Hi again Geri

I am going to try to attach some pictures.

I start my harp design by considering how big the Harper is going to
be and how big the Harp could be.
I favor a Lap Harp. Once I have figured the length of the Sound
Board, then the solution is to put on as many strings as will fit.
Seems that all musicians want the maximum number of notes. When I
have the number of strings that can be fitted, then I think about the
range of pitch, I will usually center the string band on Middle-C

Then I draw the String Band on a big sheet of paper which will stay on
top of my Lay-out Table during construction. If the Harp is going to
be neo-Irish, then the strings will form a angle of 33-1/3 degrees to
the Sound Board. If it is going to be Paraguayan influenced then the
strings will form a 22-1/2 degree angle to the Sound Board. The Sound
Board will always be Spruce Wood. The Body will be some good tone
wood that has a pretty grain. The Neck will always be as stiff as I
can make it ... Brown Oak, Red Oak, Live Oak, Locous (Hornbean), but I
will usually use aircraft Maple plywood. The Neck will be vineered
with the same type of wood that I use for the Body. The Pillar will
be the same wood.

For the Harps that I am starting to make, they will be Lap Harps close
to neo-Irish in design and the Body wood will be highly figured Maple.
Since maple is quite strong, the thickness of the Body sides will be
0.25 to 0.160 inches. They will be 30 strings and wire-strung. I
will "French" polish the wood to make it look good.

