# Looking for a harp



## rvb (Nov 9, 2017)

What's your 'endgame' harp? I am currently using the one from the kontakt 5 library, but I feel like it will do my mixes justice if I get a dedicated harp library.

Also looking around for good sounding traditional orchestral percussion libraries. I am eyeballing the expansive spitfire perc or the more affordable vir2 perc. Any thoughts on this will be much appreciated!


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## synthpunk (Nov 9, 2017)

The Kontakt Factory Harp (VSL) is pretty good despite it's age and simplicity in a mix actually, especially when you add this fake RR script to it.
http://nilsliberg.se/ksp/scripts/utkt/utkt.htm
You could also beef it up with a synthetic harp layer with something like Zebra, FM8, Alchemy, or Dexed (free).

If your looking for something wet the Spitfire is very good and inspiring. It always reminds me of Dorothy Ashby.

I have read good comments about Chocolate Audio, Soundiron, and Orange Tree.


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## JohnG (Nov 9, 2017)

hi @rvb 

I use the Spitfire harp, the (ancient) EWQLSO harp sometimes, and a different (I assume) Spitfire harp that came with their Chrysalis library. Don't know if I've even auditioned the Kontakt harp.

For traditional percussion, honestly there are many good alternatives. I don't find I use "traditional" percussion that much anymore (snare drums and so on). But the Spitfire Hans Zimmer percussion (the big one, which I think is 01) is good fun.


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## nicoroy123 (Nov 9, 2017)

And what about EW Hollywood Harp ? Any owner could comment if it is any good or not ?


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## Nils Neumann (Nov 9, 2017)

nicoroy123 said:


> And what about EW Hollywood Harp ? Any owner could comment if it is any good or not ?


for me there is way to much noise in the EW Harp (Gold), looking for a replacment too


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## bryla (Nov 9, 2017)

I can highly recommend Glissando Concert Harp from Chocolate Audio http://www.chocolateaudio.com/products/glissando-concert-harp


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## dtcomposer (Nov 9, 2017)

nicoroy123 said:


> And what about EW Hollywood Harp ? Any owner could comment if it is any good or not ?



I have it and like it quite a bit. It doesn't sound very good unless you mix a couple mic positions together, imo. I think it has a lovely sound though once you get that mix sounding how you want it. I've heard good things about the Chocolate audio harp as well and if it ever goes on a big sale I'll get it.


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## JonSolo (Nov 9, 2017)

What about the harp from Soundiron?


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## muk (Nov 9, 2017)

Not that I know all the contenders, but I own the Orange Tree Angelic Harp and I am happy with it. I recently got the Soundiron Elysium Harp as well. I haven't tested it thoroughly yet, but on first impression I think I'll be using the Orange Tree harp most of the time.


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## muziksculp (Nov 9, 2017)

Hi,

I purchased _CineSamples_ *CineHarps* a few days ago (It was on discount), so far, very happy with the sound, playability, and variety of content.

https://cinesamples.com/product/cineharps

Another Harp library I use, and like is _ProjectSam'_s *Classic Harp*. This is an older library, but still sounds great.

https://www.projectsam.com/Products/Other-Libraries/1357

Cheers,
Muziksculp


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## kurtvanzo (Nov 9, 2017)

I was a fan of Cineharp (the first one), until I picked up https://www.projectsam.com/Products/Other-Libraries/1357 (Project Sam's Concert Harp), which has a woodier tone and more articulations. Worked great, then I recently picked up Soundiron's Elysium Harp, which sounds even clearer in a dense mix, has multiple mics, and more articulations, including a few different playing styles that can help the harp piece to stand out or play back. Really a winner. Even the spare gliss patch (with many ks glisses included) and pad patches are really great. Highly recommend. Black Friday or Christmas sale will be good time to grab it.

I pulled up the EW Hollywood Harp to compare, but it didn't beat these top three. I considered Chocolate Audio's Glissando as well but in the end the tone wasn't for me. Cheers.


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## Consona (Nov 9, 2017)

I have Glissando Concert Harp from Chocolate Audio and Elysium Harp from Soundiron. Love them both.


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## Eptesicus (Nov 9, 2017)

What about VSL's harp. Is that considered any good?


