Somethings in the air 

I don’t know that any of us don’t have a deep love for our instruments.  It might not be the same as our love for our families, friends, pets, or cheesecake (maybe that last one is just me) but we typically share a profound caring for our harps that leads us to want to take good care of them!  And one way is to manage all the somethings in the air.

Why yes, that is just another inartful way for me to introduce the topic! There’s a lot of stuff in our air and the better we manage it, the easier time we’ll have to love our harps (and play them!).  There are two biggies that seem to cause confusion with respect to our harps are – humidity and dust.  So, let’s look at each of them. 

Dust in the Wind – Let’s start with the easy one – for good or bad, there is dust (in the wind? Maybe, but there is definitely dust in the air!).  And no matter how much you filter or clean, there is dust! And that dust settles on your harp.  Does it hurt it?  No.  Is it unsightly?  Only under the lights (you know, the like ones you need to see the music!).  Should you clean it?  If by clean you mean wash it with a wet cloth, NO!  But can you dust it?  Of course – with a soft clean dry cloth.  Microfiber is popular and will do the trick.  I have also used a Swiffer – but those are expensive, and honestly, they don’t do a better job, they are just disposable.  None of these really clears the dust you find in the “fiddly bits” around the levers and along the string rib.  If you’re going to do the job, you should do it right, right?  I use a natural bristle brush.  You can use a blush brush or a paint brush.  I prefer the paint brush because it has a longer handle which I find easier to manage – but it’s up to you.  Just make sure the bristles are super soft.  I like the natural bristles because I don’t feel like thr synthetics have the same softness – but what you choose is up to you.  Just make sure you won’t scratch the finish of your harp.  Then dust, carefully and gently.  You can wash and dry the brush as you would normally.  Easy-peasy.  What you don’t do – use furniture polish!  Just Don’t!

Saraha(rp) – Not as easy to manage is the humidity in your environment.  Your harp is made of wood (unless you have a carbon fiber harp which has its own challenges, but this is not one of them).  Wood, as a natural material, is impacted by the humidity in the environment. If it’s too dry you might have a saraha(rp) (a harp as dry as a desert!) with the potential for dried out wood and broken strings.  Most of us live in controlled environments now which means that the air is managed at a (near) constant temperature via processes that pull moisture from the air.  Plainly, if you have the A/C or the heat on, it’s dry in your house, and your harp might not like it!  There are few solutions varying from cheap (but not so effective) to expensive (and fairly good).  But before you decide on a solution, you might want to get yourself a hygrometer (humidity meter)– there are inexpensive (and effective) options available online or in your local hardware store.  And knowing where you are starting will make changing (and maintaining) the humidity level easier.  As for solutions, on the cheap end, place a wide shallow pan of water near the air source and your harp (not where you will trip over it or knock it over, obviously) replace the water as needed.  At a slightly higher price is running a tabletop fountain in your harp room – it makes burbling noises which is pleasant.  I had one and I had to add about a quart of water a week to keep it full (translate – I was losing a quart of water a week to the aircon).  For slightly more cost you can install a room humidifier.  These do a good job but require a little more maintenance to manage the levels (filling or plumbing required to keep water in it and mold or mildew can be a problem, especiallyif you are sensitive).  Finally for the highest price, you can add a whole home humidifier to your HVAC system. The upside is lower maintenance and wider addition of humidity (so all the wood in your whole house will benefit, including your furniture).  The downsides are cost (I won’t lie, it’s expensive), and maintaining your whole house at 45 – 55% humidity (which might result in complaints from other members of your household).  But really, who is more important – your blood kin or your harp? (I’ll leave that to your discretion).   

With dusting and humidity sorted, your harp will be cared for and happy.  Meanwhile, a lot of harp care seems to be obvious but isn’t – what other challenges do you have with taking care of your harp?  What’s in the air for you?  Let me know in the comments!

