It is my pleasure to announce the release of my latest harp music album titled – “The Keys of David”. This has been recorded in 528 Hz and is a selection of the Psalms 23, 27, 51, 91,103, 118, and 136. It is 54 minutes of beautiful soaking music to use for reflection or just fall asleep with; as many people tell me my music helps them do! I got the idea for the title of the album from Isaiah 22:22 where it says:
“And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”
As I have studied the frequencies especially as they relate to the Tabernacle of Moses and worship, thus representing an integral part of coming into the presence of God/YHVH, I have sensed that an understanding of these frequencies is a major key to our restoration and returning back to the original plans and purposes that our Heavenly Father designed for us from the very beginning.
The word used for key in Isaiah actually means “something that opens” like a key does, and provides the way for us to enter in. I think there is definitely a linking going on here. We must enter into the presence of YHVH/God and one of the most effective ways to do that is through the act of worship. As my wife and I have mentioned in our book on the Tabernacle Frequencies, these frequencies facilitate our approach into the presence of God/YHVH.
Another interesting side note is the understanding we have discovered about the musical “key” that accompanies each of the frequencies. Each single frequency is accompanied by a harmonic musical scale that we refer to as a “key”. For example, the key of C major has all the natural notes without any sharps or flats and accompanies the frequency of 528 Hz.
One more interesting connection that I would like to introduce is the verse from Amos 9:11 which states:
“In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:”
This is a promise for “in that day” which is a Hebrew idiom for the last days of earth’s history. This is a promise that the Tabernacle of David will be restored. So, we must ask, what does the Tabernacle of David mean – what is it referring to?
I believe that it is once again referring to worship – coming into the presence of YHVH/God. If we remember that David brought up the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and built a tent for the Ark of the Covenant to be placed in where worship could go on for 24 hours a day continually. I Chronicles 16:1 records:
“So, they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.”
Later on, it is recorded in the same book that David makes instruments and appoints Levites as instrumentalists and singers to “prophecy” on the instruments and praise YHVH/God through the Psalms. All this occurs in this “tent” that David specially builds for the Ark of the Covenant to be placed in and for worship to take place in. I can’t prove it, but I believe that this “tent” was a replica of the wilderness Tabernacle of Moses. I also believe that David understood the frequencies of the Tabernacle and that this understanding was codified into the Psalms he wrote for the singers and instrumentalists of the Tabernacle of David.
I’m not trying to give a Bible study here, I just wanted to provide some context to the release of this album. I firmly believe that the Psalms of David contain the music of worship that was released through the singers and instrumentalists of the Tabernacle of David. I also believe that we are just starting to understand these frequencies and their link to some of the music. I know that we are not completely sure of how this music that I offer compares to what David played, but I do think there is a relationship and that we are getting closer to the worship that he intended.
Remember, David was the one who danced with all his heart to the point of being considered ridiculous by his wife. He was passionate about worship in all its forms. I invite you to worship in whatever style and form you choose as you listen to this music. It is my prayer that it may be instrumental in bringing you into the presence of YHVH the Most High.
I am pleased to announce the re-release of our CD set titled “Harp and Cello”. This is a 2 CD set that has music of the Psalms presented in 2 formats. The first CD is an instrumental only presentation with harp and cello harmonizing together in a delightful arrangement for beautiful background music. The second is the same music but has narration of the words of the Psalms recited by my wife, Shirley Rees. The CD set is a delightful combination of words and music creating a powerful listening experience.
The cellist, John Maskel, is a brilliant cello virtuoso and plays first cello position in several symphony orchestras in his area and I have had the privilege of playing with him on several occasions. When I proposed the recording project to John he jumped at the opportunity and was a key player in bringing the mix together.
I had prepared chord progression charts for each of the Psalms we recorded and John followed along on the first composition but then he came to me and asked if I would be willing to try letting him feel the music as I played the harp portion. We proceeded with that idea for the next composition and it went so well that we continued with that process throughout the remainder of the recording session.
My good friend Gene LeSage is the sound engineer and has helped Shirley and I record several of our albums. His technical ability and purity sustained this project through its development to make sure that it came across with boldness and sincerity.
Shirley’s skill in bringing the words of Scripture alive for her hearers also adds to the presentation of this CD. We have tried to interpret these Psalms according to the message that David has written into each of them. Someday, I want to ask him what he had in mind as he wrote these Psalms. Probably what is here is different than David played, yet I believe that there is something of the essence that he wrote into these works, in praise to God. It is our prayer that you are brought into the presence of Most High God as you listen and participate with the music of these Psalms.
Frequently I am asked, “What is a good harp for beginners?” And, “What harp am I playing,” because they like its sound on my CD’s. In response to these questions I want to give you some guidelines and things to look for and take into consideration when buying your own harp.
