Dear Harp Friends,
The Dinan 2006 Festival has passed and with it, the successful, official presentation of my MIDI Harp, “Lili”.

THE VISION
My 30 years of experience with the construction of acoustic harps have moulded my hearing and the way I perceive sound, as they have also influenced my assessment of the playing needs of harpists. This is complemented by my 20 years of experience in studio work with electronics and related equipment.
As a 'listening' person, I am fascinated by everything which produces sound; the world of acoustic instruments and that of electronically produced sounds have never been mutually exclusive for me.
My vision has been to combine both with the harp.

THE PROCESS
I'm certainly not an electronics freak, so I had no corresponding knowledge at the start. I quickly realised that two possibilities were available to implement the MIDI project: I started with normal sensor technology in parallel with frequency recognition.
As it became clear what great changes a MIDI harp would mean for the harp world, I had a few critical moments – as harp builder, I didn't want technology just for the sake of technology: I wanted to construct a MIDI harp for harp players. I was very certain that it would be possible to create a new sound world with unbelievable new possibilities for the harp.
During the project it also became clear that normal sensor technology couldn't meet my requirements concerning the feeling of playing, because it restricts playability too much,
providing no feedback to the player.
As harp maker, the alternative "frequency recognition" was far more appealing – but a much more difficult route!
"Coincidental" encounters in life often open new paths: one such meeting resulted in a very friendly co-operation with Terratec GmbH, whose 'Axon' converter technology I use with modified firmware.

THE TECHNOLOGY
For me, it was important that the MIDI harp have two state-of-the-art functions, both of which were to be playable separately or together: the harp is an electro-harp, as well as a full MIDI harp, without restrictions.
I implemented whatever was technically possible and necessary for this project.

The harp is equipped with one individually selected pickup per string – I haven't been able to find any better ones. Several preamplifiers are installed in the harp and specially matched to the pickups; the preamps divide the number of the harp's strings into as many ranges as there are preamps, each of which is fed to a monaural output and additionally to a main stereo output. The volume of the ranges can be adjusted directly at the harp. By having one output for each range, it is possible to adapt the frequency settings for each range in an external equalizer to enhance clarity and transparency for the complete tonal range. Ideal for studios and mixing at live performances!
These pickups and preamps have been continuously developed for many years and are ideal acoustically.

What can one do with an Electro-Harp?
The pickups and preamps enable connection with an amplifier for excellent sound at performances or studio recording; the sound is picked up directly from the vibrating string, right where it originates. This provides the necessary presence for the harp (and I don't mean just volume), above all when playing together with other electronic instruments. Furthermore, the volume is continuously adjustable, and feedback problems are reduced almost to zero.
If one wishes to play using effects, the acoustic sound interferes with the effect one wants: the harp player has his/her ear directly at the harp – if I play with effects, I want to hear them.

The MIDI CONTROLLER
MIDI is a digital language developed to enable communication between greatly differing electronic instruments. A MIDI controller is the focal point for conversion of the played sound into MIDI data. The MIDI controller which I use is based on the principle of frequency recognition (with transient early recognition and ultra-fast conversion). This means that, based on the transients which naturally occur, the MIDI controller recognises from the pickup signal what tone is being played when a string is plucked, even before the string is vibrating. The conversion is almost literally "real-time" (only 3 - 5 ms).

Several important acoustic parameters are recognised simultaneously and converted into MIDI data: in addition to the tone frequency, a change in the tone frequency, the tone duration, the amplitude (loudness) and even the string pluck position are recognised.
This is sensational for a MIDI harp system.

This MIDI system provides the harpist with the same playing abilities as when playing an acoustic harp. Because of the frequency-recognition system, the sharping levers be used normally, and even the popular 'lever sliding' is possible. Indeed, the so-called "bottle-neck" playing style (sliding on the string) works. The controller provides pitch-bend data which enables the tone frequency output to follow changes continuously.

Recognition of the plucking position opens completely new possibilities because one can freely program this function to control sound parameters, for example as filter, or even a preset (instrument) change is possible.

Thanks to the co-operation with Terratec, it is now possible for the first time to present a harp with MIDI controller on the basis of frequency analysis, using their Axon technology.

Axon Technology
The transient events of a string contain more information about the tone than the string when it is actually vibrating. This information is hidden in the transients and is not as easy to interpret as the vibration period of the string; to understand and interpret this information properly, the MIDI controller uses a type of "neural" network. The network was trained in time-consuming fine-tuning work by musicians and engineers.
The controller unit also contains:

• 128 editable preset sounds
• 32-bit RISC processor
• Tuning device
• Integrated arpeggiator
• Over 500 high-quality sounds – GM and XG compatible
• Ten drum kits and an SFX kit are available immediately as sounds
• Additionally, programmable pedals and/or switches may be connected if desired for even more playing diversity.
• The controller is of course updateable for future upgrades and improvements.

What's the Point of a MIDI Harp?
To me, the most-important reason for a MIDI harp is that harpists can continue with their instrument and playing techniques, but also acquire extensive access to the world of electronic sounds. They no longer have to change over, for example, to a keyboard.
MIDI is a new world for the harp, one which opens completely new creative horizons!
With a MIDI harp, one has full access – for example – to MIDI studio work and MIDI recording. A MIDI harp can control all electronic instruments: a synthesizer, a sampler and all the other sound modules.
This means "Unlimited Sound Diversity" for the harp.
With MIDI, one can use a score editor (to convert the notes which are played into sheet music) for Windows or Mac PCs, then display them on the monitor or print them out.

The scope of supply includes:
• External MIDI controller installed in a rack including all wiring;
• MIDI merger;
• MIDI cable;
• Pedal;
• Cubase LE™ audio and MIDI recording software with a simple, easy-to-use score editor.

Off to new horizons with "Lili", the MIDI harp! There's a lot to discover.

Wishing you much fun,

Bernhard Schmidt, Harp Maker                                                                        back to MIDI harp page