About the 6x6 Chromatic Harp
The 6x6 cross-strung chromatic harp is named this way because it has two rows of strings that cross each other.
One row is tuned in whole notes (6 notes in an octave) from C (c, d, e, f#, g#, a#)
and the other row is also tuned in whole notes but from C# (c#, d#, f, g, a, b).
This way you have all the chromatic notes available for both hands. This gives a lot of possibilities for different styles of music for example old music, jazz, modern music, new arrangements of piano and guitar music.
I won't deny that finding the right notes and the right fingerings is often a challenge, but the joy of having all the notes without having to change pedals or levers is addictive.
Because both hands play the strings above and below the crossing, the fingering can get very different from single row harps.
Thumbs down and use of little fingers is often a must.
There is a little number of people playing this kind of harp, many of them in Germany, some in the USA, some in France, two in Holland and one in South-Korea.
Because of the little number of players there is not much written specially for this harp, Christopher Pampuch made nice arrangements and for the rest most of us make our own arrangements from piano or guitar sheet music.
Once a year there is a meeting in Germany to play together, exchange music, find solutions for difficulties, inspire each other and have fun.
The 6x6 cross-strung chromatic harp is named this way because it has two rows of strings that cross each other.
One row is tuned in whole notes (6 notes in an octave) from C (c, d, e, f#, g#, a#)
and the other row is also tuned in whole notes but from C# (c#, d#, f, g, a, b).
This way you have all the chromatic notes available for both hands. This gives a lot of possibilities for different styles of music for example old music, jazz, modern music, new arrangements of piano and guitar music.
I won't deny that finding the right notes and the right fingerings is often a challenge, but the joy of having all the notes without having to change pedals or levers is addictive.
Because both hands play the strings above and below the crossing, the fingering can get very different from single row harps.
Thumbs down and use of little fingers is often a must.
There is a little number of people playing this kind of harp, many of them in Germany, some in the USA, some in France, two in Holland and one in South-Korea.
Because of the little number of players there is not much written specially for this harp, Christopher Pampuch made nice arrangements and for the rest most of us make our own arrangements from piano or guitar sheet music.
Once a year there is a meeting in Germany to play together, exchange music, find solutions for difficulties, inspire each other and have fun.
