How to choose your harp?

如何選擇適合自己的豎琴？

Our client covers beginner to professional, this page summarize our past experience. To buy or rent a harp is about personal needs. It is reasonable that you want to choose a quality harp but an expensive professional harp may not be suitable for everyone. 我們的客戶由初學到專業老師，本頁將綜合過往經驗，提供專業建議。買或租豎琴是個人需要，豐儉由人，明白自己的需要及可以負擔的，才是合適的選擇，最貴的專業豎琴也未必等於最適合的。

Before you buy or rent a harp, you are advised to consider: 於選購或租用前，建議你先考慮以下各點：

1. Purpose of buying a harp 買琴的目的

It is very important to understand your needs or identify your purpose before starting your harp journey. To summarize our experience, buyers would like 了解自己的需要及想學習到那個水準，至關重要，我們將經驗歸納為以下各種目標

a. To have fun / To be a beginner 用於自娛 / 初學者

• You can choose from 12 strings lap harp to 47 strings pedal harp, depends on your budget.

• The more strings, the more flexibility to play songs. Otherwise, you may need to edit the score to fit your harp size. Therefore, number of strings you need depends on the songs you want to play.

• Harps with levers or pedal -> Meaning you can play accidental & more efficiently. If you play a piece of music requiring switching of sharp or flat in the middle, you will need levers or pedal to make switching more efficient.

b. To practise and have examination 用於練習及考試

• Recommendation is to have as much no of strings as you can afford.

• If you want to target to have Grade 1 to 2 examination, please go for 26 strings or more with levers or pedal

• If you want to target to have Grade 3 to 5 examination, please go for 34 strings or more with levers or pedal

• If you want to target to have Grade 8, please go for a harp with 38 or more strings with levers or pedal.

• If you want to target to diploma level or more professional, please choose a pedal harp with 47 strings, full size pedal.

c. To practice during travel 用於旅遊時練習

26 strings or less is recommended, e.g. 12, 15, 20 strings. You should choose a portable one so that it’s light and easy to carry.

d. To play in a concert or performance 用於演奏會或表演

Large harp with 40 strings lever harp or 47 strings pedal harp is recommended. Range of performance will be more flexible and projection of professional harp is much better.

e. Do not have target -> To rent a harp 未有任何目標->租用

If you do not have a target of the above, we would recommend you to rent a harp for a few months to experience harp playing before buy a harp.

2. Budget price 價格預算

The price of harp ranges from a few thousand for beginner to over a million for professional. Our key recommendations will be:

a. Find an affordable harp and suitable for your purpose.

b. Consider your own situation to choose the size of your harp.

c. Get some advice from your teacher or our customer service officer. Share about your purpose, target and budget, then we can recommend more tips to you.

d. If you need a larger harp but find it too expensive, please consider to rent a harp which is usually required lower cost.

3. Size of harp vs height of harp player 豎琴大小與用者高度

The sound of the harp mainly comes from the soundboard and quality of the sound depends on the density and quality of wood, string, structure of the harp, size, playing technique, etc. In general, a harp with more strings and larger soundboard gives a better sound and experience on harp playing.

It is also important to choose a harp with consideration of the height of player. The reason is that player is required to hug the harp when playing. Especially if the harp player practises for long hours, the player may feel

a. having “pressure” if the harp is oversize

b. not comfortable or easy to play if the harp is too small.