How the angular harp makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the angular harp belongs to the harps: strings run at an angle away from the soundboard, each plucked open.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
Angular harp is a category of musical instruments in the Hornbostel-Sachs system of musical instrument classification. It describes a harp in which "the neck makes a sharp angle with the resonator," the two arms forming an "open" harp. The harp stands in contrast to the arched harp or bow harp in which the angle is much less sharp and in which the neck curves away from the resonator (and can curve back above it in some harps). It also stands in contrast to the frame harp which is a "closed harp" and in which there is no opening between the resonator and the upper tip of the harp, but has a third side forming a triangle.
Other harps
Frequently asked questions
What does an angular harp sound like?
As one of the harps, its sound comes from the way strings run at an angle away from the soundboard, each plucked open.
What type of instrument is the angular harp?
It is classified as harps (Hornbostel–Sachs 322.12).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q55724880 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Angular harp – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by User:Keinmy – CC BY-SA 3.0