The sound a harp makes when it breaks

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Originally published at: The sound a harp makes when it breaks | Boing Boing

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That might be the most restrained f-bomb I’ve ever heard.

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That was relaxing until it wasn’t.

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was promised a broken harp.
received broken string.

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Not a broken harp, just a string. We need Phoebe Bridges here to finish the job.

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Thanks for this. I’ve been reading The Chronicles of Prydain and now I can better put a sound to the result of Fflewddur Fflam’s embellishments.

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Although probably not as loud as when a tuba’s bottom note snaps.
Plus you get to laugh about it later.

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Jesus was not pleased. He wanted to hear Freebird, and he made his case known.

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Everything’s a critic.

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This is what it sounds like when doves cry…

and have high tension strings

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Safety glasses, people. Don’t play your harp without them. That thing could take an eye out.

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Sir Philip played the harp, I cussed the thing
I crowned him with his harp to bust the thing
And now he plays where harps are just the thing
To keep my love alive

  • Rogers and Hart
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This was like a jack-in-the-box. Music - music - music… waiting for the horrible surprise.

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The sound of dad’s Achilles tendon breaking was somewhat more impressing.

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Final Fantasy 9 lied to me!

(Maybe it was because it was a magic harp?)

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Is ‘doing a Phoebe’ going to become a synonym for smashing something up with great delight?

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Like a piano, the total tension of the strings on a harp is measured in tons. Unlike a piano, there’s nothing shielding the harpist when one breaks.

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According to this:
http://www.sligoharps.com/string.html

A harp has 32 strings and 840 lbs total tension.

According to this:

https://www.piano.christophersmit.com/strings.html

The treble pitches have three unison strings, the tenor range uses two unison strings, and the bass strings use only one string. The end result is that for 88 notes, there can be as many as 236 strings. Each string has a tension of 160-200 pounds, resulting in a total string tension of 35,000 pounds! This high tension must be supported by a strong cast-iron frame and solid back frame.

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