[Harp-L] Sealing the front of the harp

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I read Greg Heumann's posts on sealing the front of the harp with interest.  I've always wondered why the old school players hang their thumbs over the mouthpiece--it seems to me that doing so drastically limits mobility.  Never considered that it might change the tone.

So I tried it--I put my left thumb over the low notes while I played, and put the high end of the harp up against my cheek.  And what do you know.  The tone definitely changes, just as Greg said. It's a darker, more compressed sound.

Mobility means a lot to me, so I doubt I'll do this all the time.  But it's certainly a new (old) way to get more sounds out of the instrument.

Regards, Richard Hunter
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