Apple Using the GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music Instruments - Manual (Page 20)

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Celtic Harp
The history of the Celtic harp extends back many centuries. Early forms of the harp
were widespread throughout Ireland, Scotland, and Wales as early as 1000 A.D., and
visitors to the area often commented on the natives’ skill in performance. The harp was
popular both in court and country villages, where virtuoso harpists were revered and
their instruments prized and highly decorated.
The tone of the Celtic harp is softer and brighter than that of a concert harp. It is
smaller but shares a similar triangular shape. The strings are made of wire, and are
stretched from the top to the bottom of the instrument. The player plucks them with
both hands, and can use the pad of one or both hands to mute strings as well. Each
harp is tuned to a particular key. Celtic harps do not use pedals, but contemporary
instruments have small knobs, used to retune the strings between songs, across the
top of the body.