The Shocking Truth: How Many Strings Does A Harp REALLY Have? (It's Not Just 47)

As of December 2025, the answer to "how many strings does a harp have" is not a single number, but a fascinating range that depends entirely on the type and size of the instrument. While the majestic concert grand pedal harp is standardized with a remarkable 47 strings, the world of harps is vast, featuring smaller folk harps with as few as 19 strings and even miniature lap harps that can have just 11, making the instrument one of the most variable in the orchestral family. This deep dive will explore the exact string counts for every major harp type, revealing the complex engineering that gives each instrument its unique voice and range.

The harp, an instrument with roots stretching back to ancient civilizations, has evolved into a diverse family of stringed instruments. Its string count is the primary factor determining its musical range, complexity, and even its physical size. Understanding these variations is key to appreciating the harp’s role in classical, folk, and modern music.

The Complete String Count Profile: A Harp's "Biography"

To truly answer the question, we must look at the instrument's family tree. The string count is the defining characteristic of each harp type, influencing its potential repertoire, portability, and cost. Here is a definitive breakdown of the most common harps and their exact string counts.

• Concert Grand Pedal Harp: 47 strings
• Semi-Grand Pedal Harp: 46 strings
• Orchestral Small Pedal Harp: 44–46 strings
• Large Lever Harp (Folk/Celtic): 34–40 strings
• Student/Mid-Size Lever Harp: 26–33 strings
• Small Lap Harp/Travel Harp: 11–25 strings
• Historical/Smallest Harps: As few as 11 strings

The King of Strings: The Concert Grand Pedal Harp (47 Strings)

The Concert Grand Pedal Harp is the undisputed behemoth of the harp family, the instrument you see in major orchestras and classical concert halls. It is the most standardized of all harps, with a virtually universal string count.

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The 47-String Standard:

The vast majority of modern Concert Grand Pedal Harps are built with 47 strings. This count provides the instrument with a massive range of six and a half octaves, nearly matching the full range of a standard piano. This extensive range is crucial for performing complex orchestral and solo repertoire by composers like Ravel, Debussy, and Tchaikovsky.

The Role of Pedals:

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The 47 strings are tuned to the C-flat major scale. The instrument’s complex system of seven pedals—one for each note of the scale—allows the harpist to change the pitch of all strings of the same name (e.g., all C strings) by a half or whole step. This mechanism enables the harp to play in any key, creating the sharps and flats necessary for chromatic music without adding extra strings for every note, as seen in a chromatic harp.

String Material and Range:

The strings on a 47-string pedal harp are typically made of gut for the mid-range, nylon for the highest octaves, and steel-core wire for the lowest bass notes to achieve the necessary tension and volume. The lowest string is often a C, three notes above the bottom string of a piano.

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Lever Harps: The Versatile String Range (19 to 40 Strings)

The lever harp, also known as the folk harp or Celtic harp, represents the most significant variation in string count. These instruments are far more portable than their pedal counterparts and are popular in folk music, teaching, and therapy settings.

The Common Range:

Lever harps commonly feature between 19 and 40 strings. This wide range is a result of their design, which prioritizes portability and specific musical styles over the full chromatic range of the pedal harp.

String Counts by Size:

• Large Lever Harps (34–40 Strings): These are the most common choice for serious students and professional folk musicians. A 34-string model is frequently recommended by teachers because it offers almost five full octaves, a substantial range for most folk and classical pieces.
• Mid-Size Lever Harps (26–33 Strings): These are excellent beginner or travel harps, offering a good balance between range and size. A traditional Irish or Celtic harp often falls into this category, sometimes having around 32 strings.
• Small/Lap Harps (11–25 Strings): These are highly portable harps, sometimes called lap harps or therapy harps. They can have as few as 11 strings, though 19 to 25 strings is a more common range for a playable instrument.

The Function of Levers:

Unlike the foot pedals on a grand harp, the lever harp uses small mechanical levers placed at the top of the neck, near the tuning pins. When flipped, a lever shortens the vibrating length of a single string, raising its pitch by a half step. This allows the harpist to manually create sharps and flats, though the process is much slower than using the pedals on a concert harp.

Why the String Count Matters: Octaves, Range, and Repertoire

The number of strings is a direct measure of the harp’s musical capability. Each seven strings typically represents one full octave (A-B-C-D-E-F-G). Therefore, a higher string count means a wider pitch range, allowing the instrument to cover more musical ground.

The Comparison to the Piano

To put the string counts into perspective, consider the piano, which has 88 keys. The 47 strings of a Concert Grand Harp provide a range of about six and a half octaves, which is slightly less than the piano’s full seven-plus octaves. The largest lever harps, with 36 strings, typically cover about five octaves, making them suitable for the majority of folk and traditional music that does not require the extreme high or low registers.

String Color Coding: A Universal Guide

Regardless of the total string count, nearly all harps use a standardized color-coding system to help the player quickly identify notes across the instrument's range:

• C Strings: Always colored red.
• F Strings: Always colored black or blue.
• All Other Strings: Typically left plain (white or natural gut/nylon).

This system is vital, especially on a 47-string harp, which can be overwhelming to a novice. The color-coding allows the harpist to instantly locate octaves and specific notes, making the complex string arrangement manageable.

Historical and Rare Harps: Beyond the Standard

While the pedal and lever harps dominate the modern musical landscape, the history of the instrument includes designs that further complicate the string count question, showcasing centuries of innovation.

Chromatic Harps:

Before the modern pedal mechanism was perfected, some harps were designed to be fully chromatic by simply adding a string for every sharp and flat. These instruments, such as the double-strung or triple-strung harps, could have a much higher string count, sometimes exceeding 90 strings in total, though they are rarely used today. The double-strung harp, for instance, has two parallel rows of strings, one for the natural notes and one for the sharps/flats.

The Welsh Triple Harp:

A notable historical example is the Welsh Triple Harp. This instrument features three parallel rows of strings: two outer rows tuned to the diatonic scale (natural notes) and a central row tuned to the chromatic notes (sharps and flats). This design results in a string count that can be well over 100, though it is not a single-strung instrument in the modern sense.

The Smallest Harps:

At the other end of the spectrum, historical and novelty harps can have remarkably few strings. Ancient Egyptian harps, for instance, varied greatly, and modern miniature harps or "pocket harps" can be found with as few as 7 or 8 strings, though these are typically not considered professional musical instruments. The minimum for a truly playable, multi-octave instrument remains around 19 to 22 strings.

In summary, the next time you see a harp, remember that the number of strings is a clue to its identity. If it's a massive instrument in an orchestra, it's a 47-string Concert Grand. If it's a smaller, more intimate instrument, it’s a versatile lever harp with anywhere from 19 to 40 strings, each count tailored to a specific musical purpose.