How old were you when you started playing the harp?

[Norah Calamy]

I was 14 I think. 🙂 I feel old compared to others here.

[Louis Venus]

11 but i played the piano since i was 6

[jessica-wolff]

Well, I’m ancient, but…let’s see, started guitar in the early ’60s, harp in the late ’70s, and banjo in the mid-’90s. Long hiatuses on all three instruments, which certainly keeps you from making a lot of progress, but I always get back to them. The three instruments interfere with one another to some extent, but only as much as, say, one Romance language with another. On the whole I think they help more than they hinder.

[HBrock25]

I started lever harp when I was 8. When I was 13 I started taking lessons from a pedal harpist. I had to change a lot of my bad habits and relearn some things. Before you play an instrument, be sure and find a really good teacher (I agree with Saul and Anne). That way you will learn to play well from the very beginning and won’t have to retrace your steps.

[lauren-d]

That is really interesting.. I’m 18 now and started harp about a half a year ago, but my uncle has offered to give me his beautiful banjo, and I wondered if it would be a good idea to start playing it, seeing as it might make me lose focus on my harp. Thanks for posting that!

[jessica-wolff]

I play banjo too, but I play different sorts of things (mostly) on the banjo than on the harp. You may lose focus for a while initially while you are getting the banjo basics down, but eventually you should catch up. Keep in mind that guitars and banjos are a heckuva lot easier to transport than most harps, which may be a factor when you just want to take an instrument along to make music in an informal context.

[jessica-wolff]

Nitwit! Me, not you. Just realized you were replying to my earlier post. Look, for someone to want to hand his precious banjo down to you is a compliment, so accept it graciously and hope it’s a 5-string openback (my prejudices are showing). Take it out on the back porch and sing to the moon. If OTOH it’s a resonator banjo, it’s best used for playing bluegrass and the volume approaches that of a tomcat singing to the local ladies.

[william-nichols]

I know this might sound like a lie but I started when i was 4. I am now 13. so i have been playing the harp for 9 years.

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