USEFUL TIME STAMPS: 5:10 Explanation of the piece 5:53 Right hand explanation 7:38 Left hand explanation 8:01 Two hands explanation 8:37 Trick to playing the piece fluently 11:10 Hands together play through first section 12:03 Second section explanation 12:17 Play through second section 13:31 Ending 15:11 Full speed play through
Hi Christy-Lyn, This is Sylvia Woods. I'm so glad you like my videos. Thanks for sharing your love for them! Keep up the great work with your videos. Aloha from Hawaii.
You are purely delightful and skilled at communicating. I started less than a month ago and have learned so much from you. Playing harp has been a childhood dream. Thank you, thank you.❤
I sincerely appreciate your videos. You seem so happy to share your talent with those of us not as gifted, and who may not have access to a teacher. It’s difficult to stay motivated when you are teaching yourself, but somehow your videos always make me want to keep going. Thank you for your kindness and generosity!
Hi there Brian. Sorry for the delayed reply - I was taking a break :) I'm really happy to hear that my videos are motivating for you!! Have you ever considered lessons or do you prefer teaching yourself?
I would love to take lessons but there are not any teachers closer than a couple of hours away, so the distance is prohibitive. But there are some very kind “teachers” online who help us figure it all out :-)
As a scratch DJ, I have to totally agree. We use this exact technique when using the crossfader to make sure we have a secure, comfortable, and ensured placement before moving forward. Great work!
You are so gifted, both on the harp and teaching, and I greatly appreciate your videos! I just started learning / teaching myself last week, and am making this mistake, but now I can catch it early! Thank you so much for teaching this! You’re amazing, lady!
That's so amazing to hear!! Thank-you so much for telling me - it really means so much that this video was helpful for you. Well done for starting with learning the harp, that's super exciting! Don't hesitate to send me an email if you have any further questions :)
Learned a little when I was much much younger, so today I decided to purchased a small one 15 strings and I'm going to learn, I will purchase a large one soon, thank you for the lesson, I'll continue to watch ❤
Thank you so much Christy. I've just bought my first harp, age 59 and your tutorials are perfect for me. I've been bashing about on a piano all my life and now I'm retired, it's time for something new! Thank you again. X
Fantastic to hear!! Harp is a wonderful thing to take up in retirement, we have quite a few community members who are doing the same so you’re in good company! Well done for stepping out and DOING it! I pray it’s a fantastic experience and an exciting adventure that brings freshness into your life and those around you. Sending love!! 😃💕
The piano helps with this technique though; you have to do the same thing with the hand placement in advance. We wish you luck in your harp journey and thank you to the maker of this video!
Thank you Christy-Lyn ! I got exactly what I needed from this lesson! I had been missing the hand movement / placement /timiing - and it clicked when I watched you play. Thanks ever so much. Youre amazing!
Thank you for this great video. The one finger at a time thing is exactly what i am doing as a self taught player and i run into the concentration& pay atention to two hands problems you mentioned. I am looking forward to put this lesson into practice.
YAY!!! I'm a new harpist and this is where I came after getting through part of "Learning to Play the Harp Beautifully" for a REAL piece of music to work on. The instructions were very clear and it was wonderful to watch you play so I could check my technique and hear how the piece is supposed to sound. Many Happy Thanks, Christy-Lyn !!!
Simply wonderful. I am an accomplished pianist and so ready to learn playing the harp. So grateful for your very kind words describing technique and in other videos of making that ultimate first harp choice. I have been beautifully educated by you.
Thank you so much! I’m a beginner at 47 years old! I was driving myself and my husband crazy practicing Twinkle Twinkle. Since I downloaded this piece and bought some others from you, harp practice has been most enjoyable!
At 2.41 the assertion that guitarists set the fingers to play one note at a time is not accurate. While we usually don't plant the right fingers on the strings we do anticipate the positions of our right fingers in groups especially for chords and arpeggios. It is, in fact, amazing how similar guitar and harp technique are (i.e.plucking finger trajectory to heel of hand, avoiding finger curl, etc). That said, I very much enjoyed and appreciate this video.
Hi Christy Lyn . Its my first time commenting. Iv just started to learn the harp. Iv never learnt an instrument before. iI have some musical idea. I was a professional singer in the 70,s 80, 90,s.But it was all by ear my singing, abit of reading music but just learning it all again. I love the way you explain it so clearly but im determined to learn. Im 67 now so an oldie but watching your lessons is so brilliant. This was a good one for me because i forget where to put my fingers on time so lets hope i get it together but im a beginner !!! I live in the Uk were having a lovely summer . Thanks again for your teaching. Carol x
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I have started and dropped playing this beautiful instrument so many times out of frustration. The way you break down simple rules to use while making use of the harp’s range is encouraging me to try again.
Hi Anarda! So good to hear from you. I’m sorry to hear that your harp learning has been really frustrating up to this point! But I’m glad you’re trying again, well done! I’d love to help you more. Did you know that you can get a free video course to learn a song of your choice step-by-step with me? If you liked the teaching in this video, I think you’ll enjoy learning from my video courses 😊 Even if you just want to claim your free course, and leave it at that… I’m sure it’ll be fun! You can go to learningtheharp.com/free-trial
Thank you for this video, it is my very first lesson and it it definitely giving me more encouragement in finalizing my own decision to learn how to play this instrument. The fingering positions are something I can relate to in this video. When I was in high school I played alto saxophone and I was 16. I am 51 now and my lungs are damaged enough I think maybe the harp will be a new and wonderful re - intruduction to music. Again thank you for this video.
I am teaching myself to play the harp, but first had to teach myself to read music. Close to two years ago, I found a used Blevins Encore 34 string harp and fell so in love with the sound of anything played on it! I taught myself a handful of songs back then (using one finger on both hands, ha), but then I felt like that was a far as I could go without lessons. I played those few songs less and less; only enough to remember the notes. I decided to look for online help recently and feel so fortunate to have found your website!! I am encouraged now that I am learning to play with three fingers and on both hands. I feel so fortunate to have found your website! Thank you so much :) I hope to seek Skype lessons from you as soon as I get a lot of practice time and feel a bit more confident.
