Why I Decided to Create Travel Harps: My Personal Experience and Philosophy
When I first started developing my harps, like many other makers, my initial thought was to use solid wood. It’s the natural choice. Wood has been associated with musical instruments for centuries. Traditional harps are most often built from dense hardwoods, like mahogany. This material not only produces beautiful sound but also carries that familiar aesthetic that many musicians appreciate.
But once I began working on the first prototypes, my perspective started to change. Let me be clear: I fully respect and value the qualities of solid wood. It’s a wonderful material with its own character and sound. However, for the goals I had set for myself, it quickly became clear that solid wood wasn’t the best choice.
I wanted to create a harp that would be more than a beautiful instrument for studios and stages. I set out to make a harp that could accompany a musician through travels, festivals, rehearsals, and street performances. An instrument that wouldn’t require special storage conditions and could withstand changes in climate, regular transportation, and even the occasional bumps and knocks that come with an active musician’s life.
My vision for the harp wasn’t born on a drawing board or through theory. It came directly from my personal experience as a musician and traveler. I’ve traveled extensively with my full-sized harp, especially throughout India. These trips were inspiring but also revealed the real-world difficulties of transporting traditional instruments.
The membrane of my harp — natural skin — often suffered from sudden changes in humidity and temperature. In some regions, humidity levels could change drastically within a single day, immediately affecting the sound and condition of the instrument. The nails holding the skin to the gourd began to rust in some places due to the high humidity. The body frequently endured impacts during transport. Every journey turned into a logistical challenge: how to pack, how to protect, how to safeguard the instrument?
But the biggest issue was the size. Traditional harps rarely follow standard dimensions. This means finding a suitable hard case is nearly impossible. I often had to invent makeshift solutions. Sometimes I could adapt cases from other instruments or pieces of luggage, but most of the time, I had to rely on soft cases. While better than nothing, soft cases always left the instrument vulnerable. Every time I set out, I worried about my harp’s safety.
This experience showed me that what was needed wasn’t simply adapting traditional harps for travel but creating a harp specifically designed for a musician’s active lifestyle.
I wanted to make a harp that not only sounded good but was built to “live” alongside the musician. An instrument that wouldn’t fear changes in climate, frequent trips, minor bumps, or the uneven surfaces of outdoor stages. A harp that could be a reliable companion and working tool — not a fragile object requiring constant care and caution.
This philosophy became the foundation for all my work on the travel harp project. It guided my choice of materials, design, acoustics, and even the aesthetics of the final instrument. My goal wasn’t simply to make a more affordable harp. It was to create a new type of instrument — practical, sturdy, resonant, accessible, and reliable.
Why a travel harp made from plywood, and what needs it addresses — read more in the next article.