Joe




On Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 12:49 PM, bayharper<bayharper@...> wrote:
>
>
> --- In clairseach@..., bigjoe d <bigjoe@...> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Geri
>>
>> Great on your progress ...
>>
>> I am about to make 3 new Wire-strung Harps, the wood is selected and I
>> am now laying out the pattern for the string band. I am most
>> interested in your progress, especially with the Bronze strings not
>> being strong enough in the Trebel. Could you tell me what strings are
>> breaking, string number, note pitch or wire gauge? Also how about a
>> mix of bronze and brass?
>>
>> I have lots of question: I would like to have you opinion of how it
>> feels to play a mix of bronze and iron strings, What string you
>> changed over from bronze to iron, or the notes or wire gauges that you
>> wind up with in iron strings.
>>
>> I have strung a Harp with a mix of bronze and nylon strings and it had
>> a interesting feel to play, not very good, I did not keep it that way
>> long.
>>
>> Please keep me informed. Do you have any interested in studying
>> different Harp String Bands?
>>
>> Joe
>
> Good morning Joe,
>
> I will be ordering from the Instrument Workshop in Ashland Oregon today.
> They have 3 types of iron strings. The type that I believe Ann is
> recommending when she says "historic iron wire" will be the low carbon
> polished "historic" wire from England. It is the most expensive of the three
> offerings, but not that bad. I will be replacing 10 strings: high F, E and D
> with .40 (equivalent to .016 gauge) and C down through D with .44 (.176
> gauge).
>
> The lower phosphor bronze strings are holding pitch fairly well, but I
> cringe every time I tune, anticipating breakage. This is a 13-year old harp,
> but I have checked the string holes and they seem to be intact. As I
> mentioned before, I will be using heavy wire toggles on the iron strings.
> This harp is not a replica nor is it made in the old tradition with a solid
> back and strung from the front. It just has the appearance of the ancient
> harps. The sound of the bronze is okay; I'll let you know about the sound of
> the iron.
>
> From my readings, and looking at the replicas made by Kortier, Ardival and a
> few others, brass seems to be the wire of choice, with silver or gold in the
> base. Gold is out of the question for me, but Cynthia's article seems to
> support the use of sterling silver in the bass strings.
>
> One additional note, Ann did mention that part of the breakage problem in
> the upper strings might be that they are too long for the bronze. Something
> to consider.
>
> I am interested in knowing more about the harps you are building. What type
> of wood, how many strings? Do you have pictures or drawings? As far as me
> studying different Harp String Bands, yes, I would be interested but as a
> beginner on the wire harp, I'm not sure I am qualified to give an educated
> opinion.
>
> Also, once my Trinity arrives and is paid for, I have been thinking that I
> would also like to have a smaller wire harp, maybe 19 or 22 string as a
> travel harp, built in the traditional way. Is this something that you are
> considering making?
>
> Have a great day,
> Geri
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 12:07 PM, bayharper<bayharper@...> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > --- In clairseach@..., bigjoe d <bigjoe@> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hi Geri
>> >>
>> >> Let me know how you progress on your Wire-strung Harp :)
>> >>
>> >> Did you see the article about metal strings in the issure of Folk Harp
>> >> Journal that came out last week?
>> >>
>> >> Joe
>> >>
>> >> Hello Joe,
>> >
>> > Good to hear from you. I did have my first Skype lesson with Ann Heymann
>> > last Wednesday. I had hooked up external speakers to my laptop and we
>> > made
>> > the connection without any problem, but she could barely hear me.
>> > Apparently
>> > the internal computer speakers are not adequate, so I will be using a
>> > microphone for our next lesson. She was able to help me with hand
>> > position
>> > and we talked about the problem that I'm having with string breakage in
>> > the
>> > upper octave of the Triplett. It is strung entirely in phosphor bronze
>> > and
>> > she believes that this may be the problem and suggested that I replace
>> > those
>> > upper strings with historical iron and use toggles. I will be ordering a
>> > couple of small spools tomorrow. The Triplett bronze strings have small
>> > discs on the wires and are strung from holes in the back. Wish I had
>> > known
>> > when I bought this harp what I know now. Another lesson learned.
>> >
>> > I did get my copy of the Folk Harp Journal the next day and read
>> > Cynthia's
>> > article on strings. The Student Trinity that I have on order has 20
>> > brass
>> > strings and 9 silver in the bass. Ann was pleased that I am using the
>> > left-shoulder technique with right hand for bass and left for treble. I
>> > actually find it quite comfortable. I am treating this as a different
>> > instrument than my lever harp, so I am very much a beginner, but the
>> > sound
>> > of even one string makes it worth the effort.
>> >
>> > I'll keep you posted on my progress.
>> >
>> > Best wishes,
>> > Geri
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Sun, Jun 21, 2009 at 6:39 PM, bayharper<bayharper@> wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > --- In clairseach@..., "Alasdair Codona" <calumcille@>
>> >> > wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Dear Geri,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Co. Galway and Co. Donegal apparently have the greatest numbers of
>> >> >> professedly fluent Irish speakers in the Irish Gaeltacht so this
>> >> >> will
>> >> >> be
>> >> >> what you're most likely to encounter even in the States.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Munster Irish has something of an elevated place in literary history