I don’t know a single harp player who doesn’t, in one way or another, think of their harp as their “baby”.  Little girls, big burly men, people entering degree programs, middle aged beginners, pint sized masters – they all have that sense of their instrument being extremely special to them.  They may or may not name their harp.  And they may not all be vociferous about expressing the sentiment, but you can still sense it. 

And since September is Baby Safety Month, let’s review some important aspects of keeping your baby safe!  There aren’t a lot of things to keep in mind, but they are fairly important to assure your baby is taken care of.

In the Home:

1. Protective Posture.  Think about where your harp sits in the room.  While you want it to be accessible (because we all know that if you have to move your harp to play it, you’re not going to play as much) you also want it to be protected – from sunny windows and blow-y air vents and traffic in the room as well as from Fluffy and Fido, and small hands.  If you have the option, you can keep your harp in a corner or more protected part of the room.  No one wants to hear that gut-wrenching sound of a harp hitting the floor!    

2.  Dis the Dust.  No matter which harp you play – even if you play a Dusty Strings (full disclosure – I’m a fan!) – you don’t really want your soundboard to be covered in dust!  Use a soft, clean (duh) dry cotton or microfiber cloth.  If you’re particularly particular you can also use a soft makeup brush to dust the levers and pins (or so I’ve heard, I’m not that particular!).

3. Time to Tune.  Do I really need to tell you this?  The more you tune, the less you need to…

4. Even Keel.  Keep the temperature and the humidity comfortable.  If you are comfortable, your harp will be fairly happy as well.  Too warm, too cold, too dry – your harp won’t enjoy it either.

5. Zip It.  Close the case when you’re not using it.  Ok, this is probably just a preference, but I find that keeping the case zipped up between uses helps it hold its shape (which makes putting the harp in the case easier).  And it ensures that any cat/dog/rabbit/fish hair that might be floating around your house stays on the outside.

In the Car

1. Treat your baby like a baby.  This might be the best piece of advice I got when I first started playing.  Whenever you wouldn’t leave a baby in the car, don’t leave your harp.  Don’t forget that a closed car will be much warmer than the outside air when parked in the sun.  Remember that the glue may soften in the heat which would weaken the strength of the harp.  Park in the shade if you can.  Of course, too cold can also be a problem, potentially ruining the finish, or worse.

2. Watch the Windows.  For short journeys this might not be important, but longer trips are different.  Try to keep in mind where the sun will be – when the sun beats on the window it gets hot so if you harp is in that window, it will get hot.  If you’re able, put your harp on the other side of the car.  If you don’t have that choice, consider blocking the sun with a sunshade (or a t shirt) – just like you would for a baby!

3. Belted or Bedded.  Hopefully you have carefully selected your harpmobile either to carry your harp “belted” or “bedded”.  When it’s belted your harp is on it’s back through a split seat or across the backseat (and you can actually use the seat belt to help hold it in place!).  If you’re not interested in carrying it that way or your car isn’t shaped for that, you can lay it on its side in the trunk or hatch (assuming a large enough back).  If you decide to “Bed” it, make sure you keep it levers side up and that the surface it’s lying on is level.  Conveniently, a lot of cases have the pocket on the lever side, so as long as you keep the pocket up, you will be ok.

4.  Zip Zip.  Since you have a lovely case – use the case!  Whenever possible put your harp in the case when you put it in the car to help protect it.  And put the levers down to protect them from breaking while in the case.

All the time

Ensure you’re Insured.  No matter it’s age or size, a harp is an investment.  Protect it!  I’m horrified by the number of people I’ve talked to who have not insured their harp!  Just do it.  Call your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance carrier and get a valuable personal property or musical instrument rider.  You will probably have to provide a statement of the value of the harp (like the bill of sale or a letter from a seller stating its value).  If you are making money from your harp (gigging) you may need to buy separate insurance which will be available via an organization (such as International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsman (ISFHC) or American Harp Society (AHS)).  Don’t dither over the price – buy the insurance!

Keep your baby safe and protected.  Are there any other things you do to care for yours?  Let me know in the comments!

