What is a Wind Harp?

Once upon a time, when there was no surrounding noise in the world and man still had time for patient listening, the aeolian harp was crafted. Many people may know of them from literature but few know it by their sounds.

The aeolian harp's very special tones/ tone combinations cannot be created by man by any "conventional" action on the strings whatever (like bowing, plucking rubbing etc.).

Often, several tones at one time can be heard on only one string. Depending on the wind-speed, new tones appear, while other tones begin to disappear.

Have you ever listened to the sound of the wind and gloried in its power? You are in good company! The music of the Aeolian harp inspired many poets such as Wordsworth, Emerson, and Coleridge, who wrote of its ethereal melodies. The naturalist writer and poet Henry David Thoreau built his own wind harps, being inspired, in part, by the sounds he heard from telegraph wires as the winds brought them to life.

Wind harps have the distinction of being the only strung instrument whose music is composed entirely of harmonic tones. This gives wind harps a vibrant resonance not heard in ordinary music. Wind harps are also the only strung instrument played solely by the wind. These two characteristics combine to create a music that for many people is especially alluring.



When reviewing descriptions of harps and kits for sale, you can reference this diagram. If a harp is said to have a Poplar body, that would mean that the sides as well as the ends are made from poplar. Some harps have different ends to sides, in which case that will be specified.

About the Artist

STEVEN CAMERON

Steven D. Cameron, a native of Guelph, Ontario, is an Adrian Michigan based craftsman with an interest in all areas of fine wood working including windharps, wood/canvas canoes, and other commission wooden items of interest.

Steve is a geologist by trade, and studied at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Lindsay, ON. He has always been in awe of the properties of earth, wind, fire, and water and how they combine to create powerful contrasts and creations in our world. During his time in the North Country, Steve reveled in the sound and power of the wind blowing through the trees and across the landscape of the boreal forest.

His interest in wind harps began through his studies at DePaul University (Chicago IL), while taking a class on creativity and imagination. He continually read about wind harps and their influence on the creativity of 19th century artists such as Thoreau, Chopin, and Shelley. Though his continued research, Steve discovered that wind harps were the perfect medium for combining his love of wood (earth) and wind.

Each CAMEX wind harp is crafted individually by hand. They are made of a variety of domestic hard and soft woods. These woods are all derived from a sustainable source so as not to damage the future of the environment. The size and grain of the wood actually dictates the parameters of each instrument. This is what gives each CAMEX wind harp its own unique sound.

This is Steve’s inaugural year presenting and selling his work and in May 2008 will be participating in his first show. His work as an emerging artist is being well received, as he is enjoying a high success rate for juried fairs and has been accepted for an upcoming solo exhibition at the Croswell Gallery in the Croswell Opera House (circa 1844).

CAMEX is the result of the inspiration to enjoy life to the fullest by developing your best self in accordance with nature and your natural surroundings. The mission of CAMEX is to provide resources to enjoy your natural world, whether it be a windharp or a sailing canoe, so that others may live a more fulfilling life through the subtle joys of natural experiences.

The union of being ‘green’ and feeding the soul.

Windharps.net gets a blog!

Windharps.net home of Steve Cameron's windharp creations is now hosting a blog!

Expect to see posts on the creation of windharps, the latest offerings available through windharps.net, directions for putting together a windharp kit, this history of Aeolian (wind) harps, and a lot more musings and ramblings of their creator artisan Steven Cameron!