Thank you for posting this basic fingering lesson, which I am just learning. Watching this video and listening to your very detailed explanation has really helped me, especially the spacing between the thumb and finger during the crossing.
Thank you. I am trying to learn harp on my own using Sylvia Wood's book and like looking up your lessons when I get stuck. The nearest harp teacher is an hour's drive away, so I appreciate having this option.
@JazzKeyboardist1 It is a pedal harp. Every string can be changed to a flat, natural, or sharp. There are 7 pedals, one for each note. Say you want a D flat, you would move the D pedal to the up position and all the D strings would changed to D flat. There are some videos on RUclips showing how the pedal harp works.
Thanks Donna! I'm playing a Lyon and Healy Style 30. (PS I do teach via Skype - limited availability at the moment but do feel free to reach out to me at info@joshlayne.com if you want :)
thx for all the video's. it's so helpful. I watch them over and over again. evry time I learn something new.. in February I bought a camac bardic harp, 27 strings... I'm not sure wich string is the middle C. can you tell me pleasee?? 😁 thankyouuu
cool, so this is a c harp that is the white piano notes, and wondering how can you play a d flat etc, i might of fast forwarded over it, easier for me to play a harp patch on my synth,lol thanks
Thanks, Josh. My problem is the thumb, especially playing from low to high notes. It's difficult to get the thumbed notes to sound the same, in quality, as the fingered notes. It feels like the thumb is ungrounded, playing against air, or without resistance... Hard to describe! Maybe it's because the fingers are pulling toward the hand while the thumb pushes away, even as the hand is moving in the opposite direction, limiting the thumb's movement. I practice this a lot, but it still feels not-solid. I'm guessing there's no short cut, just needs more time. I will keep watching this to make sure I have the angles correct... Thanks so much for such big, clear pictures!
Martha Dahlen As a fingerpicking guitarist who recently started on the harp... I really think it just takes time, as my right hand has no issues but my left can barely function! Since I only picked strings with my right hand. Has it improved since your comment?
Hi Guy, thanks for your comment. I've completely forgotten about the thumb issue because I've moved on to another, even worse problem! As a fingerpicker, maybe you can help. Interestingly, I have no issues with my left hand. It plays (relatively) well. But the RIGHT hand, when the 3rd & 4th fingers play there is buzz from the fingernails. That is, as I pluck with the 4th fingers, either the 4th finger fingernail adds a twang to the vibration or the 3rd fingernail is caught (especially when I try to pluck with more pad of the 4th finger.) Does that make sense? I am trying different angles of the wrist, of the fingers plucking, of the arm, of the harp, but... I can hear it, a twang that spoils the clarity of the notes, especially going down a scale in the upper third of the harp. I watch the left hand, in its effortless glory, but somehow the right hand can't replicate it. Is it the different strings? the necessarily different angle that the right arm meets the harp? and, most importantly, why doesn't anyone else have this problem??? thanks for any suggestions....
Martha Dahlen Hi Martha! Do you cut your nails as short as they can be? For classical harp technique it's important to have short nails so they don't get in the way when plucking the strings. You shouldn't have to adjust your hand position to avoid having the nails contact the strings. If your nails grow right to the end of your fingers just keep cutting them short and they should recede a bit with time (similar to when people bite their nails and the nails eventually grow differently). Hope that helps!
Thank you! I will try---but the odd thing here is that I have no trouble with the left hand. That is, the nails on both hands are the same length (not TOO short), yet the right twangs while the left plays cleanly. I feel like it's somehow the way I play. Do I twist the finger? Do I pull up rather than relaxed & down?? Should I keep that last joint of the finger tense & bent, or flat as it plucks?? I am experimenting with these aspects I feel this is the kind of challenge Alexander (of alexander technique ) had, and that I am doing something subtly wrong. I just can't figure out what!
That is thing with the crossing thumb is so hard for me especial in the higher notes! I have big hands and relativly short but thick fingers. Plus I have a traveling harp which means that the distances of the strings are smaller than with classical or Celtic harps. T_T
Não se prenda tanto a língua, na passagem de dedilhado, ele mostra como usar o dedo 2 deixa tudo mais tenso e "errado", aí depois ele mostra como fazer a passagem usando os dedos 3 e 4, funciona quase como no piano, e torna a escala e outras passagens que exijam passagem no dedilhado mais tranquilas
Thank you so much for these videos. I have been a pianist for 15 years and have bought my first harp. I can’t wait to be able to play a piece on it
Really. Thank YOU! You are much appreciated by many of us who are unable to take lessons in person :)
Wow! Thank you so much for putting these lessons up. They are such a gift for those who can't afford real lessons.
Dear Josh,
thank you so much for such precious lessons: they are really detailed, clear and well done. I would keep in mind many of your suggestions!
Really helpful in learning harp playing, thank you.
Thank you for posting this basic fingering lesson, which I am just learning. Watching this video and listening to your very detailed explanation has really helped me, especially the spacing between the thumb and finger during the crossing.
Great video and very helpful exercises!
Thanks for posting this. I'm still working on crossovers and I'm hoping the excersizes you've recommeded will help.
Thank you so much for all your videos. They really help. It here are no harp teachers where I live so your videos really help me learn.
