The Little Æolian Harp Page
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The above drawing of an Æolian harp was drawn by Bruce Taylor (using Windows Paintbrush) and posted on rec.music.maker.builders several years ago. Both Bruce and I would like to know of harps built using this plan. See below for the stories of three. This type of Æolian harp fits into a sash window and the length of the instrument is tailored to fit the window. In use, the sash is lowered onto the cover, forcing all the draught across the strings. A fairly strong blast of well directed air is required. Scientifically, we are looking for a laminar and not turbulent air flow. Tune all the strings to the same pitch, but each string should be of a different diameter. I had success using various nylon guitar strings. The important factor is various diameters - I suspect different sizes of fishing line would also work. When the wind blows across the strings, it causes it them to vibrate. But unlike bowing a violin or plucking a lute or guitar (where the string sounds the pitch to which it is tuned), the wind causes harmonics to sound.
HarmonicsThe Æolian Harp plays harmonics and an understanding of harmonics will be helpful in getting the best out of the instrument. Tune a string to middle c and it will sound middle c when plucked or bowed. Middle c (in this example) is the 'fundamental'. Although difficult to distinguish, other pitches are also heard. They are the harmonics and give tone to the pitch. Tone (the harmonic content of the sound) enables the ear to differentiate between the lute and the violin. The harmonics always appear in a pattern. The first harmonic is an octave above the fundamental; the second is an octave and a fifth above; the third harmonic is two octaves above. Then two octaves and a third, a fifth, a seventh. Then three octaves and a second, third and on and on. If the string is tuned to c, the harmonics are c, c, g, c, e, g, b flat, c, d, e, etc. When wind blows across strings it is not the fundamental that is heard, but one of the harmonics. Which harmonic is heard depends on wind intensity and the physics of the string; it's tension, density, length, pitch. On the Æolian harp all strings are tuned to the same pitch, but have different tensions and diameters. Thus the wind will play one harmonic on one string, then a different harmonic on another, depending on the intensity of the wind. The harmonics, which have a rather thin ethereal sound in any case, come and go. Changes of pitch occur without the aid of a human hand. I have had success with nylon strings. In strong winds, there was quite a din. I have also tuned half the strings to another pitch, so that there were two choirs, or two competing Æolian harps. Tuned a second apart was wild, a fifth apart probably most successful (standing out in a field in a howling gale with the harp held high above my head - to get into the laminar air flow). On the other hand, light winds, steel strings, also cause harmonics, but they are not very loud and we just can't hear them. I have heard some amplified Æolian harps of all sorts of shapes and sizes which produced the most amazing sounds.
A double Æolian HarpIn one of my adult education classes, a student brought this instrument along. Instead of having a the usual lid, this aeolian harp has a second harp placed on top of the first.  Four Æolian Harps built from the plan aboveAn email from Russel W. I have always been intrigued by aeolian harps, and I was glad to have found your "Little Æolian Harp Page." I actually first visited the page about a year ago, and I printed out the plans to build one. Well, I still haven't built one, but I did buy the tuning pegs and pins. The story does not stop here however. I was searching the auction web site ebay.com about a month ago, and I found someone selling an aeolian harp. I asked the seller to send a picture of the harp, and what I received in return was the exact drawing from the Little Æolian Harp Page. I figured, "why build it when I can buy it." A musician I may be, but a luthier I am not. I received the harp just a couple days ago, and while it is only 22 inches long, it otherwise looks just like the drawing you have posted. I wish I could tell you who did build it, but all I can tell you is that it came from the state of Illinois in the USA. The weather here in California has been a bit rainy and overcast lately so I have not yet tested this harp outside. But it sure does sing when you put it in front of a fan. Just thought you might want to know that someone did follow your plans. I wish I could say it was I. You can believe me when I say that the maker of this harp knew what he was doing. It is very well crafted. An email from Jon - he writes from New Zealand: I actually downloaded these drawings from the Aeolian Harp page a good number of years ago and built it just for fun. I became interested in them after seeing a programme on TV about some of the palaces in Granada where they had many water features and Aeolian Harps. The harp turned out very well. It sang to its hearts content on the window ledge. I loved the sound but it drove my wife spare. As a kid I remember putting my ears to telegraph poles and listening to the wires hum. I must admit I haven't tried different tunings. I will now. I did read somewhere that you get good results if you tune the stings to the fundamental frequency of the box itself. Before putting the strings on, hold the box by one of the tuning pegs and using your knuckle knock the top of the sound board and try to establish what the resonant note of the box is. Then tune the strings accordingly.
Abe from Long Island - October 2006: Abe wrote to say building this Æolian Harp kept him sane while while recovering from a broken ankle. He used 1/4 inch poplar and Gorilla glue. I like the way he placed the harp in a sliding door. The harp will be a Christmas present for his mother who lives atop a windy hill in PA. 
In May 2008 this email and picture from Tony in Australia: Hey Art, I liked your web page so much decided to make my own Aeolian harp using your plan. I made two at the same time, both out of some lovely red silky oak - an Australian native timber I found in a shed on the farm and faced them with thin pale yellow plywood. The strings go through holes at one end and double back to the zither-pins at the other. The harp is 1 metre long - just over 3 ft, otherwise made entirely to the measurements you provide in your plan. I used two sizes of monofilament fishing line and tuned the 24 strings to
The bridges slope inwards changing the length of the strings, shortening them as they progress up the chord, so as to reduce tension in the instrument, it also means that the harmonics are different. The instrument shown here will be a wedding present for a friend. It plays beautifully in a light wind, but tends to go out of tune. The next one I make, I'll concentrate less on keeping the instrument light and concentrate a little more on rigidity in the body as string tension tends to bow the box and this makes tuning difficult. I wanted to tune it to the fundamental of the box which is C# but the tension was then too high and the thing bent badly. Cheerio,
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