Harps Going Through Changes

There was a lot of discussion on one of the harp groups I’m on a little while ago as everyone started to settled into summer conditions in their respective areas.  There was a lot of concern from newer harpists about whether it was normal for harps to go out of tune more in the summer, break more strings in the summer, etc. 

Here is the answer that I posted in response to those questions.

I just wanted to reassure everyone that our harps change with changing weather/ environment conditions just like we do.  Wood expands and contracts with temperature changes from hot to cold, just like our skin does.  If the air is too dry, the wood dries out, just like our skin does. 

There is an old adage among harpists that, if you are comfortable, your harp will be too.  You wouldn’t enjoy sitting in a cold draft or in the blast from a heater or fireplace. You wouldn’t appreciate having to sit in moist, drizzly heat or cold or in air that is parched and dry.

Your tuning pins might tend to slip as the wood gets colder and/or drier because the wood is shrinking and looses its tight grip on the tuning pins.  Gut strings will be much more susceptible to change in temperature and humidity than nylon strings, and you will notice that your metal strings may actually go sharp if they get cold because the metal contracts.

I think that the best rule of thumb is to avoid taking your harp from one extreme to another too quickly.  If it is hot, roll your car windows down for a few minutes and then get the A/C cranking before you load up your harp.  I take everything else I will need and have it right beside the car so it can be loaded in immediately after the harp without having to make any more trips back into the house.  Also, plan to arrive at your destination with plenty of time to allow the harp to acclimate to the new temperature again before doing a lot of tuning.

Also, if you arrive at a gig, and they want you to sit right in the blast of a huge A/C vent, speak up for yourself and ask that they place you somewhere else!

Of course, here in hellish Houston, temperatures inside a car can get over 125 degrees very quickly, so we cannot leave a harp in a car for any length of time most of the year.  The same thing applies to very cold climates. 

If your harp is going through changes as the weather changes, be patient with it.  Banging on tuning pins, etc. will probably only make things worse.  Be sure that the harp is not in full sun sitting in a window nor in the direct blast of an A/C or heat vent.  And run a humidifier, even if you live in a humid climate.  Your A/C takes the humidity out of your inside air!

Keeping conditions as constant as possible for your harp will go a long way toward minimizing tuning and string breakage.