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## South Thames (Nov 9, 2017)

I'll throw a vote in for the Project SAM harp. For me it was a toss up between that and the Spitfire one, but Spitfire's is more expensive, and unless you're going to do a lot of exposed harp writing, I'm not sure it's worth it, plus it has a very resonant sound that I don't particularly like. The SAM harp blends well, has some extended articulations (harmonics are particularly useful) and it's fairly competitive, price-wise. 

Though I haven't really sized up the alternatives, Spitfire Percussion is my orchestral percussion workhorse. Doesn't do everything but does most thing pretty well. The most frustrating gap for me is the lack of a decent bell tree (and Spitfire's own freebie Labs bell tree isn't much good)!


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## kurtvanzo (Nov 9, 2017)

South Thames said:


> I'll throw a vote in for the Project SAM harp. For me it was a toss up between that and the Spitfire one, but Spitfire's is more expensive, and unless you're going to do a lot of exposed harp writing, I'm not sure it's worth it, plus it has a very resonant sound that I don't particularly like. The SAM harp blends well, has some extended articulations (harmonics are particularly useful) and it's fairly competitive, price-wise.
> 
> Though I haven't really sized up the alternatives, Spitfire Percussion is my orchestral percussion workhorse. Doesn't do everything but does most thing pretty well. The most frustrating gap for me is the lack of a decent bell tree (and Spitfire's own freebie Labs bell tree isn't much good)!



Some other bell tree options in this thread...
https://vi-control.net/community/threads/bell-tree-vst-not-mark-tree.58730/


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## vms (Nov 9, 2017)

Soundiron harp is the best IMHO, except that a few notes sound much louder than the rest.
Symphobia 3 comes with a decent celtic harp (only sustained notes).

If memory serves,
Spitfire harp crossfades 8 short notes (8 note heads) and 1 long note (1 tail) to create 8RR,
thus it sounds a bit unnatural.


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## Quasar (Nov 10, 2017)

JonSolo said:


> What about the harp from Soundiron?


Wonderful. Full-featured, easy to create/customize the glisses, great tones, and the usual Soundiron practice of adding "extra" patches from the samples for sound design-ish stuff. 

I personally think the default release times tend to be a bit long, but of course that's a simple tweak.


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## synthpunk (Nov 10, 2017)

Why do some sampled harps come out sounding like Celtic or fantasy and others more traditional ?


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## Vardaro (Nov 10, 2017)

XSamples.


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## jonathanprice (Nov 10, 2017)

I've got Chocolate Audio, Skaila Kanga Redux, EWHH, and Pianoteq. My favorite for sound/flexibility is Chocolate Audio, but the Pianoteq sits in the mix a little better. My wish list includes Project SAM, Elysium, and Angelic.


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## VinRice (Nov 10, 2017)

Digging CineHarps at the moment.


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## VinRice (Nov 10, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> Why do some sampled harps come out sounding like Celtic or fantasy and others more traditional ?



Celtic Harps are different to Concert Harps. Smaller and no pedals, more wood, less metal. Traditionally centre two strings are tuned in unison.


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## VinRice (Nov 10, 2017)

Trad Celtic (Gaelic really) harps use metal strings but there are modern Celtic harps with nylon strings and semi-tone mechanisms but still smaller than a concert harp.


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## Lee Blaske (Nov 11, 2017)

Eptesicus said:


> What about VSL's harp. Is that considered any good?



VSL Harp I, even though it's been out for a long time now, is still one of my favorites (and I own a lot of other options). I just seem to be able to fit it into a track very easily. And, using the normal articulation, it's very easy to build custom glissandi with it. I like the fact that's it's dry, and that I can create the space after the fact. Sometimes, harp samples that have the reverb baked in really seem to develop a build up of ring as all the various reverbs of the various notes played add up together.


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## Eptesicus (Nov 11, 2017)

Lee Blaske said:


> VSL Harp I, even though it's been out for a long time now, is still one of my favorites (and I own a lot of other options). I just seem to be able to fit it into a track very easily. And, using the normal articulation, it's very easy to build custom glissandi with it. I like the fact that's it's dry, and that I can create the space after the fact. Sometimes, harp samples that have the reverb baked in really seem to develop a build up of ring as all the various reverbs of the various notes played add up together.



