Hey John,
I bought the 3 DVD teaching videos via Rita Leydon but I've not even
looked at them yet. I'm self taught on several instruments but I'm
not really a fiddler (found mandolin more immediately rewarding).
For the harpa (3 row which I've been playing since mid February) my
focus is more towards renaissance flavour, which in my opinion the
nyckelharpas are best suited to. They also suit modal tunes. I
didn't initially agree with the standard tuning (low>high) of C G C
A because:
1) the reach up the keys before swapping to the A string was too
much of a challenge
2) the instrument just sounded better that way too
So I've got my treble tuned to G; but now my dexterity is improving
I might try the A tuning again in a few months. Maybe the best
reason for standard (not GDAE) tuning would be to get some value out
of those teaching DVDs!

I'm interested in getting a 4 row harpa but if I did there's no way
I'd set it to fiddle tuning. I'd just like to be able to enunciate
notes below the low G, and even having just a semitone shift down
available would make me happier. If I had a 4 row I would probably
tune it a tone higher to DADA (got kind of a nice ring to it don't
you think? :-) so that I could more easily play along with the
diddley sessions.

As with guitars, the harpa can be set to a variety of tunings, and
with the sympathetics set to semitones (whether tempered or
harmonically accurate) it's really just a case of where you set the
range. I'm using high G to reinforce the natural harmonics when
playing in C and G, but because the 6 of the sympathetics are
monofilament and 6 are wound I'm wondering if I should set the fine
ones to those notes that are most harmonically suited to C & G tunes
with the wound strings picking up the balance (or vice versa).

I'm more than middle aged now and I sure as heck know I could easily
spend the balance of my life absorbed in a deep & meaningful harpa
relationship, it's just whether or not we have the time. A
professional folkie huh? I'm envious.

Geoff Ellett
(New Zealand's only harpa player until proven otherwise)