harp regulation

[Otto Keyes]

Having regulated harps for almost 20 years now, I can assure you it truly is
a more esoteric skill than piano tech work.  While the principles of harp
regulation are relatively straight-forward, the path to achieving a decent &
lasting regulation is not.  If you don't like the compromises inherent in
piano work, you'll hate harps!  Even if you do find those tolerable, you
will probably still hate harps on occasion.  The angle, strength, direction
it is plucked, position on the string, type & size of string, type of disk,
what repetiore, the harpist's technique, etc., etc., all come into play in
the regulation.  (Sounds like my last post on tuning standards.)  Just
multiply the variables & remember that by the time a harp is really starting
to sound good, it's about to fall apart, & on the verge of becoming
impossible to regulate accurately (not that it ever was really possible).
Like pianos, some will make a liar out of me, but the above is usually an
accurate description.  Ted Sambell called them a briefly useable musical
instrument on the way to becoming a wall-hanging.  A harpists are persons
who spend half their time tuning....and the other half, playing out of tune.
The action is really a Rube Goldberg creation that seemingly shouldn't work
in the first place.  Errard did a much better job with the modern piano
action.

By the way, in the piano business we've all had to clean up the messes made
by the owner who wanted to try his hand at tuning or regulation.
Unfortunately, such incidents are far more common in the harp world.  All
that aside, they are a beautiful, though cantankerous, instrument, which
will provide endless hours of frustration & fruitless work for the
perfectionist willing to toil beyond the point of diminishing returns.  On
the other end of the spectrum, the jiffy regulators (& there are many) will
talk a good line, cut lots of corners, blow off a regulation in an hour or
two, collect their money, and ride off into the sunset, leaving the
frustrations for the harpist.  (Sounds like another business I know...)

I enjoy working on them (usually), though I can only take them in small
doses.  I had to put away some of my perfectionism to retain my sanity.
Those closest to me claim that I did not succeed in this endeavor.

Otto


----- Original Message -----
From: <Tunapianer@aol.com>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2003 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: harp regulation


> Our harp teacher loaned me some books; they're not before me now, but I
think
> this was one of them.  From what I gather, most professional harpists
learn
> to regulate their own instruments.  As you say, it's not that complicated.
>
> The man that regulated our harps basically taught himself after his wife
> started playing the harp.  I'm told he now regulates for several big-name
> orchestras and music schools.  Seems to me that harp regulation is an even
> more esoteric skill than piano regulation!
>
> Okay, it's off-topic, so I'll leave it alone now.
>
> Greg
>
>
> In a message dated 5/9/2003 1:02:15 PM, Ron Koval wrote:
>
> >There is a good book out on just this subject (kindof the "Reblitz" of
the
> >harp world):
> >
> >A Guide for Harpists
> >Care, Maintenance and Repair of the Pedal Harp
> >by  Carl Swanson
> >
> >You may need to search harp sites, I ordered it off the net last year.
> >
> >Like piano regulation, it's not difficult to understand, but it takes
time,
> >practice and patience to get the job done right!
> >
> >Ron Koval
> >Concordia U.
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