What is the difference between a lever and pedal harp?
The lever harp is small, with an average of about 20 40 strings. Without getting too technical, when making a key change each note needs to be adjusted individually by flicking a lever with the left hand to change the tension on the string. This can limit the ability to make rapid key changes and influence the type of music that can be played. The lever harp generally produces a lighter ringing sound. The pedal harp stands on average at 6ft and can have between 37 and 47 strings. It has 7 pedals, one for each note of the scale. Each pedal has 3 potential positions which adjusts the tension on the string unlike the lever harp. When the F pedal is changed from sharp to natural for example, this will change ALL the F strings on the harp to natural. The advantage of the pedal harp is that both hands are free to continue playing, whilst the feet can adjust the key. Pedal harps tend to produce a much warmer and richer sound.