That's a great story! I'm so pleased that you've come back to the harp and that you found my videos :) :) In terms of lessons, you don't need to have tons of time to practice. Even 15 mins a day can give you real progress! It's so helpful to have a teacher walking the journey with you, so that the time you do put in is maximized. I'd love to meet you over Skype! Send me an email and we can organise a free consultation to see if we're a good fit
In gratitude Crisy-Lyn. This opened up a whole new world for me. My last "lesson/consult" (a bit ago) I learned to not play one hand until the other is placed. That's when I was a newborn. I think I have graduated to baby now. Hahahaha, I can play one hand while at the same time placing the other and keep a flow. So much fun, thanks. Cant help myself in choosing to improve and play around with different progressions.
Hi Lyra! It's so wonderful that you can look back and see how much progress you've made in your harp playing. I'm glad my video was helpful! :) What challenges have you been experiencing recently?
Something about your video that, with all the good habits I was fortunate to be taught, made it come together nicely. Biggest challenge right now is being stuck in bed so I am just accepting what is and I am not concerning myself with great progress. When I can sit comfortably and relaxed for a half hour, I will continue with some lessons. I can appreciate having to take it slow and am making sure I am just making it fun and not focussing so much on a destination. AND, hahaha, I would like to play with working on coordinating hands doing different things. When I try playing chord, arpeggio... with left and then a melody or even just wandering with the right hand, it doesn't take long for it to fall apart and digresses to plucking with one finger on right. I haven't spent any time trying to develop that skill yet tho
What a great lesson! I am renting a harpsicle and in my second month with it. I wish I had seen this video sooner. I am so glad I found you Christy-Lyn!
I just brought a harp home today (Renting for right now).Thank you for the inspiration. Your videos are so helpful and through. My background in violin helps but the technique is definitely tricky for me so far. I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself. This song was great for learning and I’m so excited to play more tomorrow!
Thank you, Christy-Lyn! Your videos are wonderful, helping those of us who are learning on our own. I appreciate your step-by-step approach in such an encouraging way.
Thank you so so much Christy-Lyn! You have taught me more in 20 mins than in the whole year I've been learning........you're a wonderful player and teacher!
Very interesting, I learn harpe celtique au conservatoire de Privas (France ) since 3 months. I'm glad to go ahead with RUclips, discovering more around the world. Thank you being so clear!
I'm self teaching and learned most of this in a book. I love the way you explain this. I notice my fingers curl into my fist and I'm trying to relax them as a play
You're such a good teacher. I've never played the harp (though I want to, which is why I'm here), but I can immediately understand what you're talking about. It's very helpful the way you've talked about technical issues (like the string buzz) that we don't need to worry about yet, because I would absolutely worry about it if you hadn't specified that it's not important right now. Since you talked about it, I can see how worrying about something so far beside the point of the lesson would probably impede my growth as a harpist. You just really know what you're doing, and not only that, you know how to communicate what needs to happen to your audience in a way that's helpful and meaningful. I look forward to eventually being able to follow along with your videos on my very own harp :D
That was great, I'm just starting to learn the harp. I was lucky enough to have a friend lone me her harp for a few weeks to see how I get on. ( Its a bit of a struggle ) I play violin and classical guitar, not to a very high standard but ok for folk music. I can read music ( on the treble clef ) but find plucking with my left hand a bit difficult. I guess I just need to keep trying, and now I have watched your video it has inspired me to keep going. Thank you for this lesson.
Hi Malcolm, thanks for the comment! I can imagine plucking with the left hand must feel strange, because you’ve played two instruments where the left hand presses the strings onto the soundboard. Very different! I’m sure with some time it will start to feel more familiar ☺️ If you love the sound of the harp, and you’re motivated to keep working on it, I’m sure you’ll adjust. Keep it up! ❤️
I've been teaching myself for a couple years. This is a great warmup and exercise for tempo and fluidity. Thank you. I'm new to your site and I find all your videos so helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am playing in the foyer at my church in December. I'm not ready to perform. I do solo singing all the time in front of a full church of 600 people no problem. But playing my harp I'm afraid I won't stay focused.
Hi Robbin, thanks for your comment! Maybe you would find my video on performance anxiety helpful? If I were preparing for a show in December and feeling nervous about performing, I would create lots of opportunities between now and December to play for other people.... multiple times a week, if possible! Even if it's just a friend or neighbour or even a delivery person. What concerns you the most - is it learning the pieces, or the fear of playing the harp in front of other people?
You need to start playing for a small group of people such as family and a few friends. Then when you play for more, just pretend that multitude of people are the family and friends.
I love your beautiful “thumb space.” The only technical concern I had for your students and fans was the added tension of holding the un-used fingers in your palm. If the hands were truly relaxed the fingers that were not being used would tend to hang down loosely near the placed strings or, in other words, follow along with the fingers being pre-placed. But then I noted later in your video you actually let this happen. BTW I am charmed by your delightful personality!
I think I'm going to share that video with my students XD I usually talk more about how just unhealthy it is to play like that, but it's also tru you don't get as much control over what you are doing either :) Nice explanations on your part! Good Job :)
Thanks Elvann!! It's so interesting once you get down to figuring out why we do things the way we do as harpists... turns out there are a lot more reasons once I really got thinking about it, haha! :)
There are just concepts like this that just fall into place so well when you actually take the time to analyze the reasons behind them :). Loving to exchange with you
I tried playing one of these things yesterday and found it much harder than expected. That said, the one thing you said that was not correct is the best tip you gave. Guitar is not picking one note at a time for finger pickers. (Flat pickers, yes, but that’s a much different technique.) Moreover, classical guitarists are trained to keep fingers in position to start and only release that when they’re advanced enough to know when it’s advantageous to do so. This instrument needs to be approached more like a guitar than a piano. Thank you for this video. I may reconsider taking up the instrument. Yesterday had me content to sticking with guitar.
