The Orchestra / Strings / Harps / Glissandos

Glissandos are the most common technique employed on the harp and can produce fantastic sounds.  The player runs their fingers over adjacent strings, using either or both hands going up or down the instrument (or both)

Miriam demonstrates different glissandos and also glissandos in parallel motion which can be set different intervals apart.

The notation of a glissando is crucial as the harpist will need to ensure the right pedals are in use. 

Very chromatic glissandos are often impossible, because of the nature of pedals on the harp.  For example if you wanted a glissando with a C, C# D and D#

WRONG!

it would need to be notated as B#, C#, D and Eb RIGHT!

In the same way you can remove unwanted notes from a glissando and double important notes by using the pedals.  If you want a glissando on a chord of G major,  you can remove the 4th and 7th by notating it as G, A, B, Cb (B), D, E, Fb (E). (see example 2 below)

It can be useful to put pedal diagrams with a glissando to aid the player.

Example 2