Hoping you have much for which to be thankful. Thank you for reading and being part of my harp life. I am so grateful for your presence, your humor, your wit, and sometimes your patience! 
Happy Thanksgiving!
Starting again, again
I’m on that high you get when you’ve had a great lesson where you’ve worked hard, learned a ton, enjoyed receiving information, knowledge and wisdom from a good teacher, had a genuinely good time, and are now exhausted!
Woohoo!!
What? you want to know why I would be taking a lesson?
That is an easy answer to give – because I needed to start again, again.
There is so much to know and to learn. We all have some of the pieces, but none of us has all the pieces. However, I keep working on the puzzle, so I gathered more pieces from another source – and I think the picture in the puzzle is starting to take shape and be visible!
I have a beautiful Wurlitzer Starke. I am so fortunate and grateful to have it. But, to be honest, it has been collecting dust in the corner. Of course I play it – occasionally. But I didn’t play it enough. And I was making no movement toward the music I got it to work on – music I insisted I needed to play!
I have a confession to make. I don’t just like Scottish music. I love music. I particularly like Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music. I’m also a picky taster at the modern table. But it was hearing Faure’s Impromptu on the radio that compelled me to venture into the pool of the pedal harp.
Yes, I heard that piece and I was smitten! Just one teeny-tiny problem – I didn’t actually know how to start. Because, while yes, a harp is a harp, I was a little bit afraid of my pedal harp.
So, I needed to start again.
In that weird way the world works, just before all of this, separately, two of you mentioned needing to start over again – in the same week! So, I’ve had this idea of starting again, again in mind as I headed out to my lesson.
Do you need to start again, again? It’s not a bad idea, and here’s why:
- Beginner’s Mind. You might have heard this concept of keeping a “beginner’s mind” – holding curiosity forefront, being eager to learn, being grateful for each step forward no matter the size. And perhaps most importantly, the beginner’s mind has no expectations of performance – no disappointment on not getting something right the first try or impatience that it’s “taking too long” to learn something.
- No matter where you go, there you are (but you’ve worn down your shoes!) – you might want to start again again just to get a “tune-up”. I’m always amazed how quickly small bad habits can build (and band together!) – a little slump leads to a little neck craning leads to dragging your arm on the sound board and a one way ticket to poorer playing and possible injury.
- Someone out there knows something that could push you just a little farther along on your path. But if you don’t ask for the help and information, you might never get that little shove you need! And you never know who will have it or what it will look like, so you need to pay attention.
- No one wants to become stale. And it’s easy to do. It’s so much easier to play the same ten tunes forever, but it’s very motivating to have new repertoire the next time you see your harp buddies. Whether you have a lesson, go to a workshop, or find new music to learn, you’ll prevent yourself from becoming musty and have an opportunity to start again.
- Something worth having is worth fighting for. It is easy (as in the above) to become complacent, but you know you want to be as good as you can become, and while it might not be a “fight” per se (although that might depend on the tune!), working for something you want has it’s benefits while not working will have significant drawbacks (like being disappointed in yourself!).
Taking the perspective of starting again, again can be freeing. Of course, we’re not always in a place where we need to start again, again so if you’re not there that’s great! But if you find yourself thinking that starting over might be the best way to move forward, really step into it and begin again…again!
Have you found yourself in this place? How did you know? what did you do? Was it worth it? Let me know in the comments!
Veterans’ Day
Just a thought…
When injury strikes – plow on! (but carefully and smartly)
One of my students recently broke her arm*. Really broke, with surgery and plates and screws, and other barbaric medical necessities. It was not pretty. She needed time to heal, and I encouraged her to take the time to recover so healing would go faster and more successfully.
And with good care and physical therapy (and more patience that I would have shown), she’s been on the mend. I’m delighted to have her back at the harp (with clearance from the physician and the physical therapist).
But, she’s a trooper and while she was recovering, she didn’t lay on the couch and moan! Nope – she plowed on!
Now, let me explain what I mean by “plowed on”. What she did not do is ignore the physical therapist or the physicians. She did not just sit around. So, what did she do? She did the work she could do – carefully and smartly.
- She listened to music – because she knows this is a good way to perform mental practice. You may have heard the old saw, “if you can sing it, you can play it”. Listening to the tune helps you get the melody in your head, learning the patterns of the notes, the relationships of the phrases, so that you can anticipate what comes next – in your mind! So when she was healed up, she had a lot of the brain part of learning already done and she was ready to go on to the finger part.
- She did her physical therapy – She told the PT that she’s a musician so the therapy could be tailored to her needs. And she actually did the exercises her PT taught her – both during their sessions and as prescribed between those sessions. She knew that although the exercises were no fun, they were fun-damental to her recovering and being able to get back to playing sooner.
