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Great advice! I can see how the warm ups and the cool downs will help. I guess when my hands are cold they do that too! As I was practicing today, I tried relaxing. My left hand was very relaxed, but my right hand kept getting more tense and tight. Do you think because I am left handed and do almost everything with my left hand my right hand is tense?Hi Emily,
I found this when I first switched from piano to harp. You may also be getting very muscular hands from loads of practise from difficult repertoire. I found a similar thing happen to me, as I advanced quickly, and my hands became tight and the muscles “thick”. If that makes sense. Tension has a habit of creating more tension as well, and if you do not relax the muscles they thicken and become stiff…and become harder to relax.
I found making sure that my hands were warm (if your hands are tense, they may also be cold…) and concentrating on alternating exercises..not playing the same ones over and over and choosing ones that balance. I also alternate any strength work, with quiet and
I started playing piano before harp and learning to sight read and learn the music REALLY helped with harp. I suggest to try harp and see if you like it. If you don’t, you can always go back to piano.
The Salvi Daphne I just got came with the tuning key and dust cover, as well as a side cutter for the bass wires (a quite good quality German-made one too), three spare rubber pedal tip covers and a “leatherette” drawstring pouch to put everything in.
Thanks Carolyn,
Yes, I know not all you bellywood gurls are not unreliable! I think its a Tasmanian thing, some people just seem to work on “island time”.
I did see a connection – in that context – of belly dancer and harpists. It was a womens association, honouring women in rural communities. And both are considered
..now I wish you had have told me that before the gig! I could have ripped into the Nutcracker cadenza as she
Hi Kay,
I have the old commemorative catalogue from 1899 that L&H reproduced…and they list a style 22, in gold, with extended board as $1000. Not much of an increase by 1917 considering! The size was 69 inches, 45 strings, and with the new extended board.
The style 25 with extended board, 47 strings in gold, was $1,375. It was a gothic one that kind of looks like a simpler version of the 26 – which is around $69,000.
Hi Ken,
Good of you to check in with me! Hope you are well!
Well, firstly, I took John’s advice and put my foot down about the times…insisted that I have a firm start and finish time as said I had another engagement in the evening…which was a fib, but thought it necessary. They agreed to have me for an hour and a half before the dancer arrived.. which seemed more logical. So, I did not play in her breaks. And when she arrived I was so glad that I had done this, as she seemed to have an immensley flexible idea to times…arrived late, was not ready to perform, and 20 minutes later when I’d packed up the harp and said my thankyous and goodbyes, she was still not ready to perform, drinking champers and socialising….hmmmm. I would have been playing for hours extra!
They must have realised I was a bit cranky, as they paid me on arrival without a problem. And were attentive, made sure I had water, and kept offering me food in my breaks. Really lovely older women that had lived a life on the land. I was playing a selection of classics, when one woman came up to me in the middle of Clair de lune and said in a loud voice “you don’t just play classical do ya??” And I stopped and said no, I played jazz standards and some folk. And she said in determined
Well, before you think my life more interesting than it is…. I do plenty of boring and/or ordinary gigs, but do not feel the need to gossip about it online. Try to only bring up the more interesting ones that
