What is the difference between a pedal harp and a lever harp?
A pedal harp has seven pedals, one for each note of the scale; and each of these has three settings: up for flat, middle for natural, and down for sharp. These pedals correspond to the strings and move the discs located on the neck of the harp to raise or lower the pitch. A lever harp has levers near the top which are hand operated to individually and manually lift them to raise the pitch one half step (to sharpen the pitch) , and then return back to natural. Although lever harps are much lighter and easier to move, there are some limitations for playing more intricate works of music. The opposite is true of the pedal harp. It is heavier and more cumbersome to move, but has the ability to play a wider variety of music, and is known for producing unique glissandos.
