Pedaling

A skilled harpist can move the pedals quite quickly. He/she can move both feet simultaneously and thus move two pedals on the opposite sides of the harp at the exact same time. The harpist can also move the pedals quite rapidly in a sequence. However, it is important to bear in mind that moving the pedals adds a layer of complexity to the music. Complicated pedal changes are particularity difficult when another layer of the music is complex as well, for example rhythm or jumps between the extremes of the register. On the other hand many and fast pedal changes can be relatively easy when the harpist can execute them in rhythm with the music.