What is a Lap Harp?

The Lap Harp is a musical instrument from eastern Europe also known as 'Perepyolochka' in Cyrillic, which literally translates to "Little Quail ". Due to its easy playability, it is popular with musical beginners. In nature, it has 15 diatonically tuned strings, which are often in the key of G major. In the Kontakt patch, you can play it chromatic and well-tempered.


We recorded the Lap Harp with 3 Articulations, 4 Round Robins and 2 Velocities at a low volume. We chose a plectrum, thumb plucking, and a piano hammer for the articulations. As a microphone, we chose a Schoeps condenser. We positioned it pretty close to the strings to get a direct and detailed sound. As an additional gimmick, we implemented a Glissando and a Tremolo function via the script, which affects the midi behavior and enables you to get a step closer to the natural playability of the actual instrument.

Furthermore, we added several effects such as reverb control, lo- & hi-cut, drive and rotary. All of it expands the entire sound of the Lap Harp and gives you some further options to kick-start your creative process. Finally, we also included an arpeggiator and a step sequencer.


We came out with an instrument that enriches your music with a lovely organic feel, whether you use it as a solo or just as a background instrument.