Hi Christy-Lyn, I've just started to learn the harp, and have done my second lesson with a qualified teacher. My problem is losing my position on the harp - no reference place - I'm used to playing a guitar with a positive resting place for the heel of my hand on the bridge. However, after watching your video, I can now see how to overcome that. Thanks very much for your very clear and pleasant instruction - I look forward to more tips from you. Mel.
Yes and no. Back in 1993 I plucked the strings of a lever harp for the first time and loved the sounds!! I'm a classical guitarist, so I'm very familiar with nylon strings, and stringed instruments. I wrote four pieces for harp on my Finale software because I've never owned a harp. But that is now changing. I'll be purchasing my first harp soon, and for some reason, I've enjoyed the sounds of Dusty Strings harps. I can't wait to own my first harp!!
I really enjoyed this video. It was so clear on how to properly place the groups and the repetition gave me some time for feeling a little more comfortable. I will be practicing that fairly slowly and praying that some day I'll be able to play it smoothly and faster. Thanks!!!
Started playing this piece tonight. Really good for getting the hand position right. Taking it very slowly. Thank you for the video and the sheet music 😊
@@LearningtheHarp So long as my little harp holds up - raised and cracked soundboard, split in the frame - oh dear, and I can't afford another harp at the moment 🙁
Thank you very much for this tutorial! I got my harp two days ago and have been wondering how to pick the strings (I have a piano-background) and should it be one string at a time or not... This was such a clear explanation and demonstration. I'm so grateful! 🌹🌹🌹
Hi there! I’m glad you found the video helpful 👍🏻👍🏻😃 You can also watch my series of 14 videos called “How to play the harp: start here”. I really break it down in detail and prepare you for learning your first proper piece!
This video has been very helpful for me, and since then I always start playing this piece before practicing some other songs. This is such a nice warm-up :-) Thanks!
A classical guitarist would call what you do a "Rest Stroke". The last joint in the finger locks. A "Free Stroke" allows the finger tip to avoid the plane made by the strings by its arch, especially with a fingernail.
Hi there! Sorry I missed this comment while I was taking a break. I'm so glad this video was helpful for you! Have you ever had any lessons or are you teaching yourself to play from scratch? :)
I am teaching myself with RUclips videos, books, and whatever else I can find. I did have one lesson with a gal who comes back to town a couple times a year (I live in Anchorage, Alaska and so did she but lives in Hawaii now). :)
Hello Christy-Lyn, Thank you very muchfor those excellent lessons. I’m writing from France, I’m 58 and think it’s never too late until you’re dead! I can learn at my speed, and whatch the vidéo over and over again, I even slow the speed sometimes. This is my first post, I hope to get an answer : I can’t pluck and close my hand like you show, my fingers wants to curve instead of staying straight down into my palms. I noticed that you play from the tip of your fingers. I used to play the guitar and the ukulele, am I keeping an habit from that? How can I improve? Keep up the good teaching, and thanks for your encouragement.
Hi mam Thank you so much for your sharing,, I am a harpist also, but i don't know the proper position of the finggers. But i can play the music with my own discover and experience.
Hi there. Learning songs in the beginning is great for motivation, and people dont like to hear it, but technique is so important! I should check your channel for other similar videos about common mistakes, and if you dont have more, you definitely should make some! Thank you :) Tomas
Actually, fingerstyle guitarists don't necessarily leave fingers off the strings until just before plucking. Just as you're showing here, several fingers are often placed before playing.
Thank you very much.. Christy-Lynn. Its the same between good violinists and struggling violinists.. Keeping the fingers down the fingers are better prepared... In tune...And much faster than flying fingers.. I say the principle is we are always in and on the strings and we only are "TAKING AWAY TEMPORARILY". not the opposite of "putting" each note.... May I ask... Where are you located as a teacher? Thnx
Thank you so much for this post. I did the same mistake when I was self taught. As soon as I got a teacher, this was corrected very quickly. What other mistakes are there made by self taught harpists.
Thank-you for the feedback, Nicki! I'm so glad that your teacher help you with this, because it's so important! I'm glad the video was interesting for you! To answer your question, another common mistake of self-taught harpists is trying to play music that is beyond what their technique can support. I talk about it in the video "Don't fall into this trap as a self-taught harpist". Have you seen that one? :)
Yes, I know. I didn't do that because I knew. I stopped taking harp lessons because of financial reasons. But I made it to level grade 3. This level I can continue on my own because we saw some pieces and worked on it. But for grade 4 I will need some harp lessons again. And for arpeggios.
That depends on how much income I work for. I am a freelancer in Greece. We earn very little here. Thus I have to be wise with my expenses. And at the end it depends on how much my harp teacher wants per hour:) I saw very high prices in the internet that are not reachable for me. Some want from 50 to 100 Dollars per hour...
Thank you very much. You taught me so much just with this one tutorial. You are an inspiration and truly gifted as a harpist and tutor. Please could you send me the link to join your patrion page.
Hi Gloria. This is such a wonderful comment, thank-you so much!! I can’t send the link here in the comments section, but if you go to Patreon dot com and search for Christy-Lyn you’ll find me 😃 Or you can click the link in the description box of this video. Hope to see you there! ❤️
Pleasure! This is an Ogden from Lyon and Healy. Some people would call this size of harp a Celtic harp, since it has levers and 34 strings, but this particular harp has higher tension strings made from gut, so it is more of a classical lever harp 😊👍🏻 You might find it interesting to watch the video where I compare this harp to a Celtic harp: ruclips.net/video/GnQQf3sw0a4/видео.html
i LOVE how round the tone is when u play. I haven't yet bought my harp, so im wondering if the wholeness of the sound is ur finesse or if the type of harp ur playing helps create that beauty. ive watched other videos of people who've been playing for years and i really hate when it sounds stringy (ironic since it is a stringed instrument) but I'm sure u know what i mean though lol. Anyways, even though im sure it's ur mastery of the harp that is producing the delicious fullness I'd like to be able to make too, is there a type of harp that I should purchase with that in mind? >.
