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I recently heard a beautiful harp arrangement of “Aunt Viola’s Waltz” on YouTube posted by JR Munger, but have yet to find any sheet music and they turned the comments off so unfortunately I have no way of asking. 🙁 As Balfour suggested, maybe you could find a way to learn by ear?
Wow Philippa, so you learned all of the Suzuki books?? I am almost finished with book 1 and haven’t scratched the surface of what is yet to come. I am not surprised that some pieces take years… I am working on a non-Suzuki piece right now for about 2 months and am only about halfway through with learning it! Of course, I don’t have much sight reading skill so that makes the process much slower, but even so, it is quite a challenge and patience is key.
Tell me more about your Suzuki training! I have yet to find another harpist (other than my teacher) who has completed it and would love to hear what your experience was. Were there things you liked, didn’t like? Do you feel it has prepared you adequately in your career?
Wow, that is a lot of things to keep up with at once!! That must have felt so empowering to feel so under control of multiple functions at the same time. I feel that way when I can put my right hand and left hand together in a new song, and understand what they’re doing and how it flows together. Such a cool feeling!!
It is such a relief to hear that it does get easier. I have had a few of those “aha” moments throughout the past year I’ve been playing, but the going is still tough. I am very much dependent on my teacher to show me how to play most pieces, as my sight reading is so slow, but I can certainly say without a doubt that I am in love with the harp and LOVE playing. I think I can accredit that to why I’ve stuck with it for a whole year so far! I am really looking forward to the next year or two when those pieces start to really “click”.
What were those “aha” moments for everyone? When did you really think to yourself, wow this is making sense? I recently learned a song where there was a lever change and overlapping fingerings, and when I figured it out, I was just like WOW, this feels right! Did any of you have one of those moments?
Thanks for your insight! This is my one and only instrument. My teacher is very detail oriented and spends time with me to correct (sometimes frustrating) issues that seem “small” but have absolutely made a difference over the past year. I’m very motivated to be able to play music I enjoy more, and have been told that I’m a fast learner. But I also accept that it’s a journey and we are all working within the limitations of our own brains (and sore fingers- ouch)! Understanding something and then doing it well, are completely different things some days!
At some point after you get past the early beginner phase, does it get easier? Do things just “click” more with your technique and sight reading?
I am starting to realize what you mean- now that I am advancing, yes my technique is able to support playing those pieces now, but it takes much more effort and time than it used to because they are more advanced! I am able to sight read a little bit, and am currently working on a new piece I chose on my own. My teacher is helping me to correct spots where I’m not quite getting right, but each week she expects me to take it upon myself to learn the next part of the song and show her what I’ve come up with. It’s a pretty cool thing! It pushes me. Sight reading definitely helps me to feel that I am more “proficient” and able to make music on my own. I am learning the Suzuki method which is by ear, so I have been able to sound out chords and melodies and it’s been very helpful!
I think a gel manicure would be fine, as long as you keep them filed short. You could probably make a French manicure stretch a bit longer, because it wouldn’t be as obvious as it grows out. Just file them down weekly and you should be left with a pretty decent looking manicure until the white is all gone. Then it will just be clear.
Thanks for the recommendations!! It made me realize that I don’t really know what I want yet… Ideally I’d like to stay with pedal tension strings, as my folk harp is pedal tension and that’s what I’ve always played. Plus it will help if/when I decide to play a pedal harp one day. Honestly with the type of training I am doing, I am probably headed in that direction anyhow. I think it would make sense to buy a used lever harp that is a good all-around instrument, like the troubadour or similar model. I definitely want at least 36 strings though. As I move forward over the next few years, I can decide whether to invest in a pedal harp, or buy an additional celtic harp with lighter tension that is specifically for playing those tunes. Who knows, I may end up adding a celtic harp no matter what, as they are simply beautiful!
Do many of you have multiple harps you use for different types of music / occasions? I have a feeling my house will be full of harps in the next 5 years or so!!
Thanks Balfour!! I do my reviews throughout the week & brought my harp in to the office and played some stuff for my co workers which was really gratifying :)) I’m finally getting to a point where I have some more interesting songs, albeit short and simple, but at least something to share!
LOL Balfour, oh there’s an app for everything now!!
Regarding the music I do feel like part of it is just “growing pains” and you’re not going to be able to play interesting music when you first start… but thankfully I’m getting into a better part of the book and I also went to the music store with my teacher and we picked up a few new books that will be fun to learn. I understand why it was important for me to learn the way I did, because I’m really advancing pretty quick. But parts of the journey are just tedious, and you just have to stick with it. Especially if you cannot read music very well, like me!!
Thanks Gretchen!! I have one app on my phone which is a timed note reading quiz, so that has been helping greatly. My teacher gave me a sight reading book to purchase as well, it has a recording which you sight read along with so that should be lots of fun. I really am looking forward to being able to read music easily, I know it is really handicapping me right now. Also, I’m going to perform a duet this weekend with my teacher so I’m hoping to have a nice recording of that to show people! But I also want a sound bite video of just me doing a solo piece as you said, so I’ll take a look at the song you suggested 🙂
Just want to say thanks again for all the wonderful feedback everyone!
I used to do one song at a time, but I was working ahead in the book a lot, so my teacher would start me on a new piece when I was *almost* done with my last one, so usually I’m working on 2-3 at a time! It really has helped me a lot to not get super bored. I think I’ll probably go to longer/more frequent lessons so I can fit more in. The first few months were tedious because all I was learning was variations on “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, one at a time. I started out with 10-15 mins per day, and now I’m up to about 30-45 minutes.
Yeah, I guess it depends on the type of piece. The songs I am playing, while they are increasing in difficulty, are very short. Idk, maybe I am just going fast, but for me a month is a long time to spend on one! Typically they are similar to the previous song, but will introduce one or two new elements that throw me a curve ball. So it hasn’t been too hard for me to pick up at that faster rate. A reach, instead of a giant leap if you will. But as I go on to more difficult music I think a month is probably going to become too ambitious, so I’m trying not to have that expectation. Plus, the music will probably get more interesting and it will be really satisfying to spend more time on those as they come together! Or, I hope so!! 😀