Thanks. Really want a decent harp ( i only have the basic harp you get with the basic VSL special edition) and i might get synchron strings and at the same time be able to get the whole vsl harp set for ~£100 due to their 3 for 2 offer.

However i dont know if it is really worth £100 compared to the others (for example the sound iron one might be on sale during black friday making it cheaper)


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## Lotias (Nov 11, 2017)

Eptesicus said:


> Thanks. Really want a decent harp ( i only have the basic harp you get with the basic VSL special edition) and i might get synchron strings and at the same time be able to get the whole vsl harp set for ~£100 due to their 3 for 2 offer.
> 
> However i dont know if it is really worth £100 compared to the others (for example the sound iron one might be on sale during black friday making it cheaper)


Basically all VSL libraries are still very usable, but you might find it limited in terms of dynamic layers (the Special Edition harp has only 3, the full version might have more) or elsewhere - you can ask VSL support for a manual that tells you the specifics of what the library's got.


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## Casiquire (Nov 11, 2017)

Any other thoughts on the Pianoteq one? Thanks for all the helpful posts!


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## Lotias (Nov 11, 2017)

Casiquire said:


> Any other thoughts on the Pianoteq one? Thanks for all the helpful posts!


Comparing it to sampled harps -
the bass register is not as clear as it could be, but otherwise it sounds pretty good. It would definitely be usable, and playable like Pianoteq always is.


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## Casiquire (Nov 11, 2017)

Thanks. I'm looking into all the other suggestions now too. I love this forum.


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Nov 12, 2017)

I have VSL Harp 1 and the Spitfire Harp. They're both great and have their own advantages. I find the VSL one easier to work with, and it has a more firm, present sound with tighter low end. When you play harmonics, the percussive thump that comes with it is pleasantly audible. With the SF Harp, I struggle a bit sometimes, with its weird release behavior and somewhat resonant sound. I prefer it though when I want the harp to appear more distant.


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## Leon Willett (Nov 12, 2017)

Hello! My vote goes to the old EastWest QLSO harp. My favourite harp by far!


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## LHall (Nov 12, 2017)

Are there any great harps that emulate the (pitch) pedals on an actual harp?


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## South Thames (Nov 12, 2017)

The Spitfire harp has a 'pedal' mode, and use a UI pedal diagram to adjust each 7 notes of the diatonic scale, just like a real harp (the black notes stop working in this mode):
See around 1:25:


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## bryla (Nov 12, 2017)

LHall said:


> Are there any great harps that emulate the (pitch) pedals on an actual harp?


Chokolate audio does that. That way you can play the white keys only and change pedal settings with the keys off the bottom octave.


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## Joe_D (Nov 12, 2017)

LHall said:


> Are there any great harps that emulate the (pitch) pedals on an actual harp?



Pianoteq Harp has a pedal mode as well. The white keys remain your diatonic playing strings, and the seven sets of three black keys each become your pedals, allowing you to choose the flat, natural, and sharp variation for one of the seven notes. (Interestingly, the other Pianoteq instruments also include this "harp pedal mode," meaning that you can play a piano as if it were a harp, playing only the white keys with their chromatic inflection controlled by the sets of black keys). You click the little "D" or "C" to the left of the keyboard to switch between diatonic and chromatic modes.

Of the harps I have, I probably use the Spitfire Harp the most. OrangeTree's Angelic Harp is also nice, with a clearer, closer sound. Pianoteq's Harp has improved, and is by far the most easily modified. Don't overlook the Kontakt and EWQLSO harps; they both can be useful.

I have been pretty tempted by the creative articulations included with the Chocolate Audio Harp, but I don't have it yet.


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## constaneum (Nov 12, 2017)

I'm still liking ProjectSAM's Concert Harp as well.


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## AllanH (Nov 12, 2017)

I like the Harp from East West. Another interesting one, is the Pianoteq Harp, which is very playable for me.


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## kurtvanzo (Nov 12, 2017)

LHall said:


> Are there any great harps that emulate the (pitch) pedals on an actual harp?


Soundiron Elysium harp also has pedal switches. Combined with the Arp you can get some decent runs. The gliss patch (many actual recorded glisses on keyswitched sets) also works well for the real thing.