I do have some favorites that I will tell you about, and also why I like them; and at the same time, I want to give you enough knowledge to choose a harp that will be a good choice even if it is not one of my favorites.
To start with, I currently have two harps. The larger of the two harps is the one I use for recording CDs and for traveling wherever I can drive by car or RV. It has 33 strings and full sharping levers which makes it very versatile and capable of playing with a broad range of other instruments in a wide range of major and minor keys. Since it is larger, and has a large sound box, it is capable of projecting a full resonant sound that carries very well. It is also lightweight, weighing 22 pounds making it easy to transport. It is a kit that comes from Music Makers out of Stillwater, Minnesota. Their website is:
It is my opinion that this is the best harp value for your money. It is a great combination of great sound, reasonable cost, and ease of transport.
The cost of this harp, without levers, is $2700 plus shipping, if I make it for you. I usually recommend not putting levers on at first so the beginning harpist can spend more time learning fingering and gaining confidence before adding the dimension of levers which allows the harpist to play in different keys. The levers can be added on later at a cost of approximately $500.
The other harp I have is a Harpsicle from Rees Harps in Rising Sun, Indiana. Their website is:
The model I have is called the Fullsicle which has a full set of sharping levers; one for each string. Without sharping levers it costs about $400, but with sharping levers, the price goes up to $850 and there is extra cost for shipping.
This is the harp I take with me on international trips. It can be carried on board aircraft and stored in the overhead bin of the airplane so you don’t have to risk checking it with the baggage handlers who will surely find a way to break something. This harp has a very good sound. Listen to its quality here:
I recommend this harp for someone getting started since it has good sound and its construction design is very strong yet it is lightweight and easy to transport. The cost is reasonable and once you have learned on it and graduate to a larger harp, you still have a travel harp. I have visited the Rees manufacturing facility several times and am quite impressed with their design, assembly and philosophy. (Even though we have the same last name we are not related… maybe distant cousins 🙂
There are many harp manufacturers available today. I would stay with those made in the USA or Europe. There are some coming out of Pakistan, China and elsewhere that I have seen that are inferior in construction and don’t have good string tension or sound. If you are looking at a harp with levers, make sure they are smooth in operation and the sound of the string stays consistent when the lever is engaged. Also make sure there is no warping, cracking or separation of the wood and glue joints.
If you want any guidance on a particular harp you are welcome to contact me using the form on the Contact page.
I really want to see more harps and harpists joining the ranks of playing calming harp music for their personal enjoyment and the enrichment of those who hear them. Let’s grow a “Calming Revolution”!
I would like to share part of an article that was shared with me. It speaks about the individual song that is formed within the heart of each individual and finds unique expression through that one. So many times we think that our lives are wasted exercises, yet if we can gain the correct perspective, we can see these experiences as the orchestral parts to be played in our personal symphony. Each one is different and each one is sublime. Read and meditate!
Life’s difficult challenges aren’t interruptions. They’re what we need to compose our unique song.
Through it all he remained our hero, fought and won many battles on behalf of Israel and had his son Solomon build the Temple of Jerusalem. But the depth and heart of David remains most revealed in his poetry-turned-prayers called Psalms.
In the Psalms, King David moves me because of the intensity of his experience of life, because of his honesty, candidness, rawness, and courage to expose his frailties and fears. Because of his humility and yearning to be closer to His maker in the light and in the dark times, He was not embarrassed to be him. He was not shy about his feelings. He exposed himself and then gave it all back to God. Nothing he felt or experienced was wasted. All was used to connect back. All was sanctified through his actions.
I also love that he was a singer. It is written that the highest gate of prophecy is through song, sung with pure intentions.
Each one of us has a unique song that lies deep in our soul. It is the most pure type of music that stems from who we truly are, in all of our splendor and beauty, the one that reveals us completely, imperfections and all.
When we have a difficult challenge in life and experience some suffering, some of us view it as an interruption to life, a blip. But those troubles aren’t distractions – they’re precisely what create us. The pains and the uncomfortable parts of our story help craft our unique personality and character. The moments of distress create the peaks, dips, and special viewpoints we have; they create the flats, the sharps and the octaves of our song. Every experience of anguish is a note that we weave together to make a song that no one else can sing. And when we sing that song back to God through prayer, just as King David did, we fulfill the spiritual purpose for the suffering we were given.
This was part of King David’s greatness and the lesson he teaches to every one of us.
Suffering, pain, and turmoil are not intermission times in our lives; they create our intricacies, depletions, accents, and twists for a reason. When we are honest with our pain and lacks, and allow ourselves to laugh or cry or scream as a vehicle to come closer to our Maker, that’s part of our chorus. That’s part of our song that no one can sing but us. We can transform the darkness into sparks of light. When we turn pain into a vehicle for connection with the Almighty, we invest meaning into the suffering and make it holy. God doesn’t do that; that choice is in our domain.
