Another reason I never started playing in E was because when I started playing
(nearly 20 years ago, now) the levers they had on folk harps changed the sound
of the strings so much that I couldn't stand the differences. I liked the clear
ringing tone of an open string. Of course, the levers have improved now, but I
still notice the difference a bit. I still like to stay in the keys of C, Am,
D, G, F (well, a b flat once in awhile can't hurt) - you know, those keys that
fiddlers play in?
Harpmakers, what is the story on leaving levers up all the time? Does Michael
echo the general consensus?
Thanks!
Deb Knodel
----- Previous Message ----------------------------------------------------
To: HARP @ MIT.EDU @ UGATE
cc:
From: mkoster @ hsmpk12a-56.eng.sun.com (Michael Koster) @ UGATE
Date: Wednesday August 28, 1996 07:17 PM
Subject: Re: setting levers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From eubanks@en.com Wed Aug 28 09:59:55 1996
> X-Sender: eubanks@en.com (Unverified)
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 12:04:32 -0400
> To: HARP@MIT.EDU
> From: Steven and Jane Eubanks <eubanks@en.com>
> Subject: setting levers
>
> Good grief!! we were off for another ten days of vacation and just look
> what we came home to. Quite an interesting set of threads. I do have a
> question concerning setting the levers on my harp and leaving them.
> I have the harp tuned to the key of B flat which means that most of the
> time the B and E levers are up so that the string plays B and E natural.
> Which is better for the strings, to just leave them up all of the time, or
> to constantly move them back and forth each time I sit down to play??
> Thanks. jane
>
How would you find the time to play the strings if you're constantly
moving the levers?
Seriously (?) I think conventional wisdom is to disengage the levers
if you're not using them, i.e. when you're not playing. The reason
given is that there is less stress on the strings, which might cause
them to take a permanent set, or kink.
I'm not sure I can verify that, but perhaps gut and maybe nylon have some
tendency to creep (distort permanently) over time when bent by the lever.
I suppose it depends a lot on the type of lever. I know it's common for
pedal harpists to release the pedals when they're not playing, for this
very reason (the strings last longer).
Michael.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Steven and Jane Eubanks eubanks@en.com
> 427 Beech Street 216.234.9671
> Berea, Ohio USA 44017
>
>
>