How to Make It

This easily made instrument gives out tones very much like those of the musical glasses but they are much deeper and louder.

Fig. 109 A, B. The Harp Of A Thousand Thrills

To make this harp you will need 12 feet of 1/2 inch bell-metal105 tube - brass tube will do but it is not as good - and cut it into eight pieces; saw off the first tube 2 feet long and cut off each of the other pieces 1/2 an inch shorter than the one before it. Cylindrical sticks of wood can also be used for the tubes.

105 Brass and bell metal tubing can be bought of the U. T. Hungerford Brass & Copper Co., 89 Lafayette St., New York.

Get two strips of wood 1 inch square and 3 feet long and screw them together as shown at A in Fig. 109 with a couple of thumb screws; this done bore eight 1/2 inch holes in the sticks every 4 inches apart and smooth them out with a half-round file.

Glue a strip of cloth on the side of each strip that is bored out, set each tube with the middle in the groove so that they grow shorter in steps and screw the strips together tight with the thumb screws to hold the tubes in securely as shown at B.

Fig. 109C. How To Play The Harp

To tune the tubes saw off and file off the end of each tube until it gives forth the proper note. When you have tuned them make a stand to hold the instrument and this can be of either wood, or metal tubing if you want the harp to look nice and you don't care about the expense. The harp is shown complete at C.

How to Play the Harp

When you have made the stand get a pair of old gloves and cut off the fingers; powder some rosin and rub it well into the palms of the gloves.

This done, put on the gloves, grip the top of the tube and draw your hand slowly down toward the sounding board, as shown at C, and a beautiful tone will be emitted. Not only does the tube vibrate to make the sound but as it is hollow it acts as a resonator, that is, the sound will set up smypathetic vibrations in the tube which will reenforce the simple vibrations of the tube both in strength and quality.

By waving your finger over the top of the tube while you are playing it with the other hand a tremolo effect can be produced that is very beautiful and if you are versatile you can make it sound almost like a human voice.