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## dhlkid (Nov 13, 2017)

constaneum said:


> I'm still liking ProjectSAM's Concert Harp as well.


+1 ProjectSAM harp


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## Satorious (Nov 13, 2017)

The Chocolate Audio Glissando has pitch pedals (it's my favourite harp tonally speaking). I also now have Elysium from the recent Sound Iron bundle which is also rather nice (has a more ethereal quality). I feel I'm covered with both of these (and a few others also), these are my "go-to-harps".


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## d.healey (Nov 13, 2017)

I've just sampled one, sustains, staccato, table, harmonics, and finger nail plucking. 3 mic positions. Should have it ready to go in a month or so


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## danielb (Nov 14, 2017)

If you have the chocolate Harp, dif you succeed in using the glissando system?? I can't make it work properly, the speed sometimes changes between the 2 notes without I understand why :(


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## VinRice (Nov 14, 2017)

danielb said:


> If you have the chocolate Harp, dif you succeed in using the glissando system?? I can't make it work properly, the speed sometimes changes between the 2 notes without I understand why :(



That's the whole idea! The time interval between you pressing the first and second note determines the speed of the glissando.


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## Simone Coen (Nov 15, 2017)

FIY: Chocolate Audio Glissando concert harp is on sale now for 50% off (USD 49)


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## rvb (Nov 15, 2017)

Simone Coen said:


> FIY: Chocolate Audio Glissando concert harp is on sale now for 50% off (USD 49)


Nice, thanks for the heads up!


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## Simone Coen (Nov 15, 2017)

VinRice said:


> That's the whole idea! The time interval between you pressing the first and second note determines the speed of the glissando.


yes, that's the way it was thought out


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## Simone Coen (Nov 15, 2017)

We recently received this audio from Jordan Rudess, not yet published.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1j5ocwmn4fvzmju/Jordan Rudess's harp dream.wav?dl=0

Hope you dig it!


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## juliansader (Nov 15, 2017)

rvb said:


> What's your 'endgame' harp? I am currently using the one from the kontakt 5 library, but I feel like it will do my mixes justice if I get a dedicated harp library.



Unfortunately, AFAIK, none of the existing harp VIs can do realistic mockups of solo, exposed harp pieces.

As crucial as legato transitions are to realistic string and wind VIs, "pre-pluck buzz" noise is to the harp -- but no library (yet) includes these.

When a harpist plucks a string that is already vibrating from a previous note, there will inevitably be a momentary buzzing sound before the string is plucked, as the string will briefly vibrate against the finger before it is stopped and re-plucked.

In a live harp performance, the pre-pluck noises can be heard clearly:


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## Simone Coen (Nov 15, 2017)

juliansader said:


> Unfortunately, AFAIK, none of the existing harp VIs can do realistic mockups of solo, exposed harp pieces.
> 
> As crucial as legato transitions are to realistic string and wind VIs, "pre-pluck buzz" noise is to the harp -- but no library (yet) includes these.
> 
> ...



that is part of our library for sure as far as I remember. Part of the release samples that are triggered when releasing a key (we chose to have a piano-like sustain experience, so the opposite of an harp) so if you retrigger that key you will hear before it the buzz of the string. This depends on user settings of course, but it's thought like that.


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## MarkusB47 (Nov 15, 2017)

My go to Harp is Orchestral Tools’ harp in their Symphonic Sphere collection. It uses pedals and works well in an exposed setting in my mock-ups.


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## Daisser (Nov 17, 2017)

What's a good harp to sit in the background of an orchestral mix for runs? I have the Orange Tree's one and although it sounds beautiful its so mid range boomy it doesn't sit right in any mix I try.


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## windyweekend (Nov 18, 2017)

Daisser said:


> What's a good harp to sit in the background of an orchestral mix for runs? I have the Orange Tree's one and although it sounds beautiful its so mid range boomy it doesn't sit right in any mix I try.


Spitfire's Skaila Kanga's harp would work best if you use any of their Air Lyndhurst libs as it was recorded in the same room. Chrysalis is a lot drier so would need artificial reverb to splosh it up a bit.


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## juliansader (Dec 10, 2017)

Simone Coen said:


> that is part of our library for sure as far as I remember. Part of the release samples that are triggered when releasing a key (we chose to have a piano-like sustain experience, so the opposite of an harp) so if you retrigger that key you will hear before it the buzz of the string. This depends on user settings of course, but it's thought like that.



