Clàrsach is the Scottish Gaelic word for a small harp. There are, and have been in the past, many different types of harp in Scotland. I've learned a lot from the expert on harp history, Bill Taylor at Ardival Harps in Strathpeffer.

A standard clarsach in Scotland nowadays is generally a 34-string gut-strung lever harp.

From everything I've learned so far, it seems to me that the word harp is a general name for an instrument that's usually some form of triangular shape with strings perpendicular to the soundboard - as opposed to a lyre, for example.

Some people use the word harp to refer to a much bigger 47-string pedal harp that would be used in an orchestra and they use 'clarsach' to refer to a smaller lever harp. The levers/pedals are the mechanisms that help us get the sharp/natural/flat notes on the strings.

For other people, and especially historically, some people used 'clarsach' for a wire-strung harp and 'harp' for a gut-strung harp.

I tend to use both words interchangeably to refer to my own clarsach/harp.

They effectively change the length of the string (making it shorter) which makes the note higher. They make the note a semi-tone higher. This is much like going up 1 fret on a guitar or going 1 key to the right on a piano.

Getting a bit more technical: They help us get into different keys or get different accidentals in a piece of music - ie. the way we get the sharps ♯, naturals ♮ and flats ♭. For example, if I play a red string (C) with the lever off, it's a C natural but when the lever is on, it's a C♯.

I play a 34 string, gut-strung Jack Yule clarsach.

Jack now lives in the USA and doesn't build clarsachs any more so I'm afraid you can't buy a new one like mine - although you might find one second-hand if you're extremely lucky. I was really fortunate to be able to choose the carving of the thistle on the front of my clarsach. He's such a creative and wonderfully kind gentleman.

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