- She continued to play with the other hand. My students know that we will work to play the melody in both the right – and the left – hands. Sometimes we also ask the right hand to play the harmony. We do this both to exercise the left hand to make it more limber but also to make our brains more limber by switching the roles of the two hands. She was able to keep that up throughout her injury.
- She rearranged some tunes – when you can only play with one hand, you rethink your harmonization. This is an interesting exercise in inversions and it’s a good opportunity to think about the shape and structure of the tune. Earlier work on hand shapes also meant that she was comfortable building harmonies in one hand…and she knew these would help transition to two hands when the time was right.
- She thought before she played – asking so much from your hands really does mean that thinking first makes sense to save unnecessary movement and work. She analyzed the tune before playing to figure out how to accompany with harmony in just one hand.
- She thought after she played – gaining a new perspective from playing with one hand results in new possibilities to analyze your playing, the structure of your practice, and the outcomes.
- She rested – after all, your body needs time to recover so resting is certainly necessary for recovery. And practicing in a new way meant becoming more tired sooner.
- She was patient – she understood that this was a serious injury and that, not being a child, it would require time to heal and to knit back together.
Being injured is never fun and injuring yourself may impact your playing. But once it has happened, it is what it is – so take care of yourself while you heal – but don’t abandon your harp! At a minimum it might soothe your hurt to play what you can!
* like any good article, this is based on a fiction derived as a composite of students. But if you break an arm – I’d suggest you be smart – just like my composite student!
Happy Anniversary! Our 10th year
It’s amazing to realize that I started writing this blog 10 years ago this week! The time has flown by. I started to blog to get the word out about the Harp the Highlands and Islands trips. And here we are, so much later, talking not only about the trips but also about becoming better harpers and learning stuff!
Have you ever wondered how the trips came about? Through serendipity of course!
My first trip to Scotland was to St. Andrews. I didn’t even play the harp then. The weather was horrible – grey, drizzly, much colder that I expected. And then – it snowed. And it was windy and the water looked angry and the beach was bleak – and I l-o-v-e-d it!!
Over time, I went back to visit, getting a better appreciation for the varied areas. And the people, the geography, the history, and the sky – the breathtakingly, achingly beautiful sky! I had a favorite hotel, a favorite B&B, lovely friends to visit, etc. My favorite place was anywhere within 70 miles of the ocean*.
Then I began to play the harp, and after a few desultory attempts at celtoid music, my wonderful teacher gave me a gentle nudge that introduced me to Scottish music. And I found that it was quite possible that I loved the music even more than I loved the sky!
While at the Ohio Scottish Arts School one summer, it hit me (finally) that nearly all the tune names referred to real places, real people, real events. I had just seen Killiecrankie Leap – and was possessed with the need to play the tune Killiecrankie. It was while walking to a meal in Oberlin, Ohio that I was struck by how cool it would be to sit on that rock where the great leap occurred and play that tune!
I wanted to go to all the places and play all the tunes!!
That thought simmered for a few years. I had no idea how would I drag my harp along all those rivers, braes, burns, battlefields, towns’ streets, and through all those castles and stately homes!
In January 2009 I was invited by my dear friend David to play a Burns Supper. It was an incredible event and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. At the end of the trip, on the way to the airport as we chitchatted as friends do as their time together draws to an end and I shared my crazy idea to “play the harp at all the places” with him.
Well, he took those wisps of thoughts and crafted a trip that landed in some great spots by getting off the beaten track to show people Scotland unpackaged – the place I had come to love and not just some glossy brochure “Outlander” paper doll cut out! And he scheduled in time to play the harp – every day! I put together arrangements of tunes that fit the itinerary (and a few extras, just in case) and the trip was born!
We focused on very small groups in a highly curated approach to travel (and we still do). David is an amazing host. I got to meet harpers I would not know otherwise and share tunes I love in locales I adore.
In 2020, we’ll celebrate our 10th year of sharing with you! Perhaps the highest complement is how many people have come back to travel with us repeatedly. In the digital age, I know I should have more photos, but I’m usually too busy being in the moment, sharing with new friends, or making music to take too many photos, but others have done a great job. In addition, our 2020 trip is sold out already! Thank you for joining us!
We’ll keep at it as long as we’re having fun. If you’ve missed us for our 10th year but you want to come along, leave me a comment and I’ll add you to my contact list for the next trip. And lift your metaphorical glass – to our anniversary!
* FYI, no part of Scotland is 70 miles from the ocean!
Theory Moment (redux) – Get it your way
Last week, we talked about why theory is good for you. But I know that not all of you believed me. So, this week, I’m going to show you that you’ve got this – but you might have to gut it out!
