Getting a chromatic electronic tuner, using a clip-on microphone with that tuner, and ensuring that the tuner’s two hands move through the strings together are the best tips for tuning a harp. Tuning a harp is made easier if the tuner plucks the string being tuned with his or her index finger while mutting the two neighboring strings with his or her thumb and middle finger. The right hand should remain on the tuning key to prevent it from falling and damaging the instrument, as well as to ensure that it is on the correct string.
Tuning a harp has never been easier thanks to electronic tuners. Most electronic tuners can now recognize the note being produced without knowing the target note, which is an improvement over older models. The tuner’s readout will show which note the string is closest to, as well as how high or low the currently produced note is.
A red light indicates an incorrectly tuned string, while a green light indicates perfect tuning. These lights work in tandem with a needle that appears in the middle of the screen. To get the needle to point directly up and the green light to illuminate, adjust the tuning of the instrument. The tuner can use a clip-on microphone to pick up the sound without having to be close to the instrument.
Starting with the lowest strings is a good way to ensure that each string is checked when tuning a harp. The middle finger should be on the lowest string, the index finger on the next lowest string, and the thumb on the third lowest string when tuning the instrument. The middle finger should be used to pluck the first string, and the index finger should be used to pluck the remaining strings. To muffle overtones and ensure the player remembers which string is being tuned, the thumb and middle finger can rest on the strings next to the string being tuned. Once a string has been tuned, all three fingers should be moved down one position.
When tuning a harp, the person tuning it should keep his or her right hand on the tuning key. The key should be placed on the tuning peg that is connected to the string that is being tuned at the time. If the person tuning takes his or her hand away from the harp, the tuning key may fall and cause damage to the harp’s body. When the left hand’s fingers move down to the next highest string, the tuning key is moved down to the next tuning peg, ensuring that the correct string is tuned and reducing the risk of the key falling and causing damage.