Electric Harp - Function

Function

Solid-body electric harps are usually lever harps, though solid body pedal harps have also been built. Since the cost of a pedal harp is so high, it is more economical for a harpist to purchase an electro-acoustic model of pedal harp, as it can also be played without amplification.

An electro-acoustic harp looks nearly identical to a regular acoustic harp, whether lever or pedal. It has piezo pickups at the base of each string, and some also contain a separate microphone inside the soundbox, enabling the harpist to mix the signals from both kinds of pickups to produce special effects. Often such harps include an onboard preamplifier. One of the most famous electro-acoustic pedal harp models is Camac's "Big Blue", finished in a striking electric blue colour.