Thank you. I am trying to learn harp on my own using Sylvia Wood's book and like looking up your lessons when I get stuck. The nearest harp teacher is an hour's drive away, so I appreciate having this option.
My pleasure!
@JazzKeyboardist1 It is a pedal harp. Every string can be changed to a flat, natural, or sharp. There are 7 pedals, one for each note. Say you want a D flat, you would move the D pedal to the up position and all the D strings would changed to D flat. There are some videos on RUclips showing how the pedal harp works.
I want to take lessons from you! You are amazing! Please tell me what kind of harp you're using? It has a lovely tone.
Thanks Donna! I'm playing a Lyon and Healy Style 30. (PS I do teach via Skype - limited availability at the moment but do feel free to reach out to me at info@joshlayne.com if you want :)
merci beaucoup pour ces explications filmées avec beaucoup de pédagogie !
Avec plaisir :)
Thanks Vanessa, glad to be of help! :)
thx for all the video's. it's so helpful. I watch them over and over again. evry time I learn something new.. in February I bought a camac bardic harp, 27 strings... I'm not sure wich string is the middle C. can you tell me pleasee?? 😁 thankyouuu
Should be the second C from the bottom! (8th string from the bottom). Nice harp - have fun with it!
Josh Layne thank you for the quick response!!
cool, so this is a c harp that is the white piano notes, and wondering how can you play a d flat etc, i might of fast forwarded over it, easier for me to play a harp patch on my synth,lol thanks
Very helpful!
Thanks Josh! What is the best exercise book? Thanks!
Hey Jim, I dunno that there's a "best" one, but I certainly like Lariviere: archive.org/download/exercicesettud20lari2/exercicesettud20lari2_bw.pdf
Thank you!! Very helpful♡
Thanks, Josh. My problem is the thumb, especially playing from low to high notes. It's difficult to get the thumbed notes to sound the same, in quality, as the fingered notes. It feels like the thumb is ungrounded, playing against air, or without resistance... Hard to describe! Maybe it's because the fingers are pulling toward the hand while the thumb pushes away, even as the hand is moving in the opposite direction, limiting the thumb's movement. I practice this a lot, but it still feels not-solid. I'm guessing there's no short cut, just needs more time. I will keep watching this to make sure I have the angles correct... Thanks so much for such big, clear pictures!
Martha Dahlen As a fingerpicking guitarist who recently started on the harp... I really think it just takes time, as my right hand has no issues but my left can barely function! Since I only picked strings with my right hand. Has it improved since your comment?
Hi Guy, thanks for your comment. I've completely forgotten about the thumb issue because I've moved on to another, even worse problem! As a fingerpicker, maybe you can help. Interestingly, I have no issues with my left hand. It plays (relatively) well. But the RIGHT hand, when the 3rd & 4th fingers play there is buzz from the fingernails. That is, as I pluck with the 4th fingers, either the 4th finger fingernail adds a twang to the vibration or the 3rd fingernail is caught (especially when I try to pluck with more pad of the 4th finger.) Does that make sense? I am trying different angles of the wrist, of the fingers plucking, of the arm, of the harp, but... I can hear it, a twang that spoils the clarity of the notes, especially going down a scale in the upper third of the harp. I watch the left hand, in its effortless glory, but somehow the right hand can't replicate it. Is it the different strings? the necessarily different angle that the right arm meets the harp? and, most importantly, why doesn't anyone else have this problem??? thanks for any suggestions....
Martha Dahlen Hi Martha! Do you cut your nails as short as they can be? For classical harp technique it's important to have short nails so they don't get in the way when plucking the strings. You shouldn't have to adjust your hand position to avoid having the nails contact the strings. If your nails grow right to the end of your fingers just keep cutting them short and they should recede a bit with time (similar to when people bite their nails and the nails eventually grow differently). Hope that helps!
Thank you! I will try---but the odd thing here is that I have no trouble with the left hand. That is, the nails on both hands are the same length (not TOO short), yet the right twangs while the left plays cleanly. I feel like it's somehow the way I play. Do I twist the finger? Do I pull up rather than relaxed & down?? Should I keep that last joint of the finger tense & bent, or flat as it plucks?? I am experimenting with these aspects I feel this is the kind of challenge Alexander (of alexander technique ) had, and that I am doing something subtly wrong. I just can't figure out what!
Thanks very helpful, I just got a harp
Do you think it is important to practice these things for the left hand, too? (I have only been playing 7-8 weeks.)
That is thing with the crossing thumb is so hard for me especial in the higher notes! I have big hands and relativly short but thick fingers. Plus I have a traveling harp which means that the distances of the strings are smaller than with classical or Celtic harps. T_T
I love YOU!
I’m gonna keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for the day I’m able to do this with ease...
Nice, haha! :)
thats alot like how your supposed to play piano
any lessons online?
Hi Jose, I teach via Skype, feel free to email me if you're interested :) info@joshlayne.com
Muito bom só não entendo a língua sou Brasileiro
Não se prenda tanto a língua, na passagem de dedilhado, ele mostra como usar o dedo 2 deixa tudo mais tenso e "errado", aí depois ele mostra como fazer a passagem usando os dedos 3 e 4, funciona quase como no piano, e torna a escala e outras passagens que exijam passagem no dedilhado mais tranquilas
in the parking garage so I don’t go jhfv