| Ask a random person off the street to describe a | | | | 10th centuries. These harps were known as the |
| harp, and they are likely to describe a huge, bulky | | | | frame harps. This was also the very first harp to use |
| instrument. However, all harps are not equal. They | | | | a soundbox to amplify the sound from the |
| range in size in type. But where, exactly, did this | | | | instrument. |
| seemingly simple instrument come from? | | | | European harps differed from Irish harps and they |
| The harp is an ancient instrument, having been | | | | were known as Renaissance harps. They had more |
| around since as early as 2500 B.C., that continues to | | | | strings attached to wooden pegs, and the pillar was |
| be a major force in the modern-day music world. This | | | | thinner and less curved. These were known as |
| instrument has evolved in many ways in the last four | | | | diatonic harps. |
| millennia. The different harps have come from and | | | | The triple-strung harps appeared in the late 16th |
| evolved from Egypt, Ireland, and many other places | | | | century after an invention of a double-strung harp. A |
| and cultures. Harps such as the diatonic, triple-strung, | | | | triple-strung harp has three rows of strings and it |
| single-action pedal, chromatic cross-string, and the | | | | was easy to play and amplify. The single-action pedal |
| double action pedal have been used. | | | | harp was designed in 1720. This harp was a |
| The kinnor, which is an ancient instrument played by | | | | combination of a diatonic harp and a single-strung |
| King David as told in the Old Testament, is often | | | | harp but included new features known as pedals. This |
| confused with the harp. The kinnor is actually a type | | | | harp only included five pedals, which the harps today |
| of lyre. However, the first true harp can be traced | | | | use seven. |
| back to ancient Egypt. | | | | Other harps that were designed off of the earlier |
| In Ancient Egypt the earliest evidence of a harp | | | | inventions were amazing improvements from the |
| dates back to as early as 2500 B.C. These harps | | | | diatonic and the double-action pedal. These harps |
| were actually bow shaped or at a very small angle, | | | | were constructed in the early 1800s. |
| which forced them to have a small number of strings. | | | | The harp is a beautiful instrument people love to play |
| Due to the lack of a column for support, these harps | | | | and listen to the sounds the strings resonate. The |
| were unable to support very much tension. The first | | | | history of the harp dates back all of the way to |
| column appeared in Medieval Western Europe in what | | | | 2500 B.C. and is still played today as a fine and quality |
| came to be known as the frame harp in the 8th to | | | | instrument. |