Harp guitar

Gibson Style U, c. 1911.[1]

The harp guitar (or "harp-guitar") is a guitar-based stringed instrument with a history of well over two centuries. While there are several unrelated historical stringed instruments that have been referred to as "harp-guitar" over the centuries, its most common definition is a "guitar, in any of its accepted forms, with any number of additional unstopped strings that can accommodate individual plucking."[2] The word "harp" is used in reference to its harp-like unstopped open strings. A harp guitar must have at least one unfretted string lying off the main fretboard, typically played as an open string.

This family consists of many varieties of instrument configurations. Most readily identified are American harp guitars with either hollow arms, double necks or harp-like frames for supporting extra bass strings, and European bass guitars (or contraguitars). Other harp guitars feature treble or mid-range floating strings, or various combinations of multiple floating string banks along with a standard guitar neck.[3]

Electric harp guitars

While most players of harp guitars play on acoustic instruments, a few of them also work with electric instruments. Notable artists who played electric harp guitars are Tim Donahue (who uses a fretless guitar section) and Michael Hedges. American musician William Eaton both designs and plays electric harp guitar and is considered one of the world's great designers/builders of unique guitars.[4] The Japanese noise band Solmania built their own harp guitars. Yuri Landman has built a 17 string electric harp guitar for Finn Andrews of The Veils.[5] The instrument has an additional movable bridge on the harp section allowing players to pitch the harp section higher or lower.

Harp guitar players

Historical harp guitar players include the German composers and guitarists Adam Darr (1811–1866) and Eduard Bayer (1822–1908) and the Italian virtuosi Pasquale Taraffo (1887–1937),[6][7] Mario Maccaferri, and Luigi Mozzani. Viennese and French virtuosos who often played instruments with extra, floating bass strings include Carulli, Coste, Giuliani, Mertz, Padovec and Sor.[8]

English guitarist John McLaughlin notably played a harp guitar, particularly with the group Shakti, often using the harp strings for Indian inspired drones and open chords. Michael Hedges was known for occasionally using a 1920s-era harp guitar, such as in his song "Because It's There". Andy McKee also plays a harp guitar in a few of his songs, such as "Into The Ocean". Don Alder uses the Harp guitar in songs such as "Sayonara.calm" and "Man from Ladylane" a song dedicated to Stephen Bennett, founder of the Harp Guitar Gathering and one of the top current day harp guitar players. Antoine Dufour also uses the instrument occasionally, such as in his song "Paroxysm".

Alfred Karnes (1891–1958) was an Old Time Country and Southern Gospel singer and guitarist who recorded at the famous Bristol Sessions in 1927. He was known for songs such as "I'm Bound for the Promised Land" and "To the Work".

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Gibson harp guitar: Last changes" by Benoît Meulle-Stef
  2. ↑ "What is a Harp Guitar?". www.harpguitars.net. April 25, 2004.
  3. ↑ The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments (Second Edition)
  4. ↑ "William Eaton: Harp Guitar Luthier, Performer"
  5. ↑ Belgium article about Finn Andrews' electric harp guitar
  6. ↑ Pasquale Taraffo on Harpguitars.net
  7. ↑ Pasquale Taraffo on Guidobeiro.com
  8. ↑ Encyclopedia of Harp Guitar Players of the Past
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