LilyPond Notation Reference: 2.2.4 Harp

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2.2.4 Harp

This section discusses notation issues that are unique to the harp.

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References for harps

Some common characteristics of harp music are covered elsewhere:

The glissando is the most characteristic harp technique, Glissando.
A bisbigliando is written as a tremolo Tremolo repeats.
Natural harmonics are covered under Harmonics.
For directional arpeggios and non-arpeggios, see Arpeggio.

Harp pedals

Harps have seven strings per octave that may be sounded at the natural, flattened, or sharpened pitch. In lever harps, each string is adjusted individually, but in pedal harps every string with the same pitch name is controlled by a single pedal. From the player’s left to right, the pedals are D, C, and B on the left and E, F, G, and A on the right. The position of the pedals may be indicated with text marks:

\textLengthOn
cis''1_\markup \concat \vcenter {
  [D \flat C \sharp B|E \sharp F \sharp G A \flat] }
c''!1_\markup \concat \vcenter {
  [ C \natural ] }

or pedal diagrams:

\textLengthOn
cis''1_\markup { \harp-pedal "^v-|vv-^" }
c''!1_\markup { \harp-pedal "^o--|vv-^" }

The \harp-pedal command accepts a string of characters, where ^ is the highest pedal position (flattened pitch), - is the middle pedal position (natural pitch), v is the lowest pedal position (sharpened pitch), and | is the divider. A prefixed o will circle the following pedal symbol.

2.2.4 Harp

References for harps

See also

Harp pedals

See also

LilyPond — Notation Reference v2.24.4 (stable-branch).