Where do I start?

Tamsin Dearnley is an Edinburgh-based harpist and award-winning composer who is a passionate advocate for the versatility of the lever harp.

If you’re used to following sheet music, the lack of “official” arrangements of pop music out there can seem frustrating. However, let’s think about it this way: creating your own version gives you full creative control.

Begin by listening to the whole song. How much of it do you want to arrange? Consider how faithful you want to be to the original piece. I find it a fun challenge to be as accurate as possible (lead guitar solos and all!), but it can also be interesting to give a harp-y makeover to a hard-edged song with a softer tempo and luscious rolled chords. If you’re not sure what you want, listen to some arrangements you like: are they full of notes, or more sparse? Are there special techniques to imitate drums or guitars?

Try to pick out the tune and the chords or bass line. It’s easiest if you can play in the original key, but if this isn’t possible, you can transpose it, or look up a simple version online that has the tune and chords written out in a more comfortable key.

Ask yourself what the essence of the song is: does it have (for example) a really distinctive bassline, intro, or rhythm? Try to work this into your arrangement. Remember that less is usually more—you don’t need to try to include every single note or syllable! Simplifying the rhythm of vocal lines will make your arrangement much snappier (and easier to play), and I can guarantee nobody will notice anything but the overall effect.

Lastly, if the idea of writing out your arrangements puts you off, just record or video yourself so you won’t forget.

Have fun!

Willi Maerz is known for his compositions and arrangements for harp ensembles, spanning musical styles from baroque to classical and romantic to swing, jazz, and Latin. 

When transcribing pop songs for the harp or a harp ensemble, as with other transcriptions, the principle applies that careful selection of the title is the key to a good arrangement. Pop songs in particular often thrive on a special “sound design” tailored to the voice of a singer or the sound of a band. Detached from these characteristics, the entire charm of a song can be completely lost. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that the selected song has sufficient melodic and harmonic potential to be suitable for purely instrumental processing. A monotonous chant, performed emphatically with a rough voice on a spherical sound bed of several synthesizers, animated by powerful, reverberating drums, may sound convincing in the original, but how can all these elements be transferred to a plucked instrument?

Many pop songs thrive on rhythmic bass and drum figures, reinforced by rhythm guitars. Especially in solo arrangements, one should therefore try to integrate the basic rhythm into the bass line or develop appropriate accompaniment patterns that reasonably reflect the character of the rhythm section. Sometimes it is also a good idea to integrate rhythmic figures into the melody line, especially if the melody consists of long notes. Ultimately, the aim is not to copy the original, but to “translate” it. For example, a powerful crash cymbal strike can be replaced by a short, powerful glissando with an accentuated final note. Long sound pads [or sustained synthesizer chords] can be expressed by broken chord figures. Rhythmic melodies can be represented in colorful chords instead of colorless unison. It is important to have the courage to change, to create a new musical identity, in order to avoid making a poor copy.

Michelle Whitson Stone, founder and director of Harpworks Music and The Harpworks Ensemble, is a harpist, instructor, and publisher-arranger specializing in pop harp repertoire, with arrangements that rank among Harp Column Music’s top ten downloads of all time.

The first question I ask myself is simple: Does this piece really work on the harp? In my experience, pop songs fall into three main categories:

• Harp-Friendly Songs: clear harmonies and lyrical melodies (such as “Moon River” or “Make You Feel My Love”)

• Promising but Tricky Songs: great tunes that need creative adaptation (think “A Thousand Years,” “Blackbird”)

• Difficult-to-Adapt Songs: complex harmony, rhythmic drive, or vocal-forward writing (many Taylor Swift songs come to mind…)

Next, consider who you’re arranging for—yourself or other players. If it’s for others, think about their skill level. I usually aim for intermediate accessibility, and that shapes nearly every decision I make.

Then the fun begins. I start by listening—closely and repeatedly. I study the original, then explore covers and instrumental versions. I keep a lead sheet in front of me, noting chord progressions and phrasing. If the melody and harmony hold up without lyrics, that’s a good sign.

Finally, I sit at the harp and start “noodling.” (This is where the real fun begins!) Sometimes I start with the chorus, sometimes the verse, experimenting with bass patterns that could support the melody. Once I find an accompaniment that fits, I start “noodling” with the melody on top of it. I follow what sounds right, letting curiosity—and my fingers—guide me.

Some days are frustrating; others feel magical. Both are part of the process. Begin with a song you love, start small, and trust your musical instincts—they’re more reliable than you might think! •