Abstract: A harp is disclosed. The harp that allows for more simplified pitch change. The harp allows for the creation of a pitch bend effect, similar to the sound of the twang of a guitar. The harp also allows for rising half tones in the strings, wherein the pitch of a string is raised by exactly one semitone. Because of the various ways to change the pitch, each string in the harp is capable of playing up to three different notes.

Abstract: A harp is disclosed. The harp that allows for more simplified pitch change. The harp allows for the creation of a pitch bend effect, similar to the sound of the twang of a guitar. The harp also allows for rising half tones in the strings, wherein the pitch of a string is raised by exactly one semitone. Because of the various ways to change the pitch, each string in the harp is capable of playing up to three different notes.

Abstract: A tuning folk vibration device includes: a SOI substrate having a substrate, an oxide layer formed above the substrate and a semiconductor layer formed above the oxide layer; a tuning folk type vibration section that is formed by processing the semiconductor layer and the oxide layer and composed of the semiconductor layer; and a driving section for generating flexural vibration of the vibration section, wherein the vibration section includes a support section and two beam sections formed in a cantilever shape with the support section as a base of the beam sections, and the driving section includes a pair of drivers formed on each of the two beam sections, each of the drivers including a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer formed above the first electrode layer and a second electrode layer formed above the piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A sharping device for shortening the length of a vibrating string on a lever harp is described. The device consists of an adjustable, freestanding fret in combination with a plastic, rotating blade sharping lever, which the harp player activates by the push of one finger. When rotated, the lever causes a vibrating string to be stopped against the fret. Both lever and fret are located along the neck of a harp so as to raise the frequency of a vibrating string by one semitone.

Abstract: A sharping lever for a folk harp is described which avoids detrimental aspects of prior art levers while providing simple and effective sharping of a harp string and obtaining of true tone quality. The unique configuration of the supporting base, the fret pin and the handle, in which the string rests on the fret pin which in turn rests directly on the base, providing firm contact, allows the device to sharpen the tone of a harp string in a manner which allows for true tone quality to occur. The disclosed sharping lever is mounted on the harp and when in contact with the string, the harmonic tone of the string is raised, and the pressure of the string on the sharping lever is transmitted directly through the support to the harp without vibration or distortion of the raised tone of the harp. Preferably the sharping lever will be positioned and operated such that the string's harmonic tone is raised by one-half tone.

Abstract: In a harp complete with the usual strings, a device by which the tone of some or all of the strings may be provided with three tones, natural, flat, and sharp, the device including a manually manipulated disk having a partial arc-shaped barrel-like cam at its edge, which when rotated to a degree and impinging on a string, applies stress to the spring if desired, to change from one tone to another, and a pin or peg on the disk, parallel to the disk axis but offset, so that upon additional rotary motion, additional stress is imparted to the string, thereby attaining the third tone.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved spindle construction for use in connection with harps of the type having a linkage assembly associated with foot pedals for controlling the action of harp strings. The improved spindle is designed to eliminate friction between the spindles and the action plates which are connected to the two ends of the spindle. The spindle is formed by a cylindrical body portion having a reduced diameter shaft at one end and proportioned to extend into a bore of one of the pair of action plates and to be rotatably retained therein. A bearing sleeve is press-fitted onto the cylindrical body portion at the other end thereof, the sleeve having a chamfered outer peripheral surface which corresponds with a chamfered bore formed in the other one of the pair of action plates into which the sleeve seats.

Abstract: A sharping lever for shortening the length of a vibrating string on a folk harp is described. The sharping lever is mounted along the neck of the harp directly below the tuning pin which secures one end of the vibrating string. The lever includes an L-shaped mounting bracket which is attached securely to the side of the neck of the harp. The sharping lever also includes a rotatably mounted cam which contacts the string along a tip portion. The rotational movement presses the string against a fixedly mounted fret. The fret is located at a position on the mounting bracket so as to precisely define the shortened length of the vibrating string thereby raising its frequency by one-half tone.

Abstract: An improved stationary nut for a harp, for adjusting the position of a harp string relative to sharpening pins of an action plate, includes: an annular collar defining a central bore and, on its outer surface, a generally circumferential groove sized and adapted to be engaged by the harp string, and an elongated shaft sized and adapted to extend through the central bore for fastening the annular collar to the harp. The relative axes of the elongated shaft and the generally circumferential groove defined about the collar are different, and relative rotation between the collar and the shaft is effective to change the radial distance of a segment of the groove surface supporting the harp string from the axis of the shaft in a manner to change the position of the string relative to the sharpening pins, whereby the harp string may be centered on the action plate, between the sharpening pins, for improved playing tone. A harp employing the improved stationary nut is also described.