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A good place to start is with Verlene Shermer’s book, Cool Chords and Groovy Rhythms: Arranging for the Lever Harp in Modern Styles.
And Deborah Henson-Conanat’s book, Introduction to Improvisation for Pedal
Certainly the only issue is if the music you want to play can be played on the instrument you are going to use.
All instruments have their limitation. I don’t think it is unfair to say that the lever harp is a bit more limited than the pedal harp, but if the music you want to play is perfectly playable on the lever harp then a pedal harp just isn’t necessary.
As mentioned, more and more pedal harpists are pulling out the lever harp for gigs. For example:
Sylvia Woods started playing the pedal harp and switch almost exclusively to lever harp.
The great Mary O’Hara plays pedal harp, but professionally she only used the lever harp to accompany her singing.
Verlene Shermer is a pedal harpists but most known for her use of the electric lever harp.
Deborah Henson-Conant, while still recognized as one of the leading Jazz pedal harpists is using lever harps more and more as time goes on, not less.
The members of Electric Angel I believe all play pedal harp, but in their band they all perform exclusively with lever harps.
The late Derek Bell MBE was at one time the principle harpists of the Northern Belfast Orchestra and switched almost exclusively to lever harp when he left the world of classical music to join the Chieftains.
I think of all the innovative and talented lever harpists out there who really show what you CAN do with the instrument despite it’s particular limitations. Aside from the above Pedal harpists who either use levers as well or exclusively now, there are other musicians like Rudegar Opperman, a Celtic harpists who is more than able to hold his own with Park Stickney who is one of the best Jazz pedal harpists around.
Musically you should play what ever music inspires you and drives you. And if that music can be played on lever harp then you don’t need anything else.
It’s not a matter of one instrument being better than another. It is a matter of choosing the most appropriate tool for the job. What is the point of playing O’Carolan music on a pedal harp if you have a lever harp that it can be played on just as well but is more portable, less difficult or expensive to maintain,
I keep my harp in a corner. I put a felt cloth over the area where the body joins the neck and make sure it is firmly against the corner. It’s made it through a 6.9 with out falling.
I had a cat once that would sit on my leg while I played and just watch my hands fascinated.
My teacher had a beautiful Shepard named Polaris that would always come sit near the base of the harp when ever anyone started to play. A great dog, but I always left my lessons with dog hair all over my pant legs.
I don’t care for overly ornate, carved, or gold harps.
The only exception is the Salzedo which, to me, is about as ornate as I would consider. It is probably the only harp with a decorated sound board I would consider.
I am most fond of the Camac Atlantide in Cherry finish. Beautiful in it’s simplicity.
Like Victor I learned to tie the knot using Fun From the First. Very good diagrams that make it very clear.
I don’t know if that diagram is different from how Camac’s diagram is, but in the end it is relatively irrelevant. I am sure there are several different ways to tie a knot and I doubt that any has any significant advantage, and see no reason to learn a whole new way. So I tie the knots on my Camac exactly like I tie the knots on my Lyon and Healy. I have never had a problem as a result of that.
+++So there is also soemthign to be said for taking this up later in life.+++
From observing several people who have taken the harp up later in life it has become my opinion that it is one of the best instruments for older people to take up. The range of music that can be played is great, and the fact that the harp sounds wonderful even when played simply means that you don’t have to practice for years just to produce something that sounds pleasant to most people.
I am constantly astounded by the number of people who don’t begin until their 50’s, 60’s and even in their 70’s with the occasional 80’s. It is fairly rare to hear of someone just taking up the violin at 60, but not the harp so clearly there is something about the harp that both appeals to older people, and makes learning for an older person more practical.
Personally I think it is great. Every one should make some kind of music and to see so many people who never did start no matter what the age is a wonderful thing.
Personally I think hard work is the most important.
Certainly there are those who have some natural talent that makes progress quicker, but I believe that
For me it all started with U2, in a very round about way.
I have been playing some kind of instrument since I was about 6. Piano lessons, then in a marching band playing glockenspiel and later fife. Fife led to flute. Friends in to rock got me started on guitar.
I was a big fan of U2 and one day I was in the record store and I saw a live record of a fundraiser benefit concert in Ireland featuring all sorts of Irish musicians, including U2. I bought the album because it had U2 doing some covers of Dylan songs.
However also on the record were two groups I had never heard of. Clannad and The Chieftains. I ran out the next day and found a full album of each of them and fell in love with Irish music instantly.
Listening to the Chieftains album I couldn’t get past the one instrument that stood out and made me want to play it. The Irish Fiddle. I wanted to play the fiddle so bad.
But the funny thing was that as I listed to both the Clannad and Chieftains albums I realized that the instrumental pieces featuring the harp were my favorites. Eventually I realized I was paying much more attention to the sound of the harp than the fiddle. I even started to have dreams I was playing the harp.
So I saved up and bought a harp. The guy I bought it from said he knew a good harp teacher and gave me her name and number. It turned out she was primarily a Classical harpist, but I figured it was a better place to start than trying to learn on my own.
She in turn not only indulged my desire to play Irish music, but turned me on to both Classical and Jazz music for the harp.
The rest is history.
Proper posture is very, very important when playing the harp. Poor posture and position can lead to many different kinds of physical problems.
Sit in a chair that is a more comfortable height (an adjustable height music bench is the best option) and raise the harp up on something.
Rule of thumb, if doing something hurts stop doing it and find a better way.
+++ But the most i hate SUBWAY when I need to take somewhere fast in traffic+++
Oh does that bring back memories. I have had more than a couple of instances where I had to haul a lever harp on the subway or buss and it is quite the experiences. And quite the conversation starter.
Ah, I see what you are asking now.
Well, my teacher studied with both Salzedo and Lawrence and definitely taught the Salzedo method.
I actually have all my original beginning materials still so I can list what, other than the things you have already mentioned, I used at the very beginning:
Fun From The First Vol I and II by Samuel Milligan
Christmas Music for the Harp (Simplified) by Dewey Owens
Junior Bach Collection by Pearl Chertok
Imaginations: Tuneful Fun and Recital Pieces to Expand Early Grade Harp Skills for Non-Pedal and Pedal Harps by Doris Davidson
Early on my teacher had me doing exercises from Salzedo’s Conditioning Exercises book. I still use it if I don’t have time for full practicing. If I only have 15 min to practice one day I don’t bother with working on pieces, I just sit down with this book and run through some of the exercises. They keep my hands in shape and my technique sharp.
I find them both interesting, but Vollenweider gets a bit too new agey for me. Oppermann is very, very innovative and not afraid to experiment.
If you like Oppermann check out the album he did with Park Stickney. The two of them really sound good together. Their styles are not the same, but they blend incredibly well.
Vollenweider does what he does very good, but what he does generally puts me to sleep.
