Why You Should Never Have Taken up the Harp?

[Deborah Henson-Conant]

I’ve been asked to write an article for About.com on “Why You Should Never Have Taken up the Harp?” — the answers don’t have to be serious – I think it’s partly a spoof. They may let me include names of contributors with short description of what you do and your website (if you have one) so if you want to include yours you can, but it’s not necessary.

Can’t wait to hear what you have to say!!

By the way … when I was a kid, I told my mother I didn’t want to play the harp because nobody would hold hands with me if I had calluses. I actually believed it was such a compelling reason that it convinced her – but, really, it was such a lame excuse she got the message I wasn’t interest – and I didn’t take another harp lesson for 10 years after that.

Maybe you’ve had equally lame (or convincing) thoughts? Please share them all! I soooo want to hear!

[Janis Cortese]

Because I already play the piano and hey, why not play two large, inconvenient pieces of furniture? 🙂

[Allison Stevick]

Haha– perhaps because I could have bought so many guitars or djembes, plus lessons, music, and accessories for the money I’ve spent on a couple harps… 😉 (it’s totally worth it)

[Sid Humphreys]

After seeing the movie, The Bishops Wife (at age 27), I knew the harp was for me. So I went to a reputable Music shop here in Dallas to find one. I asked the salesman at the shop if they sold harps (they had all the orchestra instruments in their inventory, or so they claimed). The salesman looked at me crossly, folded his arms and exclaimed, “Young man, no we don’t. Do you know how expensive those things are?” He was leaning against a 9 foot Steinway Concert grand piano with a price tag of $109,000.00!
So there you go, they cost too much! That’s why I shouldn’t play the harp! Obviously he didn’t work on commission! He did finally call me 6 months later, after I had already purchased my first harp, with a phone number for Lyon and Healy. LOL

[Biagio]

Because every time I make a new one there’s always something that could be done better or differently. So – next time I do….pretty soon there’s no room left in the house!

Biagio

[Sylvia]

Why would anyone ask for an article like that?

[Angela Biggs]

Because it takes over your life! You have to start buying cars for the harp, home design or purchase is based around the harp, and the harp needs to be stored away from direct sunlight in a room that has air conditioning, heat, a dehumidifier, and a humidifier. My dog, a living creature, doesn’t get that kind of pampering!

Because harps aren’t guitars, and sound techs don’t get it. You’ll try to class up your local talent show with a little pretty music and spend weeks fighting for what your instrument needs, only to find yourself tuning in a piano box three minutes before you go on because the sound team simply refuses to turn off the rock music they’re blasting during intermission. TRUE STORY.

Because live harp music is too loud for a lullaby, so your husband will ask you to stop practicing just when you’re really getting into it. 🙂

angelabiggs.com

[Tacye]

Piano tuners and furniture movers actually get paid for what we spend so much time doing!

And as David Watkins pointed out the more portable instruments get all the best tunes.

[Alison]

I’m with Angela – it can sometimes be a tricky occupation for some customers who do not appreciate the time and effort – a time & cost sink requiring constant mental efforts & perseverance. I think Garrison Keillor got it about right, exaggerated of course, when he described it as “keeping you humble and at home. You can’t run around with a harp, having one is like living with an elderly parent in poor health, hard to get them in and out of cars & hard to keep them happy. It takes fourteen hours to tune a harp which remains in tune for twenty minutes or until someone opens the door. It’s an instrument for a saint…. ” He concludes with “if a harpist could find a good percussionist, they wouldn’t need anybody else they could just settle down and make perfectly good music, just the two of them”…..leads into a simply ascending arpeggio to which the triangle gets the final ping !!

[mae-mcallister]

Whenever I get the harp out in the pub or to play for people at home they always fall asleep mid-tune, and I have to fight the temptation to make like Jigglypuff and get the marker pen out to draw on their faces.

[Author]

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