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Hi Elly! I’m impressed by your courage in posting a video and asking for feedback, as well as your motivation in learning on your own. Do you have any instructional books? These often have great discussions of hand and arm position, finger placement, etc. I like Laurie Riley’s “Basic Harp for Beginners”. Sylvia Woods’ classic “Teach Yourself to Play Folk Harp” is a good one too, progressing a little more slowly.
In watching your performance I see a lot of originality in both your arrangements and your approach to the music. The harp kept slipping, which obviously inhibited your freedom in playing. I’d recommend finding a better way to stabilize the harp; a sit-on board with non-slip fabric on the harp end is one way to go.
Initially I would advise lifting your elbows and your thumbs while keeping your palm approximately directed toward the soundboard. Also when you’re writing your arrangements try to utilize all fingers (1-4). It seems you never use the fourth finger of your left hand and are thus missing out on an essential element in folk music: the bass note. Kim Robertson has a great book on arranging for the folk harp, and Pamela Bruner has written a book on self-accompanying vocals with the harp. All are available on Amazon.com I think.
Good luck Elly, and keep up the exciting work. The folk harp is wide-open; while there are more physiologically sound ways of playing, your style is of course up to you. Keep listening and keep creating.
Please keep considering teaching via Skype, Julietta. Living as I did in a rural community when I began lessons, I took some “lessons” over the phone for a few months. Since I have an extensive music background and a good imagination, I actually ended up with no bad habits to correct when I finally found a teacher (still 1 1/2 hours away). However I don’t think many would be quite so lucky. Skype is a great way to go for those students who truly can’t find a physical teacher.
I also have a Dusty 36S. I tend to ask my contact at the event if there’s any preferred attire for me; sometimes, as in an upcoming Pakistani wedding, the answer is, “Be colorful, and don’t show any cleavage.” If I have a choice I tend to go simple as well as many previous posters; all black, or black with one color.
Wide skirts are wonderful for playing in, unless they’re long enough that the hem might trip one. Slacks are great too, and have the added advantage (in my opinion) of challenging the whole “angel at the harp” stereotype.
I’ve always found that my Dusty can dress up or down; it has never felt out of place with either very formal or very informal wear.
Good luck!
The harp helped me begin to rediscover the beauty and appeal of music after years as a burnt-out classical pianist.
Taking shelter from the rain at a Scottish festival, I found myself in a group harp lesson. As there was one harp left,I was given the bench. I left that day determined to play the harp, and nine months later began lessons.
I have to say that though I still struggle with some music-related trauma, the harp has brought me great peace and given me the opportunity to bring the same into many people’s lives. Whether I am playing a wedding and giving what blessing I can at an important juncture of the bride and groom’s destinies, or playing and singing in a coffee house and watching faces change with the progress of my music, the harp continues to inspire me.
Cool thread, Rod C.
I use hostmonster.com ($5 a month, paid every other year) for the webhosting and have a wix.com premium account for the design (also about $5 a month). You can see it here: http://www.emilymcintyre.com.
I’ve been quite pleased with both except that now, as I’m working on SEO optimization, wix.com hasn’t been very cooperative; there is no option to create a google sitemap, which is necessary. So while I love their drag-and-drop design possibilities, I don’t recommend their services. I’ve been with Hostmonster for about four years I think and they’ve been great. Their support is quite helpful as well.
Greetings Arya, and congratulations on being asked to play! It would be a good idea to speak with other harpists or musicians in the area and find what their rates are, though we can be a bit dodgy about answering that kind of question!
Often there is a set-up fee incorporated into the first hour, then a smaller per-hour fee after that. I charge $125 for the first hour and $65 for subsequent hours or fractions thereof.
Good luck!
Hi Barb. Sorry about your accident! I drive a Pontiac Vibe and for my lever floor harp it is perfect. I especially appreciate that the back seat folds down in two separate sections so I can easily wedge the harp and all my gear in.
I certainly feel affectionate toward my harps, but I haven’t named them. I’ve tried, but the names haven’t stuck. I do find myself stroking my Dusty Strings and occasionally refer to it as a demanding 45-pound baby.
Age truly has little to do with whether one is too old to play the harp, or for that matter, take up any new skill. I have taught many women older than 65 both harp and piano, and found that they were often more flexible (mentally) than the young ones.
Physical disabilities can be deeply discouraging though. I am remembering one of my first harp students, who was 71 I think. She didn’t read a note of music, was nearly blind, and had a skin condition which rendered playing the harp painful. We both worked very hard for nearly two years, and she still could hardly pick out a basic tune. Finally the effort was abandoned, to both our disappointment. Yet she remains one of my favorite students ever, and her zest for life was certainly not diminished by the “failure”.
In ten years of teaching private piano lessons, I faced this dilemma many times. Eventually, I wrote up a studio contract which stated clearly each aspect of behavior in my studio, including payment and practicing expectations, then had the parents or adult student sign and date it at the first lesson. Every year or so I updated it and made sure everyone read it. This helped, to a large degree.
I also became much pickier about who I accepted as a student, always scheduling a (free) interview first before committing to teaching. There are some dead giveaways for problem students.
I hope you are able to figure it out!
Emily