I have yet to meet a harp player who is blasé about their harp.  There are people who name their harps.  Some people talk to their harp.  We all love our harps.  We do our utmost to care for them.  But have we done everything we can to protect them?

(that sounds like one of those cheesy tv commercials for medicine, medical assistance devices, and just about anything you can get 2 for $19.99 + a small additional fee)

Anyway, no matter how much we love our harps, how careful we are to keep them from harm and to pamper them – they are not our children, or our friends.  They are, however, unbelievably valuable musical instruments!  And as such, you should ensure that your harp(s) are fully insured. You need to insure against all the same things you ensure other valuable things against – theft, damage, or other disasters.   

The best way to get started is to talk with your current insurance carrier.

How you insure your harps will be bounded by some other factors. Here are some suggestions on ensuring your insurance is assured.  The goal is Goldilocks – not too much coverage, not too little…you want your coverage to be just right:

1. If you are a hobbyist – that is, you play only for the cat and the curtains (and perhaps the occasional family member?).
   1. start with a call to your homeowner’s/renter’s insurance provider. If you are playing at home, only rarely taking your harp out and then only going to workshops or lessons, then this is probably your best solution.  They will likely sell you a rider to cover valuable personal property/musical instrument.  Be sure you include all your harps! 
   2. If you’re traveling with your harp a great deal you might also check with your auto insurer – you need to be sure you have enough coverage should you harp be in the car if you are in an accident.
      
2. If you are a professional – that is, if you are leaving your house to perform and being paid (regardless of your opinion of your level of performance!):
   1. Still start with your homeowner’s/renter’s and auto insurers, just be aware that they are likely to tell you no.  This would be appropriate – you need professional coverage!   If you are not a full time musician, this is where you might be tempted to fib. If you are a professional (even if you’re just starting out or only play one gig a year) be frank and honest.  If something happens to your harp and you make a claim, the insurance company will not quibble over your level of performance.  You don’t want to find that your very small prevarication when buying the insurance invalidates your claim!
      
   2. There are insurance companies that specialize in musical instruments. You will need to provide an estimate of the value of each of your instruments which will require someone give you a valuation (I have gotten these from my instrument maker or by sending a copy of the bill of sale).
      
   3. You will get the best rate on your premiums if you are a member of an organization such as International Association of Folk Harpers and Craftsman (IAFHC) or American Harp Society (AHS). You can find other available coverages by searching musical instrument insurance.
   4. When researching your choices, focus on what is covered and the coverage of the instrument specifically. Some companies (such as Anderson) offer harp-specific coverage while others have more general coverage.
      

We never want anything bad to happen to our harps, but they are expensive as well as being important to our daily lives so ensure that assure your insurance!  Make sure your coverage matches your usage.  Also focus on the policy, the exclusions, etc.  You want to feel confident that your insurance will cover you if something happens to your harp!

What’s in your harp case?

In case you’re wondering or interested, these are not compensated product placements – I’m not that smart a blogger.  I have Anderson Insurance and I have been happy with the price and the service.  I have not ever had to make a claim but they have received good ratings from others that have.  They are not the only insurance product available, so do your homework. 

Continue your ongoing love affair with your harp –

Harpy Valentine’s Day!

Ok, it’s probably more like two weeks, but it sure feels like it’s all happened in a week.  Two subscriber emails that didn’t quite work the way I wanted.  And a surprise trip that sort of skewed the entire week toward the weird.  And then, on top of everything else, six broken strings on three harps!   SIX!

This is especially perplexing because I don’t think over my entire harp life, over all of my too many harps, I’ve had this many broken strings – total!  (ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but not much of one).

I’m pretty sure I know why it’s happened – temperatures swinging nearly 40 degrees, a hurricane passing not too far away, bright sunny days, heavy humid days, the placid shift toward autumn, and frequent travel that resulted in infrequent tuning all probably went a long way to disturbing the gentle equilibrium of the strings on all my harps.

And then this.  What’s wrong with this picture?