Hi there! Some of the tone comes from the way I play, but if you’re comparing to other skilled harpists then probably a big part of the difference is the harp itself. My harp is a gut string harp with high string tension and a very warm tone, whereas many other lever harpists play harps with a brighter sound - particularly if they have nylon strings or even fluorocarbon. So I would say you should look at gut strings, but also the harp itself makes a big difference. Mine is an Ogden from Lyon & Healy - try listening to other people playing the Ogden on RUclips and see if you think it’s the harp or my playing. Also try listening to Catriona McKay - she plays a Starfish harp with folk gut strings (slightly lower tension than mine). It’s still quite warm but has more brightness than mine. In comparison Maev Gilchrist plays a Thormahlen Ceili with fluorocarbon strings which has a much brighter sound. Of course they’re also both playing a berry different style to me but I’m sure you can hear the difference in their harps 😊 Also listen to Ailie Robertson - she has often played a Fisher harp with nylon strings. Then have a listen to people playing Dusty Strings FH harps. They have a lot of depth and body to the sound but it is brighter than mine. I’m about to get a Jolie Hybrid which has a brighter sound too - when you hear that you’ll get to hear the difference with me playing a similar sized harp with a brighter sound 😊👍🏻
Oh my! Thank you so much for this!! It really helped me improve my playing. There was one particular song which I thought was so hard to play, but when I realized I had been playing with my fingers one by one and fixed it, it turned out to be so much easier!! :D By the way, I was wondering if you have any advice or recommendations as to how to know what fingers use when playing? I am self-taught and I adapt piano sheet music to harp so it can get quite tricky as to know what finger I should use for playing the notes. Is there a technique to know which one I should use or is it just intuitive? Thank you so much in advance!! :D
I've always heard that one of the differences between Salzedo technique and French technique is that - while you bring the fingers into the palm with both, Salzedo you flatten the fingers (as you do), and French technique you curl them into the palm.... I think the difference you are calling "curling" is curling the finger high, toward the base of the finger? often a result of hand position and tension.... And I've observed even very accomplished harpists in international orchestras do this from time to time... I think it is something we all have to continually refresh to keep our technique fresh, and - along with relaxation, things we need to be aware of to reduce tension and avoid injury. I enjoy your videos immensely, thank you!
I had that problem but over the years I have over come it. I play by ear and have a good ear for music on the strings. Sometimes on new learned stuff, it occasionaly happens but I try to overcome it.
USEFUL TIME STAMPS:
5:10 Explanation of the piece
5:53 Right hand explanation
7:38 Left hand explanation
8:01 Two hands explanation
8:37 Trick to playing the piece fluently
11:10 Hands together play through first section
12:03 Second section explanation
12:17 Play through second section
13:31 Ending
15:11 Full speed play through
Christy-Lyn's
music
God bless your comment ❤
Hi Christy-Lyn,
This is Sylvia Woods. I'm so glad you like my videos. Thanks for sharing your love for them!
Keep up the great work with your videos.
Aloha from Hawaii.
Aloha Sylvia, thanks for watching! It’s really good to hear from you 😊
Just listening a few chords played slowly I am so relaxed and feel happy and sleepy. Other instruments do not have this effect.
You are purely delightful and skilled at communicating. I started less than a month ago and have learned so much from you. Playing harp has been a childhood dream. Thank you, thank you.❤
Love your smile when you finish playing at full speed at the end. It's a good song and you're clearly proud of it. 🙂
Definitely a wonderful reminder for all harpists, self-taught or otherwise. The sound is much different when place correctly too. Thanks for this!
I sincerely appreciate your videos. You seem so happy to share your talent with those of us not as gifted, and who may not have access to a teacher. It’s difficult to stay motivated when you are teaching yourself, but somehow your videos always make me want to keep going. Thank you for your kindness and generosity!
Hi there Brian. Sorry for the delayed reply - I was taking a break :) I'm really happy to hear that my videos are motivating for you!! Have you ever considered lessons or do you prefer teaching yourself?
I would love to take lessons but there are not any teachers closer than a couple of hours away, so the distance is prohibitive. But there are some very kind “teachers” online who help us figure it all out :-)
As a scratch DJ, I have to totally agree. We use this exact technique when using the crossfader to make sure we have a secure, comfortable, and ensured placement before moving forward. Great work!
Not the comment I expected to find under this video, but it's all good! Happy scratching?!
I could listen to this all... day... long!
I like how you have the camera facing the strings. That helps a lot.
You are so gifted, both on the harp and teaching, and I greatly appreciate your videos! I just started learning / teaching myself last week, and am making this mistake, but now I can catch it early! Thank you so much for teaching this! You’re amazing, lady!
That's so amazing to hear!! Thank-you so much for telling me - it really means so much that this video was helpful for you. Well done for starting with learning the harp, that's super exciting! Don't hesitate to send me an email if you have any further questions :)
Learned a little when I was much much younger, so today I decided to purchased a small one 15 strings and I'm going to learn, I will purchase a large one soon, thank you for the lesson, I'll continue to watch ❤
Ooooo exciting!!! Have fun with it 😍😍
Thank you so much Christy. I've just bought my first harp, age 59 and your tutorials are perfect for me. I've been bashing about on a piano all my life and now I'm retired, it's time for something new! Thank you again. X
Fantastic to hear!! Harp is a wonderful thing to take up in retirement, we have quite a few community members who are doing the same so you’re in good company! Well done for stepping out and DOING it! I pray it’s a fantastic experience and an exciting adventure that brings freshness into your life and those around you. Sending love!! 😃💕
The piano helps with this technique though; you have to do the same thing with the hand placement in advance. We wish you luck in your harp journey and thank you to the maker of this video!