King David became King David not despite his difficult life, but because of it. Can you imagine if he had a normal, steady, and balanced life full of everything he wanted and no struggles? He would not have become King David. He would not have written the Psalms to open up the Heavenly gates. He would not have become the spiritual hero that we aspire to be.
The world is our classroom. We face the tests that are given to us, to overcome a weakness and write new stanzas to our life’s song. And we can rely on God for His help and guidance. My kids recently lost their father. At the shiva I continuously heard from friends who lost parents at an early age that a hole remained with them for life. But they also gained a special connection to God that none of their friends seemingly felt. A double dose of God’s help and closeness in place of that parent, just as King David writes in his Psalms.
Would my kids have chosen that combination if asked? I don’t think so. But who chooses anything? When we stop fighting against why we have a certain life circumstance and accept the Divine plan, embracing what we do have and are here to do. That’s when we can finally make use of all the beautiful, awkward-like and seemingly off key notes we possess to compose the special song only our soul can sing.
Easier said than done. Trust me, I know. But time is so precious, and so are you.
I have been getting a lot of questions from readers on what type of harp is referred to in the Scriptures. Many who ask this question are focused on following the Scriptural model and want to make sure that if they are going to play a harp, they want it to be the right one. This is a really good question, but it requires a bit of explanation and it actually has several answers.
There are two words for harp in the Hebrew language. The first is Kinnor which is a smaller more personal instrument that has from 5 to 15 strings on which to play. A couple of the Psalms refer to the 10 string Kinnor, and that I believe has led many to believe that that is the truly Scriptural harp. Some call it the Davidic harp because it is believed that David played the 10 string Kinnor.
The Jewish Talmud even has a reference to the 10 string Kinnor returning just before Messiah comes; so many believe that unless a person is playing on a 10 string Kinnor, they are not playing a real biblical harp. I have had many people ask me if I could make a Davidic harp, and I just completed one so I could demonstrate it to those who are interested.
The second word for harp in Hebrew is Nevel. It refers to a larger instrument that has a sound box. The number of strings placed on this model is not definite. I believe that David may have invented the Nevel because in 1 Chronicles it says he invented instruments for the priests to play in the temple and the word Nevel is used many times throughout the Psalms so David clearly knew what a Nevel was. There have been some archaeological finds recently that show pictures of a Nevel that date close to David’s time so I am convinced that He played a Nevel.
There are some who believe that a Nevel should have 22 strings so that there is one string for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In fact, Micah Harrari (House of Harrari) makes such a harp with a Hebrew letter carved by each string. This allows a novice musician to play a song from the Hebrew text of any Psalm by just playing the string next to the letter that matches the letter that they are reading in the Psalm.
The reality is however that there is no mention in Scripture of how many strings a Nevel has. Further, there are only 7 notes to play before you get to the 8th note which is a repeat of the first note, just an octave higher. So no matter if you have 22 strings or 33 strings, you are going to have the same notes – just the 33 string harp will have more octaves to play with for a greater range and selection.
Many readers ask which modern harp would be a good one to buy that is a good balance between having enough octaves and reasonable cost as well as portability. I have to say that I am particularly impressed with the Harpsicle made by William Rees in Indiana – USA (go to www.harpsicle.com) This is a 26 string harp and you can get it with full sharping levers or partial. One called the Sharpsicle has enough levers for 4 different keys and cost about $600 plus shipping. I have one myself and it is a great starter harp with good sound – you can see me using it on the first 3 lessons on my youtube channel (see link below). It is also very good for traveling as it can fit into the overhead bin in the airplane and I have had no trouble taking it through the security check lines.
My all time favorite is the Voyager Harp that I make from a kit available from Music Makers in Minnesota. It is one of the best harps for the money that I have found and has 33 strings for great range and selection. It is also only 22 pounds so it is very easy to transport. My personal Voyager has been serving me well for over 9 years and has traveled around the US several times. I keep a sleeping bag over it so it doesn’t get too banged or scratched.
I recommend tuning your harp to the 528Hz for best sound and results. I explain how to tune to this in my lesson on tuning. Basically you will calibrate your electronic tuner to 444Hz instead of 440Hz. This will make your C note a 528Hz instead of 523Hz. All the other notes will harmonize just fine.
Playing the music of the Psalms can be performed on any of these instruments. There is a slightly different technique between the Nevel and the Kinnor. It may take a little time to get used to how the strings are laid out, but with a little time spent, you will soon be producing a pleasing sound. I hope my lessons on YouTube will be of use to you in the process.
I hope this will be helpful to some of you asking these questions of what harp to get and where to get it from. If you have any further questions do not hesitate to write and ask.
