Progressive Lessons for Early Gaelic Harp

a tutor book by Simon Chadwick

These web pages are a companion for my new book, Progressive Lessons for Early Gaelic Harp. Click here to order your copy.

There are a number of curious features of the way the old Gaelic harps were tuned. Most notable is the use of two strings tuned to the same note, G below middle C. Known as "na comhluighe" (ne cawlee), these divide the treble and bass, and are the first notes to be tuned. Click here for historical information about na comhluighe.

My book includes six pages on tunings, with detailed instructions and charts for the two main tunings used by the 18th century Irish harpers: one using f♯ and the other using f♮. Both these tunings are demonstrated on the CD.

Click here for a facsimile of the chart transcribed on p.18 of my book: Bunting ms29 p.77 (f38r), at Queens University Belfast. This is Edward Bunting's field notebook from the 1790s.

Click here for a facsimile of the chart transcribed on p.19 of my book, "Hempson's Harp 1702": Bunting ms29 p.153 (f74v), at Queens University Belfast.

Click here for a facsimile of the charts transcribed on p.21 and 23 of my book, "Scale for the Harp": Bunting ms29 p.156 (f76r), at Queens University Belfast. Both charts are on the one page of the manuscript, first "Sharp key or the natural key" and then "Flat key or high bass"

Next: Gestures

Comments? Questions? Want to find out more?
lessons in St Andrews, Dundee & Edinburgh
One-to-one tuition at home, anywhere in the world: online video lessons using Skype
Every August in Kilkenny, Ireland: Scoil na gCláirseach - Summer School of Early Irish Harp