I know this video is super old... but it’s really helped me see and understand the techniques I’ve been struggling so much with!! Thank you!
Thank you Christy-Lyn ! I got exactly what I needed from this lesson! I had been missing the hand movement / placement /timiing - and it clicked when I watched you play. Thanks ever so much. Youre amazing!
Thank you for this great video.
The one finger at a time thing is exactly what i am doing as a self taught player and i run into the concentration& pay atention to two hands problems you mentioned.
I am looking forward to put this lesson into practice.
YAY!!! I'm a new harpist and this is where I came after getting through part of "Learning to Play the Harp Beautifully" for a REAL piece of music to work on. The instructions were very clear and it was wonderful to watch you play so I could check my technique and hear how the piece is supposed to sound. Many Happy Thanks, Christy-Lyn !!!
Comments like this are so inspiring for me... you’re the best, thanks so much!! 🤗❤️
Thanks Cristy, watching and learning has been my cup of tea and your one Ivan learn from Thank you.🎀🎶
This is always my recommended grounding piece, I can't believe it was two years ago my first visit. I have come so far. Thank You
Simply wonderful. I am an accomplished pianist and so ready to learn playing the harp. So grateful for your very kind words describing technique and in other videos of making that ultimate first harp choice. I have been beautifully educated by you.
Ah that’s wonderful, thanks for the compliments! Very exciting that you’re wanting to learn the harp, your piano background will help. You can do it!
Thank you so much! I’m a beginner at 47 years old! I was driving myself and my husband crazy practicing Twinkle Twinkle. Since I downloaded this piece and bought some others from you, harp practice has been most enjoyable!
Such good news!! Which of my pieces have you purchased? ☺️
At 2.41 the assertion that guitarists set the fingers to play one note at a time is not accurate. While we usually don't plant the right fingers on the strings we do anticipate the positions of our right fingers in groups especially for chords and arpeggios. It is, in fact, amazing how similar guitar and harp technique are (i.e.plucking finger trajectory to heel of hand, avoiding finger curl, etc). That said, I very much enjoyed and appreciate this video.
Sie sind wirklich eine sehr gute Lehrerin und Harfenistin. Vielen herzlichen Dank!
Thank you! I slowed it down, then could follow ☺️
I ordered my harp about an hour ago and ran across this video. I think it wil be an excellent one withwhich to begin. Thank you,
Jim
Thank you very much for your beautiful gift. I learn on my harp this piece Sailing on a Lake now. I am very motivated. A lot of love from Germany🎼❤
Hi Christy Lyn . Its my first time commenting. Iv just started to learn the harp. Iv never learnt an instrument before. iI have some musical idea. I was a professional singer in the 70,s 80, 90,s.But it was all by ear my singing, abit of reading music but just learning it all again. I love the way you explain it so clearly but im determined to learn. Im 67 now so an oldie but watching your lessons is so brilliant. This was a good one for me because i forget where to put my fingers on time so lets hope i get it together but im a beginner !!! I live in the Uk were having a lovely summer . Thanks again for your teaching. Carol x
*Starts playing song she taught me at a fast tempo*
“Don’t try and start playing fast all of a sudden!”
“......”
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I have started and dropped playing this beautiful instrument so many times out of frustration. The way you break down simple rules to use while making use of the harp’s range is encouraging me to try again.
Hi Anarda! So good to hear from you. I’m sorry to hear that your harp learning has been really frustrating up to this point! But I’m glad you’re trying again, well done! I’d love to help you more. Did you know that you can get a free video course to learn a song of your choice step-by-step with me? If you liked the teaching in this video, I think you’ll enjoy learning from my video courses 😊 Even if you just want to claim your free course, and leave it at that… I’m sure it’ll be fun! You can go to learningtheharp.com/free-trial
Thank you for this video, it is my very first lesson and it it definitely giving me more encouragement in finalizing my own decision to learn how to play this instrument. The fingering positions are something I can relate to in this video. When I was in high school I played alto saxophone and I was 16. I am 51 now and my lungs are damaged enough I think maybe the harp will be a new and wonderful re - intruduction to music. Again thank you for this video.
You are so adorable and encouraging! Thank you for your help 😃
Such a pleasure! Glad it’s helpful for you 😍
Are you learning to play? How is it going? 😃
I am teaching myself to play the harp, but first had to teach myself to read music. Close to two years ago, I found a used Blevins Encore 34 string harp and fell so in love with the sound of anything played on it! I taught myself a handful of songs back then (using one finger on both hands, ha), but then I felt like that was a far as I could go without lessons. I played those few songs less and less; only enough to remember the notes. I decided to look for online help recently and feel so fortunate to have found your website!! I am encouraged now that I am learning to play with three fingers and on both hands. I feel so fortunate to have found your website! Thank you so much :) I hope to seek Skype lessons from you as soon as I get a lot of practice time and feel a bit more confident.
That's a great story! I'm so pleased that you've come back to the harp and that you found my videos :) :) In terms of lessons, you don't need to have tons of time to practice. Even 15 mins a day can give you real progress! It's so helpful to have a teacher walking the journey with you, so that the time you do put in is maximized. I'd love to meet you over Skype! Send me an email and we can organise a free consultation to see if we're a good fit
In gratitude Crisy-Lyn. This opened up a whole new world for me. My last "lesson/consult" (a bit ago) I learned to not play one hand until the other is placed. That's when I was a newborn. I think I have graduated to baby now. Hahahaha, I can play one hand while at the same time placing the other and keep a flow. So much fun, thanks. Cant help myself in choosing to improve and play around with different progressions.
Hi Lyra! It's so wonderful that you can look back and see how much progress you've made in your harp playing. I'm glad my video was helpful! :) What challenges have you been experiencing recently?
