Being a harpist is much more difficult than it sounds. For that dream to happen in anyone’s life, they will need an instrument. To get better at anything requires the people to pour in their time and work, in the music field, things get to another level.
Music requires time and deep knowledge which will only come from experience. While somebody new to the world of music will have a difficult time in the beginning but eventually they will find their way to the top.
Learning an instrument can be fun and exciting for anyone who never tried it before. But to get better with the instrument requires the person to own their instrument. Only then they will be able to understand every little detail about the instrument and what it can do in the hands of a musician. If you pick harp as your instrument then the million-dollar question is
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how much does a harp cost?
The average price for a beginner harp cost around $300. If you want to go a step beyond into the intermediate zone, here a harp will cost between $500 to $1,500.If your skill level is on par with a professional player and you want your harp to fulfill the requirement of a larger stadium, then your harp will come in the price tag of $50,000 to $150,000.
For sure you don’t want to get stuck with a cheaper version of the harp as it will not sound well, and it will probably ruin the song that you are trying to play with it.
Compared to other instruments, harps sit at the top for being exotic. In plenty of orchestras, you will see harps being played in the background to add a harmonious tone to the overall play. When it comes to the price tag, harps will sit on the top.
There are a variety of reasons that make the harp one of the most expensive instruments in the music industry.
Different prices Range For Skill Level For Harp
Harps come in different sizes and one of the most important factors many professionals recommend for the newcomers is the skill level. If you want to play the harp you must be aware of the skill level that you have on the harp. Once a person realizes their current skill level then they will be able to effectively use the harp with no problem.
Decent harp cost $300
These are the numbers that you have to deal with if you are skiing a harp as your musical instrument. Don’t let the price tag scare you, if you are just starting, you can get a decent one for $300 or even less. Although there are some sacrifices that you have to make on the sound quality. It might not sound as good as the vamp that comes in the price range of 6 figures.
But they will be excellent for beginners who just want to try the instrument out. People make plenty of mistakes when they make their minds about instrument purchases. Some see the instrument as a thing to play around with, and others see this instrument as an investment. The latter is the route that anybody should follow if they want to get better at it. The musical journey can only begin if you are committed to the instrument that you love otherwise you will lose interest and go back to the normal life,
While the superior version of the harp will suck all of your money, but the average one will not create any dent.
They are the right choice for anyone who wants to learn the harp and get better at it. Different types of the harp are designed for a player with a certain skill set. If a person has the skill to play the harp, they can make the harp sound heavenly.
In short, getting a harp will not be a waste of money to anyone, if you start to think of the harp as an investment of your money and passion. Then you will soon see yourself loving every second playing the harp.
The price range of harps
As you now know that harps come in different sizes and budgets. Not every harp enthusiast is ready to roll a 6 figure number on a harp that they don’t; know anything about.
That is why there are choices for the people to choose from if they want to get a harp for themselves. In this section, you will see a different variety of harps available in the market and decide which one suits your needs.
Beginner harps cost
There are more beginners in the world than they are professionals. Don’t let that get you down, as all the professionals once were beginners. The harps that are meant for beginners will be diatonic, the harp here will have one scale.
Here the string stays between seven and 22. Which is ideal for beginners to get into. Contrary to the popular belief, harps are not that expensive.
Compared to other expensive musical instruments, harps come at a price tag that most people will be able to afford.
Some beginner harps will come at the price tag of $100, while there are average harps with decent sound, they will come at the cost of $300. If you are seeking a classical harp, you will have to pay $1000 or more. Starting as a beginner and you want to learn everything about the harp, then getting a beginner-friendly harp is an excellent choice to move forward to chase the dream. Fewer strings will make things much more easier and comfortable for the new player to get into the music instrument.
Intermediate Harps cost
Here we are going to take a step above the beginner zone. If you know your ways around the harp and know the basics to play the harp, then it is time to consider getting an intermediate-level harp. In the market, you will see intermediate harps in the price range between $500 to $1,500.
The complexity of the harp will raise the average price of it as well. For example, the average price for an intermediate harp will range from $200 to $3000.
The more things you want in your harp, the more you will have to pay in return. A simplified version of the classical harp will come in between $1,500 – $2,000. They will have 36 strings or 38 strings ideal for an intermediate player.
