Sorry about the "hook", Jon. The ones on my very cheap harp were hooks, but almost certainly were a reduced price version of the blade variety - they definitely didn't work as hooks - they were just a piece of rod bent over to give the required width.
Tony ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jon Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Tony Chalkley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Michael Stitt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, January 19, 2004 8:34 AM Subject: Re: technical problems on lute-theorbo (+theorbo) Att: Chris > Just saw this thread with the mention of the "harp device" for changing > pitch (but missed the original mention of it). I speak as one who has built > and repaired harps (and plays them). There are two types (and several > designs of each type) of "devices". And on the harp they are used to adjust > a string by a half tone, not the quarter I saw mentioned in this thread, as > the harp is naturally diatonic (except the "cross strung" which is a bit of > a different beastie - and one I have). > > The two types are "blades" and "levers". The levers (the more common) either > lift or depress the string against a pin that is internal to the lever. The > problem with that for the lute/theorbo is that the lever is very sensitive > to the height of the string above the pin block. The harp has no nut at the > tuning end, the strings run over individual grooved "bridge pins" which can > be adjusted in or out to match the level of the lever. The lever is set > between that bridge pin and the "vibrating length", so it becomes (when > engaged) a secondary bridge pin (or nut). The blade, used mainly on small > "wire strung" harps, which are becoming popular as that is the stringing of > the traditional Celtic harp, is vertical to the pin block and pushes the > string to the side. It doesn't require the exacting height, but it does > require a bit of space between the strings, and perhaps more that is > available on the theorbo (harp spacings are much wider than the lute > family). > > Neither blade nor lever would be appropriate at the bridge end as they both > require a good solid piece of wood to attach (screw in, in the case of > levers - and support the pivot in the case of blades), and I think that > would change the soundboard characteristics (one could lay a plate of wood > under the appropriate part of the soundboard). Ed's suggestion of the "Koto" > type subsidiary bridge is a possibility, I use a triangular movable bridge > on my string testing jig (a highly sophisticated piece of hard maple board > with "zither pins" and dulcimer terminal pins). But it would be impossible > to slip it in in the middle of a run. > > If any of you are interested I can scan the relevant pages of a harp repair > manual that shows all the basic levers and blades, and the methods of > installation and regulation (tuning). > > A final note, the old style harp (which is coming back with a vengeance - > having been relegated to folk use when the modern orchestral pedal harp was > developed early in the 19th century) was diatonic. The Medieval and > Renaissance harpists played accidentals by using a finger to "stop" the > string at the pin block, needed a strong finger and a lot of accuracy. I > know one modern harpist who can do it on a reproduction harp. I have never > heard of a "harp hook", but assume it refers to the blades or levers. > > Best, Jon > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michael Stitt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Tony Chalkley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 3:13 PM > Subject: Re: technical problems on lute-theorbo (+theorbo) Att: Chris > > > > Chris, > > > > My apologies, I did not see your reply until Tony raised it just now. > > > > I wish I could give you more details about the harp device, but I still > don't have it clear in my head. I plan to address it very soon. The > problem with Ed's Koto idea - as far as I can see it, is how do you time it > well playing swiftly the passagio of BWV 996? The harp hook sounds more > practical. > > > > Regards, > > > > Michael > > > > Tony Chalkley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Chris, > > > > I haven't noticed a direct reply coming in to your question about the harp > > mechanism - if one did, could you pass it on, please? The idea is > > intriguing, as the harp mechanism I've seen on harps is a hook fitted into > > the harmonic curve of the instrument, which you can turn to touch the > string > > at the right distance for a semitone up. More sophisticated versions > exist, > > but one way or another they are fitted to the top block of wood at the > wrest > > pin end. The koto-ji propostions are at the bridge end and it is easy to > > see that they are workable. Try as I might, I cannot see anywhere on my > > theorbo that I could attach a harp mechanism, short of building a sort of > > gantry out from the neck which would be out of reach, or having holes in > the > > sounboard! > > > > Tony > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: > > To: > > Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 1:24 AM > > Subject: Re: technical problems on lute-theorbo (+theorbo) > > > > > > > Michael, > > > > > > Just curious about the harp-like device that Tim > > > Crawford mentioned to you for raising a diapason up a > > > 1/2 step. Would you mind describing it? I've seen > > > these sorts of things on various harps and wondered > > > how it might apply to my situation. Is it something > > > that one could rig up on their own? I have a > > > 14-course theorbo (only six on the fingerboard) and > > > I'm getting a little annoyed at having to take the > > > instrument off, stand up and re-tune if I need an F# > > > or G# consistently in a piece. This can be especially > > > distracting to other players in tight quarters. > > > I wonder if the harp-device would attach down at > > > the bridge, which would be reasonable as long as it > > > wasn't too big and wouldn't get in the way when it > > > wasn't being used. In that case, you could even > > > engage it while in the course of a piece, given enough > > > time. Even if the sound would be somewhat > > > compromised, it would be worth it to avoid some of the > > > hastle. > > > I don't know if this would even have been > > > considered in the historical days. At any rate, I > > > think that the "oldens" were more practical than we > > > give them credit sometimes. > > > > > > > > > Chris Wilke > > > --- Michael Stitt wrote: > > > > Hi Donatella, > > > > > > > > I checked out at a glance so far your tab version of > > > > BWV 996 and looks nice! > > > > > > > > There has been a real flowering of lute tablature of > > > > Bach's music. Clive Titmuss has been active and > > > > completed - quite recently, a playable version of > > > > BWV 1012 - the sixth cello suite. For beginners > > > > out there - be warned - this is not easy stuff! > > > > > > > > As for 996, it used to be my favourite and not too > > > > difficult on the classical guitar. For some strange > > > > reason I fnd it very hard on the Baroque lute. I > > > > worked out that it is not so much the technical > > > > PLAYING difficulty, but rather the problem of > > > > realisation on my fourteen course theorbo-lute. > > > > Since I note - your instrument, Donatella, is also a > > > > swan neck, you too problem run into the difficulty > > > > of not having D sharp bass, resulting in an > > > > unavoidable interruption of the passagio - opening > > > > prelude. Tim Crawford once gave an interesting > > > > solution to this, which is to attach a device - > > > > similar to one used by harpists, which stops the > > > > string. I haven't quite done this as yet! > > > > > > > > My temporary solution is to play the D# an octave > > > > higher, and although not perfect, is acceptable. > > > > You encounter this problem also in the Courante. > > > > > > > > As for the sxth cello suite, this is beautiful stuff > > > > on the lute and in the key of D Major makes it a > > > > warm and beautiful work to play. It has been said > > > > before that Bach wrote some of his finest and > > > > brighter sounding music in this key. The Magnificat > > > > is one such example. The prelude has the same > > > > intensity and virtuosic feel as that of BWV 1006a > > > > IMHO. > > > > > > > > Cheers. > > > > > > > > Michael Stitt > > > > http://bachplucked.com/lutenist/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > > Do you Yahoo!? > > > Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes > > > http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/signingbonus > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Do you Yahoo!? > > Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes > > -- > > > > >