I wish I had staged that photo, but nope.  I really did that.  Which just highlights that  e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g needs to be practiced so that it is as effortless as you can make it.  If you’re still trying to figure out what’s wrong with the picture – I knotted the string on the wrong end!

All of this combined to highlight that you can always be doing something to improve your playing.  Regular harp maintenance is an important piece of your self-care.

How is that self-care?  Because when you take good care of your harp, it will be ready for you to play when you want to practice, when you need to practice, and when you just need to play.

What things should you be doing regularly to care for your harp?  Here are six (or so) things to include:

1. Change strings quickly.  After a string breaks, install a new one as quickly as possible.  Have spare/extra strings available.  Know where to get the ones you need.  Keep your string chart up to date.  If you have questions about what strings to get – ask!
2. Dust it!  Using a soft microfiber cloth or a fuzzy sock.  Don’t use your vacuum cleaner. Definitely DO NOT use polish!  There are also dust covers available.  I don’t have one but having one would probably cut down the amount of dusting needed.
3. Check your air.  Buy yourself a hygrometer so that you’ll know how dry the air in your house is (you can buy them at huge online or IRL retailers – you know the ones).  Hygrometers measure the humidity in the air.  Harps are happy when the humidity is about 40 – 60%.  If you’re constantly running your air conditioner or when you have the heat on, it will be dry.  You can improve the humidity relatively inexpensively by installing a small tabletop fountain (with the additional benefit of having the delightful sound of running water in your harp room).  You could also add some house plants.  If you want to spend more money you can get a room humidifier (like you’d use for a bedroom) or install a whole house humidifier (which is quite expensive).  A final suggestion (especially for housebound harps) is to put the bottom of 2-part travel soap keeper on the bottom of your harp (inside the sound box) and place a dampened (cut to fit) sponge inside the lid. Check it daily to assure the sponge is damp. This will likely provide enough moisture to keep your harp happy – and you won’t be broken up at finding a cracked sound board.
4. Very early in my harp career (before it was even a harp career at all!) I was told that I should treat my harp like a baby – never leave it in the car, or in the sun, or in cold or the heat, and never just stand it up and walk away.  I think you can take a little liberty with this, but it bears thinking about before you just leave it somewhere.  Remember that your harp is held together with glue so especially in warm weather, it could be vulnerable.  And it is your baby after all!
5. Tune it or die!  (ok, I stole that from a bumper sticker – but it’s true).  Tuning frequently is a good idea to help keep your harp in good shape.  All the parts of the harp really do need to work together – the strings are a part of that.  Letting the strings get way out of tune puts unnecessary stress on the sound board.  It doesn’t take long to tune.  Yes, I know it seems to take forever, but it really doesn’t.   And, of course, the more you do it, the faster (and more accurate) you’ll get.
6. Related to tuning – make sure you play all your harps.  I try to have a rotation so that I play each of my harps.  Note, I say try because I’m always playing favorites.  When I’m feeling dramatic, I play my Dusty Strings FH-36S.  When I’m feeling outdoorsy, I play my Sharpsicle.  When I’m stressing about playing an upcoming gig, I play my Fisher since it’s currently my “work” harp.  But I do try to make a concentrated effort to play each of them (which also assures that I tune them all!).

Finally, find a luthier you like, know, and trust.  Not everyone has a local luthier (I am forever grateful to live nearby my solidly reliable, dependable luthier who clearly knows more about my harp than I do, and that I just genuinely like).  If you don’t know a luthier and especially if you don’t live near one – make sure you find a harp luthier (because luthier is general term for anyone who makes or repairs stringed instruments – but you might have noticed that a harp is quite different from a guitar!).  You can also watch for harp technicians that travel and/or participate in workshops and conferences.  Build that relationship.  Make sure that you have your harp regulated regularly (or learn to do it yourself).    

So, as you can see from the photo, I was having that kind of week – the kind that comes from being relatively out of practice with changing strings!  Be sure to include taking good care of your harp in your regular practice.  There are other things you can do, and I’d love to hear what you do as part of your regular harp maintenance – let me know in the comments below!