Something about your video that, with all the good habits I was fortunate to be taught, made it come together nicely. Biggest challenge right now is being stuck in bed so I am just accepting what is and I am not concerning myself with great progress. When I can sit comfortably and relaxed for a half hour, I will continue with some lessons. I can appreciate having to take it slow and am making sure I am just making it fun and not focussing so much on a destination. AND, hahaha, I would like to play with working on coordinating hands doing different things. When I try playing chord, arpeggio... with left and then a melody or even just wandering with the right hand, it doesn't take long for it to fall apart and digresses to plucking with one finger on right. I haven't spent any time trying to develop that skill yet tho
I'm new to playing the harp and you have helped me with my technique immensely and I truly appreciate your tutorials.
Fantastic!! I’m so pleased to hear it. Well done for the progress you’re making! 🙌🏻
What a great lesson! I am renting a harpsicle and in my second month with it. I wish I had seen this video sooner. I am so glad I found you Christy-Lyn!
Fantastic!! I'm so glad you discovered my channel, Cheryl :) :) Are you teaching yourself to play? How has it been going?
I am teaching myself and I love it. My playing sounds much better now that I am implementing your suggestions, thank you!
Lovely!!! Thank you♥️
Christy thats a very hood observation and I do come from a back ground of guitar playing, A very good point your making, thanks for sharing.🎶😉🎶
Thank you so much you are wonderful
I just brought a harp home today (Renting for right now).Thank you for the inspiration. Your videos are so helpful and through. My background in violin helps but the technique is definitely tricky for me so far. I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself. This song was great for learning and I’m so excited to play more tomorrow!
Thanks so much. You are a gifted teacher ❤
Wow! Thank you! Makes a big difference!
This is an absolutely excellent tutorial thank you
Pleasure, Shelley!
Thank you, Christy-Lyn! Your videos are wonderful, helping those of us who are learning on our own. I appreciate your step-by-step approach in such an encouraging way.
Thank you for the exercise!
Thank you so so much Christy-Lyn! You have taught me more in 20 mins than in the whole year I've been learning........you're a wonderful player and teacher!
Oh that’s amazing to hear!! Thanks, and well done Jennifer! 💪🏻
Very interesting, I learn harpe celtique au conservatoire de Privas (France ) since 3 months.
I'm glad to go ahead with RUclips, discovering more around the world.
Thank you being so clear!
That’s wonderful, very good news! I’m glad my videos are helping. All the best with your learning! Is there any other harp topic you need help with?
Wow! Very inspiring! Thank you. Waiting for my tuner to arrive to tune my new harp!
So exciting!
That is SUPER exciting!!! Has it arrived yet? What harp did you buy? :)
I'm self teaching and learned most of this in a book. I love the way you explain this. I notice my fingers curl into my fist and I'm trying to relax them as a play
A delightful lesson Christy - Lyn. We are smiling with you. 😊Alan
You're such a good teacher. I've never played the harp (though I want to, which is why I'm here), but I can immediately understand what you're talking about. It's very helpful the way you've talked about technical issues (like the string buzz) that we don't need to worry about yet, because I would absolutely worry about it if you hadn't specified that it's not important right now. Since you talked about it, I can see how worrying about something so far beside the point of the lesson would probably impede my growth as a harpist. You just really know what you're doing, and not only that, you know how to communicate what needs to happen to your audience in a way that's helpful and meaningful. I look forward to eventually being able to follow along with your videos on my very own harp :D
That was great, I'm just starting to learn the harp. I was lucky enough to have a friend lone me her harp for a few weeks to see how I get on. ( Its a bit of a struggle ) I play violin and classical guitar, not to a very high standard but ok for folk music. I can read music ( on the treble clef ) but find plucking with my left hand a bit difficult. I guess I just need to keep trying, and now I have watched your video it has inspired me to keep going. Thank you for this lesson.
Hi Malcolm, thanks for the comment! I can imagine plucking with the left hand must feel strange, because you’ve played two instruments where the left hand presses the strings onto the soundboard. Very different! I’m sure with some time it will start to feel more familiar ☺️ If you love the sound of the harp, and you’re motivated to keep working on it, I’m sure you’ll adjust. Keep it up! ❤️
@@LearningtheHarp Thank you for your kind comments, yes I love the harp ( being Welsh ) the instrument of my home country.
Learning the Harp with Christy-Lyn! Bt
I've been teaching myself for a couple years. This is a great warmup and exercise for tempo and fluidity. Thank you. I'm new to your site and I find all your videos so helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am playing in the foyer at my church in December. I'm not ready to perform. I do solo singing all the time in front of a full church of 600 people no problem. But playing my harp I'm afraid I won't stay focused.
Hi Robbin, thanks for your comment! Maybe you would find my video on performance anxiety helpful? If I were preparing for a show in December and feeling nervous about performing, I would create lots of opportunities between now and December to play for other people.... multiple times a week, if possible! Even if it's just a friend or neighbour or even a delivery person. What concerns you the most - is it learning the pieces, or the fear of playing the harp in front of other people?
You need to start playing for a small group of people such as family and a few friends. Then when you play for more, just pretend that multitude of people are the family and friends.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. It is incredibly helpful for me 💜
Thank you so much for your clear teaching it helps me a lot now I'm able to understand a little bit I'm just a beginner, you are very nice lady.
Such a pleasure, I'm glad this video helped! When did you start learning? Do you have a teacher? :)
I love your beautiful “thumb space.” The only technical concern I had for your students and fans was the added tension of holding the un-used fingers in your palm. If the hands were truly relaxed the fingers that were not being used would tend to hang down loosely near the placed strings or, in other words, follow along with the fingers being pre-placed. But then I noted later in your video you actually let this happen. BTW I am charmed by your delightful personality!
Haha, thanks! That’s a harp-nerdy compliment if I ever heard one 😂
That's so helpful, thank you very much. I started to learn a small 20-strings harp (Derwent) and this exercise was so good!
