How would you go about playing piano music on a lever harp?

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This topic has 11 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by daniele-di.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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September 21, 2012 at 5:15 pm #102937

bella-bella
Participant

I know I’m not experienced enough to play the types of music that I mention, but would like to one day.

As you know, there is a larger choice of music for the piano. I had a look at a piece that I would like to play one day, but I’m not sure if it would be possible to play on the lever harp.

If you want to see the music sheet, it can be downloaded here. There are other examples, but I won’t post them all:

http://www.ffpianomelody.com/pianosheets/Final%20Fantasy%2011/Final%20Fantasy%20XI%20Original%20Soundtrack%20Piano%20Solo%20Sheet%20Music/Part%20one/14%20Sarutabaruta.rar It automatically downloads.

The first page is doable, but the third page (maybe 2nd) looks difficult. Especially with the harp tuned into Eb.

Thank you for taking your time to read this!

September 21, 2012 at 5:28 pm #102938

Tacye
Participant

First learn to play the lever harp really well

September 21, 2012 at 6:01 pm #102939

bella-bella
Participant

Thank you Tacye!

So you think that when I get to that level, I will know how to adjust it myself? I would like to be able to do that.

I don’t quite understand the keys (Eb etc). My teacher has just told me how change levers to get a few of them, but I will need to properly learn about them in my own time.

Would this potentially involve tuning the harp into a different key? I wasn’t sure if this could be bad for the strings.

September 21, 2012 at 6:37 pm #102940

Tacye
Participant

You won’t miraculously know how to do it- like anything you will get better with practice and study, starting with simple music and working up.

September 21, 2012 at 7:49 pm #102941

daniele-di
Participant

Hello,

eheh I understand how you feel, one of my dream is to be able to play Aerith Theme from ff7 on the harp 😛

I play almost only anime/videogame songs from piano sheets, I`m not good at all in music theory and that`s my advice based on my little experience:

Since you just started you have to keep practicing on the basics, then you can start from really easy piano pieces and slowly you will start to understand by yourself if something does not sound right on the harp even if you are following the sheet, and you will be able to make your own changes…it comes automatic but you have to start from simple pieces

About final fantasy songs, most of the ones you find around are from the official piano scores, but for the most famous ones you can usually also find easy-medium level arrangements (even though they can still be hard), like To Zanarkand, Aerith Theme, Melodies of life and lots of others.

Probably you already know this website… http://ichigos.com/ you can find tons of videogame/anime sheets.

Daniele

September 22, 2012 at 6:37 am #102942

bella-bella
Participant

Thank you, Tacye and Daniele!

I will begin practicing basic piano music along with the music my teacher sets me then. I was wondering what you would need to learn inorder to know how to change the key of a piece. I have an ABRSM grade 1-5 music theory book to read, but am not sure if that’s the sort of thing that would teach you the things you need to know for it.

Thank you, Daniele. I have been on the website before, but will look at it again now that you have reminded me. I would like to play Zanarkand and Aerith’s theme one day. They’re such pretty tunes!

September 22, 2012 at 12:15 pm #102943

jennifer-buehler
Member

You’ll learn pretty fast if you need to change the key of a piece.

September 22, 2012 at 6:41 pm #102944

bella-bella
Participant

Thank you Jennifer!

I don’t quite understand all the Eb and Db theory, but you say it will come in time with basic chord theory. Is chord theory what I need to learn to understand that?

September 23, 2012 at 1:14 pm #102945

Tacye
Participant

Bella, learning the AB theory syllabus up to grade 5 will make all this much clearer to you.

September 23, 2012 at 4:10 pm #102946

bella-bella
Participant

Thank you very much Tacye.

I will focus on reading this more then. It’s too cold to get out of the blanket and practice the harp right now lol

September 25, 2012 at 1:43 pm #102947

Biagio Sancetta
Participant

An excellent place to explore would be Sylvia Woods’ Music Theory and Arranging for the Folk Harp.

September 26, 2012 at 10:21 am #102948

daniele-di
Participant

Hi Biagio (are you italian? 😀 ),
Is that book good? I really would like to learn how to arrange
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