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