I think I'm going to share that video with my students XD I usually talk more about how just unhealthy it is to play like that, but it's also tru you don't get as much control over what you are doing either :) Nice explanations on your part! Good Job :)
Thanks Elvann!! It's so interesting once you get down to figuring out why we do things the way we do as harpists... turns out there are a lot more reasons once I really got thinking about it, haha! :)
There are just concepts like this that just fall into place so well when you actually take the time to analyze the reasons behind them :). Loving to exchange with you
I tried playing one of these things yesterday and found it much harder than expected. That said, the one thing you said that was not correct is the best tip you gave.
Guitar is not picking one note at a time for finger pickers. (Flat pickers, yes, but that’s a much different technique.) Moreover, classical guitarists are trained to keep fingers in position to start and only release that when they’re advanced enough to know when it’s advantageous to do so.
This instrument needs to be approached more like a guitar than a piano.
Thank you for this video. I may reconsider taking up the instrument. Yesterday had me content to sticking with guitar.
amazing tutorial! thank you so much!
Hi Christy-Lyn, I've just started to learn the harp, and have done my second lesson with a qualified teacher. My problem is losing my position on the harp - no reference place - I'm used to playing a guitar with a positive resting place for the heel of my hand on the bridge. However, after watching your video, I can now see how to overcome that. Thanks very much for your very clear and pleasant instruction - I look forward to more tips from you. Mel.
You've got great videos! a breath of fresh air, and informative. Scott
Thank-you Scott! Are you a new harpist? 😃
Yes and no. Back in 1993 I plucked the strings of a lever harp for the first time and loved the sounds!! I'm a classical guitarist, so I'm very familiar with nylon strings, and stringed instruments. I wrote four pieces for harp on my Finale software because I've never owned a harp. But that is now changing. I'll be purchasing my first harp soon, and for some reason, I've enjoyed the sounds of Dusty Strings harps. I can't wait to own my first harp!!
Wonderful! Thank you so much 🙏
I really enjoyed this video. It was so clear on how to properly place the groups and the repetition gave me some time for feeling a little more comfortable. I will be practicing that fairly slowly and praying that some day I'll be able to play it smoothly and faster. Thanks!!!
Ooh, I’m pleased to hear that. Keep up the slow and precise practice and the speed with come with time! 👍🏻😃
Thank you for this video, it is definitely a skill I need to work on and it is trickier than it looks! But I am giving it a try. :)
Started playing this piece tonight. Really good for getting the hand position right. Taking it very slowly. Thank you for the video and the sheet music 😊
Fantastic! Keep it up ❤️
@@LearningtheHarp So long as my little harp holds up - raised and cracked soundboard, split in the frame - oh dear, and I can't afford another harp at the moment 🙁
Thanks so much for this! It's probably the best video I've found on the subject of bracketing notes.
Yay!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it :) :) Thanks Helen!
Great video. Very helpful
Aloha Christy-Lyn! Thank you so much for your video!
Such a pleasure!! How’s it going with learning Sailing on a Lake? ☺️
Thanks, an excellent video.
Enjoyed that.....I really want to learn to play the harp. This really encourages me. Thank you!!
I have just taken my bedside harp out of storage after 3 yrs. to start learning again.
Thank you very much for this tutorial! I got my harp two days ago and have been wondering how to pick the strings (I have a piano-background) and should it be one string at a time or not... This was such a clear explanation and demonstration. I'm so grateful! 🌹🌹🌹
Hi there! I’m glad you found the video helpful 👍🏻👍🏻😃 You can also watch my series of 14 videos called “How to play the harp: start here”. I really break it down in detail and prepare you for learning your first proper piece!
@@LearningtheHarp Thank you! I will watch and work with it. And by picking I meant plucking. :) Apologies for my English. :) Have a great summer!
This video has been very helpful for me, and since then I always start playing this piece before practicing some other songs. This is such a nice warm-up :-) Thanks!
A classical guitarist would call what you do a "Rest Stroke". The last joint in the finger locks. A "Free Stroke" allows the finger tip to avoid the plane made by the strings by its arch, especially with a fingernail.
Gracias por la partitura !!
Thank you for all your helpful videos! Really is helping me get started on my harpsicle :)
I love all of your videos! Can you do a video on reading music?
Hi Emy! That’s a great question, I’ll put that in the list of video topic ideas. THANKS! 😃❤️
love these videos
Excellent and very helpful! Thank you! Harp instruction is scarce where I live, so I am grateful for this. :)
Hi there! Sorry I missed this comment while I was taking a break. I'm so glad this video was helpful for you! Have you ever had any lessons or are you teaching yourself to play from scratch? :)
I am teaching myself with RUclips videos, books, and whatever else I can find. I did have one lesson with a gal who comes back to town a couple times a year (I live in Anchorage, Alaska and so did she but lives in Hawaii now). :)
I'm Sarah from your Patreon community, btw. :) I'm looking forward to the harp circle!
Oh, hi Sarah!!! Looking forward to meeting you soon :) :)
Have you ever considered Skype lessons, or do you prefer teaching yourself?
Super lesson thank you ! Very motivating to have a piece to play to practice. And useful to have the pdf of the music sheet :)
Thank you so much. I just bought myself a pixie harp, and your video was so helpful.
Very helpful, on point and minimal gibberish.Prepare left hand after right, so logcial but somehow it just didn't occur to me.
Hello Christy-Lyn, Thank you very muchfor those excellent lessons. I’m writing from France, I’m 58 and think it’s never too late until you’re dead!
I can learn at my speed, and whatch the vidéo over and over again, I even slow the speed sometimes. This is my first post, I hope to get an answer : I can’t pluck and close my hand like you show, my fingers wants to curve instead of staying straight down into my palms. I noticed that you play from the tip of your fingers. I used to play the guitar and the ukulele, am I keeping an habit from that? How can I improve?
Keep up the good teaching, and thanks for your encouragement.
Great video, thank you ! It will help me for a piece I am working on at the moment ^^
Hi mam Thank you so much for your sharing,,
I am a harpist also, but i don't know the proper position of the finggers. But i can play the music with my own discover and experience.
