[unknown-user]

Saul, I definitely agree with you there – that lushness stems from broad, fleshy pads, (my wise teacher is constantly telling me this!) but the presence of hardened skin is going to work directly against you on that,

[unknown-user]

@Saul,

Supple was the wrong word… I suppose lush? Because ones fingers might not be producing a harsh tone, but might not make a lush tone either. Of course, this is partly due to technique (and suppleness!) but the finger texture also has so much to do with it. I wonder if anyone has done a study on how finger texture effects timbre…

~Sam

[unknown-user]

I’ve always wondered that myself. My teacher has a sizeable callus on her thumb – its

[unknown-user]

Yes! Same here, Kathy! I file my fingers too. It doesn’t seem right though. (the natural harsh scraping noise that my hands make) I’ve been playing the harp for nearly 9 years and I’ve almost never had a callus! Instead I just get hard “plates” of skin. Do you find the same thing? Does anyone know if this is an indication of something wrong?

~Sam

[unknown-user]

You didn’t make it clear that you intend to major in harp. (although you did imply that) At a lot of schools you can only study with the harp instructor if you are a major. Just something to consider.

~Sam

[unknown-user]

None of you do anything to keep your fingers healthy? Really? Surely you MUST do something.

~Sam

[unknown-user]

I have had this problem with my Ogden harp. It was the same string that kept breaking (every week or two, for over a year!) We had to send it in for repairs so many times, and in the end they figured out there was a huge crack in the soundboard and I had to get a new harp.
I think the string breaking had to do with the little rings at the bottom, they were made of metal but all the newer Ogdens (and all the other L&H harps) at the store had plastic rings. Maybe this is why your strings break as well?

[unknown-user]

Dear Ms Shaljean,

Thank you for all that information. It is all very helpful. I will indeed check the Yahoo site.

Kind Regards,

Ann.

[unknown-user]

It was great! I thought it was very thorough, having interviewed contestants, parents, teachers, judges, and even taking a look at the production of the 1st prize harp! Maybe it was the tv or the way they recorded, but didn’t some of the audio seem abrasive? It was a shame, I thought that took away from the experience a little bit. My teacher was approached to be a tracked competitor, but she decided not to compete…

~Sam

[unknown-user]

Here’s my student history:

~1 year with a college student

~5 years with her teacher (I had been recommended to the first one because this teacher had a lot of students and could only take the most serious ones)

~a couple month break (I moved to boarding school)

~a couple months with a teacher near the school

~2.5 years at the conservatory (in the prep division)

1 more year of highschool. I’ve gone back to the teacher I had for 5 years for summer lessons, but my current teacher decided that she did not want me studying with anyone else. Its a shame, and, in my opinion, hurtful to my progression. But I’ll make due 🙂

~Sam

[unknown-user]

Here’s my student history:

~1 year with a college student

~5 years with her teacher (I had been recommended to the first one because this teacher had a lot of students and could only take the most serious ones)

~a couple month break (I moved to boarding school)

~a couple months with a teacher near the school

~2.5 years at the conservatory (in the prep division)

1 more year of highschool. I’ve gone back to the teacher I had for 5 years for summer lessons, but my current teacher decided that she did not want me studying with anyone else. Its a shame, and, in my opinion, hurtful to my progression. But I’ll make due 🙂

~Sam

[unknown-user]

Here’s my student history:

~1 year with a college student

~5 years with her teacher (I had been recommended to the first one because this teacher had a lot of students and could only take the most serious ones)

~a couple month break (I moved to boarding school)

~a couple months with a teacher near the school

~2.5 years at the conservatory (in the prep division)

1 more year of highschool. I’ve gone back to the teacher I had for 5 years for summer lessons, but my current teacher decided that she did not want me studying with anyone else. Its a shame, and, in my opinion, hurtful to my progression. But I’ll make due 🙂

~Sam

[unknown-user]

Check with David Williams at Williams Harp Galleries – he has been in the business many years and is quite the encylopedia of who played what and where they are now –

I would also imagine that another good source of information would be the various regulators and technicians in various parts of the country as well as overseas – and also the various Salzedo method teachers around the country –

You might also consider adding a list to this post of the ones you have already found so time isn’t wasted with duplication searches –

Very interesting project – keep us posted
John

[unknown-user]

Sorry for the late reply.

First, mark all your beats. Sometimes you will find a 32nd (or is it a 16th?

[unknown-user]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the recent input, but I´ve found guidance through competition repertoire. Also, I am currently playing at a level far above the one I described in my 2 year old post.

Sam

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