This is great news! Do you perhaps have a demo that demonstrates these performance noises? (Probably a piece with lots of repeated notes.)


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## Casiquire (Dec 11, 2017)

juliansader said:


> This is great news! Do you perhaps have a demo that demonstrates these performance noises? (Probably a piece with lots of repeated notes.)



You get a bit of this with Pianoteq as well, you can control the volume of it. Free trial as well.


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## Simone Coen (Dec 15, 2017)

juliansader said:


> This is great news! Do you perhaps have a demo that demonstrates these performance noises? (Probably a piece with lots of repeated notes.)


Let me check...


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## Parsifal666 (Sep 7, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> The Kontakt Factory Harp (VSL) is pretty good despite it's age and simplicity in a mix actually, especially when you add this fake RR script to it.
> http://nilsliberg.se/ksp/scripts/utkt/utkt.htm
> You could also beef it up with a synthetic harp layer with something like Zebra, FM8, Alchemy, or Dexed (free).
> 
> ...



I am pretty dunderheaded about scripts (actually I'm just plain dunderheaded, period lol!)...would I simply paste this into the script in Kontakt Really sorry about what's probably a dumb question.


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## fixxer49 (Sep 7, 2018)

VinRice said:


> Digging *CineHarps* at the moment.


+10. CineHarps rules! (I was a Symphonic Sphere user before.)


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## Michael Antrum (Sep 7, 2018)

I have both Spitfire and OT Symphonic Sphere Harps, and they'll do me nicely for now, but I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the new OT Berlin Sypmphonic Harps. Has anyone got anything to say about these two harps..?


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## WindcryMusic (Sep 7, 2018)

My current go-to harp is Soundiron's Elysium Harp because of the tone, but I'm pretty frustrated with it because of a bug in the programming that doesn't remember customized pedal positions when a project is reloaded ... it can only remember and restore unmodified presets. I'd reported this bug to Soundiron, but the last thing I heard what that they might fix it sometime before the end of 2018, or they might not. I haven't heard anything since, so I assume it has not been fixed. I've been thinking about either programming a Scripter plugin to sit in front of the harp to implement my own pedal position logic ... or maybe just buying someone else's harp library.

EDIT: Since posting this message, Nathan from Soundiron has come through for me with a new set of patches that fix the issue with the pedals, so I'm back to being a happy Elysium Harp user. Yay!


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## AlexanderSchiborr (Sep 7, 2018)

I like the Spitfire Harp. Nice and you can do nice runs and glissandos and for supporting harmony it works well. Really nice harp.


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## Heinigoldstein (Sep 7, 2018)

mikeybabes said:


> I have both Spitfire and OT Symphonic Sphere Harps, and they'll do me nicely for now, but I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the new OT Berlin Sypmphonic Harps. Has anyone got anything to say about these two harps..?


I'm surprised too. I have them and think they are great.


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## ChrisSiuMusic (Sep 7, 2018)

The Berlin Symphonic Harps are my go-to. Blend in great, fabulous tone, and wonderful glissandi function.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 7, 2018)

I haven't read this whole thread, and it's old, but I have yet to hear a bad sampled harp - and I've played with quite a few over the years. Sampling technology works really well for harp. Like John G, I like the one in the old EWQLSO, especially the harmonics program. The one in the Kurzweil K2000/2500 is fine too. I even had a good one in the Sequential Prophet 2000 back in the day.

Now, if you're concerned with limiting your parts to seven notes at a time and taking pedal changes into account, it looks like the Orchestral Tools one on the previous page makes that easy. I personally don't find it necessary to have the V.I. do that for me, however - writing for real harp is not very complicated, and it's easy to gliss up or down the keyboard and constrain the notes to a scale by editing them.

To be honest, I've never cared whether a real harp could play the part I plunk out on the keyboard, because I haven't had occasion to write for real harp since the '80s. But I do care whether glisses play the right notes.


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## Casiquire (Sep 7, 2018)

Pianoteq's pedal system is so brilliant for this kind of thing!


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 7, 2018)

I mean, you have seven pedals that go up or down a half step from their center positions...


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