But if you are eyeing out for a pedal-controlled intermediate harp, then it can easily raise the price of a roof up to $10,000 and more. Instead of dealing with 36 or 38 strings, here you will have to get your head around 47 strings.
Professional harps cost
Looking for the best with no compromise on the price tag, the professional harp will fulfill your music wish in the best manner. Here sky’s the limit, you can expect to flock in $150,000 to $300,000 to get the best premium harp in the market.
Some even go to the point of million dollars. Players who mostly perform in arenas and concerts, usually are the ones to get these harps on their side. Paying more money for a harp doesn’t necessarily result in getting the same lower-level harp experience.
The price of the equipment also raises the standard and value of it as well.
The craftsmanship, sound quality, lifespan of the tools, durability of the harp, and many more will have a premium value to them.
These kinds of harp can not be compared with beginner-friendly harp. A harp with a 6 figure price range can only be bought from a custom harp maker. This needs to be a custom order, it can’t get it straight from the market.
The list of best harps in the market:
Here are some of the harps that you can buy in the market, and they will be easy to use without any hassle from the owner. If you are just starting, here are some of the models that will come in very handy to your skillset.
Beginner-friendly Harps Cost
- Design Toscano Celtic Knot Walnut Tara Harp Instrument
- Roosebeck Baby Harp
- Voyageur Harp – 33 String Performance Model Harp
- Mid-East Mini Kinnor Harp
Intermediate harps cost
- Rees Harps Sharpsicle Harp Black
- Fullsicle Harp w/ Play Book & DVD – Black
Professional Harps cost
- Meghan 36 String Harp
- Voyageur 33 String Harp
Mastering any of the instruments mentioned above will require time, study, and patience to make the instrument more effective. For that to happen with any instrument, the musician must build trust with the equipment. Even for a beginner, the value of the harp is a lot. The more time they spend with them, the more the object grows into them. A deeper connection with the surgical instrument will have gotten plenty of miles.
What will raise the price of a harp?
To know better about a harp, one must take a look at the different elements of a harp. There must be a reason why people pay upwards of $5000 dollars on a harp. In reality, some things can make them a lot of difference in harp, that is why you will see two different harps with the same look but the higher difference in the price point. Several influencing factors will have a heavier impact on the overall price of a harp.
Type of harp
There are two types of harps available in the market.
One is a lever-based control mechanism harp and the other one is a pedal control mechanism-based harp.
Without delving into the technical aspect of both of these harp types, here is the shorter conclusion. The harp with a lever-based system will come at a cheaper price range and the harps with pedal-based mechanisms will be expensive.
Size of harp
The math is pretty simple here. The higher size of the harp the more expensive it will be for your wallet. Larger harps will have a varying number of strings installed in them.
Material used To Build the harp
It is known on almost all the musical instruments in the market, the quality of the material will have a positive or negative impact on the price. There is no way around it, an instrument is only as good as the materials that it made from. On a harp, the quality of wood and the lifespan of the wood quality will have a more expensive taste to it. While to a non-musician, this may sound absurd, but wood quality matters a lot for a musical instrument.
The professional harps will cost more because it would be made from quality wood selected by experts and crafted by professionals to reach the best quality in music as possible.
Number of strings of the Harp
You will find harps with as little as seven or eight strings attached to their frame, they will be cheaper compared to harps with 47 strings. Just like the size of the harp, more strings result in more expense.
These are the elements of a harp that always go unnoticed by people who don’t have any extensive knowledge in the field of musical instruments. These points are what tips the balance between low and high. Cheaper products will have their limitations and drawbacks, professional instruments will have their lifespan and sound quality.
Conclusion
While the options are a lot, it all comes down to the player who wants to learn the harp. By no means harp is an easy instrument but it can be learned once the player has an idea of how to play with it.
This requires him or her to get a harp that meets their needs without doing too much. A beginner-level musician should stick to less string harp than getting an intermediate.
Getting the bigger one might be the dream for a lot of people, but there will come a point, where people would give up playing it. Starting from the low bar and eventually making it to the high standard is the route that every aspiring musician should follow when it comes to buying an instrument.