Hi there. Learning songs in the beginning is great for motivation, and people dont like to hear it, but technique is so important! I should check your channel for other similar videos about common mistakes, and if you dont have more, you definitely should make some! Thank you :) Tomas
Actually, fingerstyle guitarists don't necessarily leave fingers off the strings until just before plucking. Just as you're showing here, several fingers are often placed before playing.
Thank you very much.. Christy-Lynn. Its the same between good violinists and struggling violinists.. Keeping the fingers down the fingers are better prepared... In tune...And much faster than flying fingers.. I say the principle is we are always in and on the strings and we only are "TAKING AWAY TEMPORARILY". not the opposite of "putting" each note.... May I ask... Where are you located as a teacher? Thnx
Still my warming up 🎶🎶
Thank you so much for this post. I did the same mistake when I was self taught. As soon as I got a teacher, this was corrected very quickly. What other mistakes are there made by self taught harpists.
Thank-you for the feedback, Nicki! I'm so glad that your teacher help you with this, because it's so important! I'm glad the video was interesting for you! To answer your question, another common mistake of self-taught harpists is trying to play music that is beyond what their technique can support. I talk about it in the video "Don't fall into this trap as a self-taught harpist". Have you seen that one? :)
Yes, I know. I didn't do that because I knew. I stopped taking harp lessons because of financial reasons. But I made it to level grade 3. This level I can continue on my own because we saw some pieces and worked on it. But for grade 4 I will need some harp lessons again. And for arpeggios.
Ah, that's always tricky when we're held back by financial concerns... Will you be able to take lessons again or is that out of the question?
That depends on how much income I work for. I am a freelancer in Greece. We earn very little here. Thus I have to be wise with my expenses. And at the end it depends on how much my harp teacher wants per hour:) I saw very high prices in the internet that are not reachable for me. Some want from 50 to 100 Dollars per hour...
It's beautiful and I'm just a beginner :)
Bless you shifu
Thank you very much. You taught me so much just with this one tutorial. You are an inspiration and truly gifted as a harpist and tutor. Please could you send me the link to join your patrion page.
Hi Gloria. This is such a wonderful comment, thank-you so much!! I can’t send the link here in the comments section, but if you go to Patreon dot com and search for Christy-Lyn you’ll find me 😃 Or you can click the link in the description box of this video. Hope to see you there! ❤️
Thanks so much for this video!! 😘
That was great
Thank you so much for sharing all this info! Which harp are you using in this particular video? A Celtic harp?
Pleasure! This is an Ogden from Lyon and Healy. Some people would call this size of harp a Celtic harp, since it has levers and 34 strings, but this particular harp has higher tension strings made from gut, so it is more of a classical lever harp 😊👍🏻 You might find it interesting to watch the video where I compare this harp to a Celtic harp: ruclips.net/video/GnQQf3sw0a4/видео.html
i LOVE how round the tone is when u play. I haven't yet bought my harp, so im wondering if the wholeness of the sound is ur finesse or if the type of harp ur playing helps create that beauty. ive watched other videos of people who've been playing for years and i really hate when it sounds stringy (ironic since it is a stringed instrument) but I'm sure u know what i mean though lol. Anyways, even though im sure it's ur mastery of the harp that is producing the delicious fullness I'd like to be able to make too, is there a type of harp that I should purchase with that in mind? >.
Hi there! Some of the tone comes from the way I play, but if you’re comparing to other skilled harpists then probably a big part of the difference is the harp itself. My harp is a gut string harp with high string tension and a very warm tone, whereas many other lever harpists play harps with a brighter sound - particularly if they have nylon strings or even fluorocarbon. So I would say you should look at gut strings, but also the harp itself makes a big difference. Mine is an Ogden from Lyon & Healy - try listening to other people playing the Ogden on RUclips and see if you think it’s the harp or my playing. Also try listening to Catriona McKay - she plays a Starfish harp with folk gut strings (slightly lower tension than mine). It’s still quite warm but has more brightness than mine. In comparison Maev Gilchrist plays a Thormahlen Ceili with fluorocarbon strings which has a much brighter sound. Of course they’re also both playing a berry different style to me but I’m sure you can hear the difference in their harps 😊 Also listen to Ailie Robertson - she has often played a Fisher harp with nylon strings. Then have a listen to people playing Dusty Strings FH harps. They have a lot of depth and body to the sound but it is brighter than mine. I’m about to get a Jolie Hybrid which has a brighter sound too - when you hear that you’ll get to hear the difference with me playing a similar sized harp with a brighter sound 😊👍🏻
Oh my! Thank you so much for this!! It really helped me improve my playing. There was one particular song which I thought was so hard to play, but when I realized I had been playing with my fingers one by one and fixed it, it turned out to be so much easier!! :D
By the way, I was wondering if you have any advice or recommendations as to how to know what fingers use when playing? I am self-taught and I adapt piano sheet music to harp so it can get quite tricky as to know what finger I should use for playing the notes. Is there a technique to know which one I should use or is it just intuitive?
Thank you so much in advance!! :D
I've always heard that one of the differences between Salzedo technique and French technique is that - while you bring the fingers into the palm with both, Salzedo you flatten the fingers (as you do), and French technique you curl them into the palm.... I think the difference you are calling "curling" is curling the finger high, toward the base of the finger? often a result of hand position and tension.... And I've observed even very accomplished harpists in international orchestras do this from time to time... I think it is something we all have to continually refresh to keep our technique fresh, and - along with relaxation, things we need to be aware of to reduce tension and avoid injury. I enjoy your videos immensely, thank you!
Thanks so much Kara, that’s a very balanced and wise view. I appreciate your comments! ❤️
I had that problem but over the years I have over come it. I play by ear and have a good ear for music on the strings. Sometimes on new learned stuff, it occasionaly happens but I try to overcome it.
This is dream
I love the harp