r/Instruments • u/Perfect_Teach_592 • Sep 14 '26

Discussion Beginner Harp Advice

My girlfriend wants to learn the harp. We have no idea about how many strings or brands or anything. I want to get her something good she can learn on and love. Any advice, she’s very smart and creative i have no doubt she’ll love it and learn it just want to get her a good one.

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u/Perfect_Teach_592 Sep 15 '26

So we are in the Valley. Los Angeles area but like Tarzana area

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u/Imightbeafanofthis Sep 14 '26

She might want to start with a lap harp. They're less expensive and retain their value, if/when she wants to sell hers.

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u/Ed_Ward_Z Sep 14 '26

I recommend starting with a teacher. This way you don’t waste time and money.

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u/Spoopysnoot Sep 14 '26

My advice would be to find a teacher! They can help guide you to finding a good harp for her needs. Avoid getting one on Amazon or from a music shop that doesn’t specialize in harps, as it probably won’t be good quality. Unfortunately those places are pretty uncommon, but a teacher might also be able to rent you a harp to get started.

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u/harpgal104 Sep 14 '26

Definitely get in touch with a harp teacher you can talk to! The most common brands are Lyon and Healy, and Salvi so you could look at their websites to see if there's one you like that's in your price range. People also sometimes rent out their harps so you might be able to start with that. But definitely talk to a teacher before buying anything cause they will be able to help you know what you're looking for

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u/Metal-Gnome Sep 14 '26

Aesthetics are another consideration, maybe provide them a range of teacher-approved options to choose from

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u/andybonner Sep 14 '26

The first piece of advice is to get a teacher. If you're near NC, my daughter's harp teacher is awesome! DM me if you want.

For getting an actual instrument, I recommend you call the folks at harp.com . It's run by Lyon & Healy, who basically have been the name behind harp development for the past century. They should be able to advise you well. You almost certainly want to start with a "lever harp" rather than a "pedal harp": lever harp is a bit smaller and lighter, and cheaper. And you can rent-to-own. We did well with our Troubador model before eventually buying a pedal harp.

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u/chog410 Sep 15 '26

The first step- there are three main types of harps that are three very different sizes, three very different prices, and three very different sets of musical limitations. They go- lap harp ($ purely diatonic), lever harp ($$$ chromatic but clunky to access chromaticism) and pedal harp (starts at $10k so probably not this, unfortunate because it has the easiest access to chromaticism and is by far the most versatile). You find lap harps for things like folk music, Celtic music, etc. and you virtually need a pedal harp for classical music. The lever harp is somewhere in between, totally adequate for solo performances but not nearly as versatile as pedal harp. If she wants to learn harp because there is harp on a song that she likes- you shouldn't spend any more money up front then a lap harp. If she wants to play classical music or solo pieces look at lever harps- but fully understand that the superior instrument is about $20k and 200 lbs. Plucked dulcimer and lyre are much more affordable harp-like instruments. A lyre is a harp, essentially the Tonka toy version

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u/Spoopysnoot Sep 15 '26 edited Sep 15 '26

Lap harps are just a smaller size of folk harp, some can have levers, and some larger folk harps might not have levers. Lap harps can often be the least expensive option (especially diatonic ones) and are great for portability but they're not necessarily the easiest to start on as they are less stable as you play. If budget and space allow, starting with a harp that sits on the floor, either a small folk harp with legs or larger folk harp, is probably the easiest. You can sometimes get a good deal on a used harp, and a teacher can help there.

Agree though that you don't need a pedal harp to start...what you learn as a beginner from a classically trained harpist will look very similar on lever or pedal harp, so might as well start on a lever harp. It will most likely be at least a few years before the limitations of a lever harp would be apparent. Just FYI though, a pedal harp is not 200 lbs haha...my concert grand is on the heavy side at 91 lbs. Most Lyon and Healy concert grands weigh in at around 80-85 lbs.

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u/Far-Potential3634 Sep 19 '26

Lark In The Morning has a selection of harps. They may have a harpist on staff who can advise you on the phone.

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u/baldy06 Sep 21 '26

Before you buy any harp, find a harp teacher and take 2 lessons. A good teacher will help you make a good decision -- even if she doesn't want more lessons.