Why are harp strings colored, and what do the different colors mean?
Harp strings are color coded so that the player can identify what strings to pluck. The C strings are red and the F strings are black, arranged in octaves like a piano. Q: Is the harp considered a percussion instrument or a string instrument? A: The harp sound originates in a ‘percussed’ string; thus it is considered both a string and a percussion instrument. Q: Do harpists use all ten fingers when playing, and does the instrument rest on the shoulder or the knee? A: We use eight fingers—no pinky because it’s too short and will change the correct playing position of the hand and, not to mention, it’s just not strong enough. The instrument rests on my right shoulder. Q: How is the harp most often used, and most often not, in music? A: Harp is often used to color the sound of other instruments in the orchestra, or as a keyboard replacement by ten-fingered composers too lazy to learn its true eight-fingered nature. It is not an ‘upright naked piano’! Q: Where do you see the harp in five y