>> >> >> though. In certain respects, it relates to the other forms of Gaelic
>> >> >> as
>> >> >> would Spanish to French. It has kept more of the synthetic verbal
>> >> >> forms
>> >> >> than
>> >> >> other forms of Gaelic which tend more to split the person off from
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> verb.
>> >> >> This is like having Spanish penso, pensas, pensa instead of French
>> >> >> je
>> >> >> pense,
>> >> >> tu penses, il pense.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> It also has structural differences in word stress compared to other
>> >> >> forms
>> >> >> of Gaelic: elsewhere the first syllable of a word is stressed but in
>> >> >> Munster, the stress can be moved onto other syllables. This has
>> >> >> important
>> >> >> implications when it comes to relating words to musical rhythm. This
>> >> >> would
>> >> >> like having Spanish word stress (any of the last three syllables)
>> >> >> instead of
>> >> >> French word stress (generally on the last syllable); compare
>> >> >> libro/livre,
>> >> >> comprendes/comprends, memoria/memoire stressing the same syllables
>> >> >> but
>> >> >> música/musique, próximo/prochaine, magnífico/magnifique stressing
>> >> >> different
>> >> >> syllables.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Learners of any form of Gaelic are going to encounter different ways
>> >> >> of
>> >> >> talking wherever they are. The media, whether the web, newspapers,
>> >> >> radio or
>> >> >> television, will inevitably bring you into contact with different
>> >> >> dialects
>> >> >> of Gaelic, either in written or in spoken form. The important thing
>> >> >> is
>> >> >> to
>> >> >> start off with one dialect and to graft knowledge about other
>> >> >> dialects
>> >> >> onto
>> >> >> your own core language.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Pairings of monolingual Anglophones and bilingual native Irish
>> >> >> speakers
>> >> >> on
>> >> >> Live Mocha of course offer nothing to Irish speakers so that's out.
>> >> >> Rosetta
>> >> >> Stone would cost far too much unless you can agree to share the cost
>> >> >> and the
>> >> >> use with a group of trustworthy, like-minded individuals. Byki is
>> >> >> free
>> >> >> but
>> >> >> it is only a learning tool for memorising by drilling phrases
>> >> >> (spoken
>> >> >> in
>> >> >> Connaught Irish) with flashcards (althought it does have the
>> >> >> impressive
>> >> >> option to press the tortoise and slow down the speech of the native
>> >> >> speakers
>> >> >> so you can really listen to them). It will not explicitly teach you
>> >> >> either
>> >> >> the connection between spelling and pronunciation or grammar.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> BBC Northern Ireland's Radio Ulster has a short beginners course
>> >> >> which
>> >> >> displays the language points online. These are short aural lessons
>> >> >> in
>> >> >> Ulster
>> >> >> Irish and don't offer the exercise that the Byki cards would but
>> >> >> they
>> >> >> are
>> >> >> downloadable for free.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Most people will need a full course, either by buying a book and
>> >> >> tapes
>> >> >> or
>> >> >> by doing an online course. Gaeltalk does a reasonably priced online
>> >> >> beginner's course which will teach you Munster Irish and offer you
>> >> >> Skype
>> >> >> sessions online with native speakers. Have a look at the following
>> >> >> webpages.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> http://www.gaeltalk.net/shop/
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
http://www.learn4good.com/distance_learn/ireland_online_irish_courses2.htm
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Congratulations on the progress so far!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Beannachdan,
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Alasdair
>> >> >>
>> >> >> --- In clairseach@..., "bayharper" <bayharper@> wrote:
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > First, I wanted to share the news that I have placed the deposit
>> >> >> > on
>> >> >> > my
>> >> >> > Student Trinity Harp. I am really excited. The Triplett wire harp
>> >> >> > has
>> >> >> > all of
>> >> >> > its strings now and is beginning to hold its pitch. Actually, it
>> >> >> > is
>> >> >> > sounding
>> >> >> > pretty good. I just have to add some satellite speakers to my
>> >> >> > laptop
>> >> >> > for the
>> >> >> > Skype lessons with Ann and make arrangements with her to get
>> >> >> > started.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Second, I have joined a forum called "Learning Irish". I asked for
>> >> >> > opinions on software and a program called "Transparent Language"
>> >> >> > BYKI
>> >> >> > was
>> >> >> > recommended. My concern is that the reason I want to learn Irish
>> >> >> > is
>> >> >> > to use
>> >> >> > it as an aide in learning the ancient music. Is there any special
>> >> >> > dialect I
>> >> >> > should be looking for? Or will a program like BYKI be sufficient
>> >> >> > for
>> >> >> > these
>> >> >> > needs? I appreciate any opinions.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Thanks,
>> >> >> > Geri
>> >> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > Dear Alasdair,
>> >> >
>> >> > Since your last post that provided me with much good information and
>> >> > direction, I have tried the free sample of Gaeltalk. While I like the
>> >> > format, the speakers talk so fast that I cannot quite catch the
>> >> > proper
>> >> > pronunciation of the words. I did buy their suggested book "Progress
>> >> > in
>> >> > Irish", but it is more a dictionary without pronunciation keys. I
>> >> > still
>> >> > think that Gaeltalk would be the best choice for me, but is there a
>> >> > book
>> >> > that you can recommend that would help me with pronunciation?
>> >> >
>> >> > Thank you,
>> >> > Geri
>> >> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>>
>
>