First of A Kind New Type of Harp, Has Both Laser Beams, And Harp Strings!

Jan. 7, 2009 - PRLog -- This commission is for a 33 string acoustic-electric harp with 33 individual RMC piezo transducers, that also has 6 low-powered green lasers built-into the harp.

Four of these laser will be set in-line, below the bass harp string, #33, making them 'strings' number 34,35,36, and  37. The other two will be installed,  one on each side of the sound board, running just above the surface of the board. These ones on the sound board will each be aimed down, from the top end of the harp to the bass end, running just above the surface of the sound board, down the middle of each side.
All six will be aimed at optic sensors that have filters over them to just admit the laser light, so the harp can be played in even the brightest stage lighting conditions, with no false triggering of the sensors when the laser beams are broken by the players hand.

OK, so why would a harpist wish to have lasers on an acoustic -electric harp ?? Well they will be used by this harpist to trigger background, sampled nature sounds like ocean waves and bird sounds in the woods, the wind in the trees, etc.They can also be used to trigger background loops of accompanying music, bass tracks, soft drum or any other conceivable type of music or sound, in single note or sequence.

The lasers will also be used to trigger video and still images projected with an LCD projector. All of these audio and visual triggering will be done with the custom interactive OptiMusic midi controller and software that Glenn uses. This software is fully programmable to allow any kind of sampled synthesizer or natural sound or wave file to be triggered by a laser beam being broken. Any kind of still or cideo image can also be triggered by this system.

The harpist will also have 6 floor pedals available to allow her to change the programed sounds and visuals for each piece of music she plays, and to also trigger other lighting changes, such as stage as well.

So the harp can be played purely acoustically, with no midi or amplified sound. Or it can be played acoustically, with accompanying midi sounds and/ or visuals. Or the harp can be played with either stereo or mixed-mono amplified sound out-put and no midi sound and/or visuals. Or this harp can use all of it`s systems together, amplified sound, triggered midi sounds, and triggered midi visuals.

The harp itself will be artistically carved with the harp pillar like a tree trunk, and with branches and leaves up on the harp neck, from solid Cherry wood, with a solid Spruce sound board.

Please visit Glenn`s 'custom harp builder blog" for more information, on this project and other ones as well, as they are being constructed!    http://thecustomharpbuilder.blogspot.com/

And the web site at : http://www.laserharps.com or http://www.mountainglenharps.com

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Creating custom one-of-a-kind carved and sculpted harps with, nylon, gut and wire strings, for over thirty years. Making single, double and cross strung harps in all sizes from 10 to 42 strings. Custom laser beam MIDI harps, with red and green lasers.