Adjusting Modern Pedal Harps

The mechanism of a pedal harp is very reliable and will not require as much attention as that of a lever harp. It is advisable, however, to check every few months that the forks are screwed in tightly to the discs as they will be prone to snapping if they have worked loose. Also check that the disc screws are tight, to maintain the regulation of the harp. If buzzes occur in the natural or sharp positions, check the position of the forks on the string and, if necessary, slacken the screw and turn the disc to increase the pressure of the forks on the string. It is important to remember that if too much pressure is applied not only will the vibration of the adjusted note be wrong, but also the regulation of the subsequent octaves will be put out and buzzes further up the instrument will probably occur.

See the image of harp discs above. Only the disc in the middle is correct, the discs on the left and right are both incorrect.