Harp guitars - yea or nay?

[AcornHouse]

A post about an "amazing version" of Vincent played on a custom harp guitar got me curious so I looked it up on YouTube.
Personally I've always been intrigued by the look of harp guitars but rarely (if ever) have I been impressed with the sound. They always seem like too much gimmick and not enough musical benefit. The Guild of American Lutherie even devoted the current supplement issue to them.

Here's the specific performance that started this thread. I, again, remain unimpressed. Part of it may be the recording (and transmission medium), but the bass strings really don't contribute much and aren't really needed, to my ear.
The high strings do offer an interesting chorus, but the vast majority of the arrangement is just the regular 6 strings and can get by quite well by themselves, thank you.

What does everyone else think?


(While I have no desire to build a harp guitar, I probably wouldn't say no to a commission. But it would cost. Dearly.)

 

[richardp69]

I struggle with 6 strings. Too much for this old man.

 

[GGJaguar]

My friend and I met Mr. Bennett one day at Mass Street Music in Lawrence, KS (just dumb luck). We chatted and got an improptu concert. My friend actually met up with him again at a concert in Germany (small world). He's an amazing player.

 

[GGJaguar]

I struggle with 6 strings. Too much for this old man.

Mr. Bennett has some videos that will have you "playing harp guitar in no time".

 

[walrus]

I'm "unimpressed" with that first video simply because it's a version of " Vincent"...

This is how you play a harp guitar - "Because It's There" - Michael Hedges



walrus

 

[RBSinTo]

Feh.
Another Swiss Army Knife stringed instrument that I have no desire to play or own.
RBSinTo

 

[chazmo]

They are really beautiful instruments, but they look really uncomfortable to hold. I'm sure I'd have difficulty learning how to play one.

 

[Roland]

Not something that appeals to me.

 

[Wilmywood]

Nay

 

[MartyG]

I saw Murial Anderson play at a very small local venue here in PA - a string instrument repair shop in a converted barn - maybe 50 people max. Wonderful concert. I don't recall her playing the harp guitar there, but what she did with six strings was more than enough.

Marty

 

[davismanLV]

I was kinda "Meh." on the whole thing until Michael Hedges!! Now that was awesome!! But then it's also a type of music that seems either written for harp guitar, or amazingly adapted to it. That was really beautiful.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

It's the recording, Chris...I've met Murial and watched her play demos many times at NAMM...sat right in front of her...she's got 3 separate pick up/transducer systems in that instrument...one for each course of strings...live, it's far more balanced than that video.

She's an amazing little lady...emphasis on little...I'm only 5 feet...and I'm taller...she has little tiny hands...with the visible damage from playing all these years...yet she can still reach and effortlessly play some amazing music of all types up and down the fretboard that most of us can only hope to achieve.

Years ago I had a chance to play one of the original antique harp guitars...an amazing experience.

Charlie, they're not really uncomfortable...the body itself is not that large...

Most of them don't have the third high course that her custom instrument has...you'd 'only' be playing guitar and bass...and the bass is not fretted...you'd only need to learn what note each bass string is.

The sound: the whole guitar just vibrates thru that hollow bass neck.

 

[Cougar]

She doesn't seem to be "picking" the harp part at all, rather touching or dampening certain of the harp strings during the (well-played) nylon string guitar part. Which actually coincides with ONE explanation I heard of how one plays a harp guitar -- the harp strings are just there to be vibrated by the guitar strings (like a sitar?).

Anyway, Michael Hedges kind of blew that theory out of the water, lol, proving that one can play a harp guitar any way you want.

 

[mushroom]

I do like the look of the old Gibson ones.

 

[mushroom]

Jeff Martin from the Tea Party can handle one pretty well too.

 

[RBSinTo]

I do like the look of the old Gibson ones.

mushroom,
And I thought the Gibson "bird" guitars were ugly.
My goodness!
Little did I know.
RBSinTo

 

[GardMan]

I guess I'm neither yea or nay... Like any instrument, there are different styles of play, some I find more enjoyable than others. That said, my cousin's son (so my 1st cousin once removed) is a rather accomplished player:



I find Alex's style soothing... something I might put on as background music, or on my morning alarm (which currently features Christopher Parkening and Segovia playing Bach). I am humbled by seeing ANYONE play an instrument well, but am not sure I would seek out harp guitar concerts for an evening out (unless it was my cousin, and then I'd go because.... well, he's my cousin).

 

[Rayk]

Hmmm I say Yea , some things I’m struggling over not knowing theory is bass note tuning . In my music using octaves it all tends to merge together .
Depending on tuning you can’t really go to far off of set tuning , go to high puts more stress on the top and bridge go to low and the notes can get lost behind the regular guitar notes . Open tuning using octaves is prone to this .

Things that help is having a way of getting the bass notes to stand out . Also what you’re playing in terms of said songs etc .

In other words playing a song written for harp guitar over a song written on reg guitar then trying to work bass notes into it .
It can be done obviously I just think you have to be more creative or better then me well , that’s a given !

Over all I like them . Also like Cougar said having the bass strings chime out in some cases adds some nice tones to the back round . A proper playing technique is to learn how to mute the bass notes while playing the regular guitar part .

I have a tune of sorts going but ran into the problem getting the bass notes to stand out during recording . My other issue is getting my fingers to hit the right bass strings lol also the learning curve of having the rock of Gibraltar in your face blocking the reg 6 string neck from view but it will vary player to player so no big deal . lol anyway I’ll try to get it done .

I love this version of cold plays song but keep in ear er, mind the bass notes are a tad out of tune oddly ?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Well, first off, just to get it out of the way, Muriel Anderson can do no wrong.

Now to the question: Yay or nay what? Do we like 'em? Do we have 'em? Are they a gimmick? Have we played 'em? Do we want one?

It's just like any other instrument, it depends on the song and the player. Personally, six strings is about all I can handle on a guitar. But Anderson does a nice job (as usual) on a nice song. (A boring song, to my ears, but a popular one with lots of cool changes.) No complaints!

 

[Balderdash]

I can’t play Saxophone, piano, banjo, harmonica or rugby - but I admire the people who can and do.
Yay or nay ? An emphatic yay for them, but a nay for me.

I play guitar to support my lyrics…,
About 5 years ago I wrote a song for my twelve string that had the following couplet;
”If I needed fourteen strings, to play folk, rhythm and blues,
I’d just count the two strings, the two strings down in my shoes.”