Uncategorized | 3 comments

I have made several segments from my DVD, Harp Care with Steve Moss, available for free as YouTube videos. These two together make up the harp tuning segment. I demonstrate the mechanics of tuning lever harps in both the Key of C Major and the key of Eb Major, as well as tuning a pedal harp in the flat position to Cb Major. If you’re struggling with the task of tuning your harp, these are the videos for you.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xiFzym1FBU&w=480&h=360]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZejwKfJw4g&w=480&h=360]

A note about those lever harps that do use pedal harp string names: depending on size, part of the first octave may be missing. 34 string harps such as the Lyon & Healy Ogden go up to first octave A. 36 string Troubadours go up to first C. I mentioned earlier that the highest complete octave on a pedal harp is the first, and strings above it are in the zero octave. On some lever harps, the highest complete octave is the second, not the first. More confusion, especially considering that many people own smaller harps when they are new to the harp. For this reason, we’ve also created string charts for common lever harp models, and you can find those here.

On a smaller lever harp, the highest complete octave may be the second, not the first.

3 Comments

  1. Corinne Tan
    Corinne Tan on April 5, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    I find it easier to tune the strings in the higher registers with harmonics in the lower registers. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Steve
    Steve on January 29, 2017 at 9:34 am

    What is Harp’s I pedal tuning for Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun?” – Thanks you

    Reply
    • Steve Moss
      Steve Moss on February 5, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      Sorry, I don’t know. I’m not a harpist. I only service and repair them 🙁

      Reply

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