Spending Too Much Time Tuning Your Harp?

May 15th 2017

Spending Too Much Time Tuning Your Harp?

Try one or more of the following tips on tuning your harp so that you can use more of your time for practice!

Use only one day out of the week to really tune every string on your harp. The rest of the week, only tune the obviously problematic strings with your electric tuner.

Become more accustomed to tuning by ear. When you are playing scales, or tuning from middle C to your third octave C sometimes it helps to sing along. (Do-Ra-Me-Fa-So-La-Te-Do) It’s practically impossible to tune your whole harp completely by ear, but if you need to only tune one string it will save you time by training yourself to hear relative pitch.

Start your practice time by doing scales or warm ups. Will you are doing these, listen to any section of your harp that sounds poor and you’ll know right where to tune once you’re done.

Make sure to tune your harp with all of the levers in the downward position, or if you are playing on a pedal harp, make sure all of your pedals are completely up. Doing this takes off any added pressure to your strings as you tune. This saves you time in the future by keeping your strings in prime condition rather than having pre-mature breakage.

Use the right tools to tune. A holster that holds both your electric tuner as well as your tuning key is so useful. It attaches to the back of your harp safely, helping you keep your tools organized and close by.

Break up your sections when you tune. Rather than going from top to bottom or visa versa, start with your middle C. Going from one peg to the next one up is the quickest. You’ll notice you don’t have to ‘find’ your peg as much. Breaking up your tuning sections into two also helps so your arm is not fatigued.

If you have any harp tuning questions… ask our harp specialist below! Or share with us your own personal tuning tips!