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Thank you so much for this, a genuinely thought of and not too critical answer. Thank you. What electric harp do you play? 🙂
Ooh good question.
I liked playing Celtic music too at first on mine but prior to buying a harp and learning to play it I was writing my own music and songs for piano and guitar. I ended up transferring my writing abilities to the harp and really, haven’t looked back. It is so satisfying when you find that perfect melody that expresses exactly how you feel at the time, and everyone can hear it when you play it on your harp. I never expected to be able to make a career out of my harp playing as I’m not exactly classically trained but now I play about four shows every month and have written two albums. 😀
Ooh, I know this seems to be a little bit taboo with most people, but why don’t classical harpists like to play baroque? I think it sounds beautiful :3
Hi Sophia,
Nice video. I’m a self-taught harpist too since this January so it’s cool to see another self-taught harp fan!
However, I took my first lesson in July after joining this forum, only to develop the proper technique and I can safely say it was the best thing I have done as a harpist because after my second lesson I found I could play pieces that before I had found difficult with so much ease and my hands looked a lot better when I played in front of the mirror.
I don’t know if you are considering lessons at any point but I highly recommend it. Some constructive criticism, make sure the palm of your left hand is pointing towards the soundboard instead of towards the strings as that relax your wrist and you can pluck the strings with your fingers with more strength, also when you are playing octaves with your left hand, it’s usually best to use the first finger (thumb) and fourth finger (ring) to pluck the strings inwards as the sound will resonate better.
I found using the fourth finger very difficult at first but with practise my left hand can now play more efficiently and it also sounds a LOT better rather now my fingers are trained! Good luck!
Thank you very much Emily and Sam, your advice has been really useful! Today is the day I give the local harp teacher a call too so I’ll attend my first lesson in the next week hopefully! I’ll continue to put videos up on youtube as I write my own songs/material so please do stay in touch and let me know how you think I’m progressing! Yeah it seems to be my wrist that’s the problem, I’m sub-conciously doing it now so I’ll have to work on replacing that habbit. Thanks again! 🙂
I’ve always loved the sound of the harp and listened to clips online before I went to sleep, but it was only last year that it really struck me. I’d been through a pretty rough two years with my bipolar disorder, and losing people through irrational behaviour… Etc when someone anonomously sent me the Joanna Newsom track ’81, the minute she started playing I just burst into tears. I don’t know what kind of an emotion it was, I still don’t, over a year on but all I know is I felt this huge connection, like I was supposed to listen to it! After that, I started having dreams that I was in the Hobgoblin music shop in Bristol playing a small harp and as the dreams got more and more frequent I decided to do my research on the instrument. I got my first harp for Christmas ’10, a little 22 string and haven’t put it down since although admittedly, since my new Camac DGC 36 has been here, the poor little thing hasn’t had much attention!
I’m completely self-taught, and before playing harp I played piano, guitar, ukulele and sing and write songs. 🙂 And now I’m performing live it’s fantastic! I’m COMPLETELY obsessed with harp! 🙂
Hi Christine and everyone. 😀
This is my first post too, I’m almost 18, live in Bristol, England and have been playing my lovely little 22 string lever harp since this January. Considering I’m self-taught, it’s going well, and now my life seems to revolve around harp! I’m so jealous of you playing a pedal harp. I’m getting a Camac DHC 36 string electro harp this week, I am so excited!If yourself or anyone fancies chatting I’m really friendly and would love to chat about all things harpy at ellymccabe@rocketmail.com
hopefully speak to some of you soon!
Also, have any of you heard of Erika Kelly? She’s been playing harp for 11 years and has some amazing YouTube videos up, she did an awesome cover of Lady Gaga’s paparazzi and Bruno Mars’ Lazy Song, you should check her out. 🙂E x