But what if you don’t feel the need to share your musical ideas? Do you think that leaves you off the hook? Of course not! But there is always hope and it comes in two bite sized pieces.
First, you know more theory than you know you know. At those workshops we talked about before, they handed out sheet music at the end – could you read it? I’m not quibbling over whether you’re an expert reader or if you should be sitting at the red bird reading table. You can read it! So you know those rules (or at least you know a large number of them). You also know when you play a chord that just doesn’t “fit” – that’s the rules kicking in. That “not fitting” is cultural and learned – it’s where a rules violation occurs.
So, you know those rules. You have learned them and use them every day. And they serve you when you’re playing music written and arranged by other people. Give yourself credit! (BTW – you know that to move past the red bird table – you just need to practice your reading, right?).
Yes, you can just keep at it, learning how chords come together in their various forms, finding what sorts of intervals appeal to you (and which don’t), identifying sorts of chord progressions speak to you – all of that is just various ways of getting to know the rules.
You can experiment, explore, poke around. You can thrill at sounds you love and cringe at stuff you don’t. You can use your harps as a (much loved) tool and work the music until you’re happy. You can record or make notes. And those notes can be in any form you like. I once wrote a tune on an airline napkin with a relative scale so I wouldn’t forget it. I have no idea now why I didn’t bother to sketch in the staff.
You can be a theory ninja – at your own level, for your own purposes. But what if you want to make your own arrangements? Or write them down? Well you can get out your theory book.
And whether you take the studious approach of learning theory in school or you take the hands-on approach of learning the rules doesn’t matter – as long as you learn the rules.
Regardless of your path, the point is to better understand the underlying structure of the music, it’s movement and flow, and to render the tune the way you mean to – with more ease and perhaps more confidence. The road you choose to get there should be a personal choice. The assumption is that if you “gut it out” you will work harder (and that might be true) but you may develop a deeper understanding if you feel those rules out rather than read them from a book – we all learn our own way.
Keep working on your theory – read the material and gut out the relationships – so long as you keep going! Get your theory the best way for you. Take a risk, explore, enjoy.
Theory Moment
Theory is one of those things that people love to hate. After all, it is the grammar of music. The rules. Written down. To be learned, memorized, and used. Theory is the liver and onions of being a musician!
Some people love liver and onions. And it’s good for you*.
But for most of us, theory is hard and unapproachable. It’s challenging to read. It’s confusing to read. It’s boring to read…and if you have to sit through lectures – ugh. It’s torture to do those listening exercises. And if you’re not formally trained (by which I mean forced to learn it), it may keep growing into a behemoth of stuff you are going to put off as long as possible. Maybe you think you’ll hold your musical breath until it’s over. If you find yourself in a workshop where the presenter starts spouting off theory, you just try to ride the wave, bide your time – does it really matter what key the tune is in? Don’t you just need to know which levers to set? Why do you need to know that stuff?
To be honest, there are loads of reasons to learn theory. After all, it is the rules of our game. Like golf, football, or figure skating, the rules are complex and complicated. But just as a thorough understanding and knowledge of the rules is one of the things that distinguishes a great sports player, that knowing the rules of music will help you be a better harp player.
Have you ever sat in a workshop and felt like you didn’t understand what was being said? Do you have that weird feeling like, although there are harps and people you recognize…it also feels like you’re watching a foreign language film – with missing subtitles? Knowing your theory makes you part of the club. The people in the club don’t mean to exclude you (ok actually, unfortunately, sometimes they do, but it has been my experience that often those are the people who only think they know stuff). It’s ok – you can learn that stuff (no really, you can!). Knowing the rules is your passport to getting into the “club”.
These rules of theory serve to create a language of music. And that language allows people who know the rules to talk to – and to understand one another. They can easily share their musical ideas with loads of people…and be accurately understood. They can have an impact! And that’s kind of important. Especially if you want to get as much from your musical life as you can – each workshop, each lesson, each harp circle, and each performance.
And if you want to share your ideas, it is helpful to speak the language. It’s certainly easier than waving your arms making vague finger shapes in an effort to tell others what you’re thinking!
There are a number of books on theory if you want to study it yourself. One of my favorites is Music Theory Made Easy by David Harp (and not just because of his name). No, it’s not spectacular reading, but it is a handy reference. I also like the Music Theory For Dummies (go figure) and I found the Alfred books while, if not approachable, at least they’re useful**.
It’s true that knowledge is power. I fought learning and studying this stuff for a long time. But once I had studied a little, things began to fall into place. And once some things fell into place in my head, playing actually became easier…well, a little easier! Whether it’s being more familiar with well used chord progressions, making better phrasing, or building sets that make sense, every little scrap of theory you pick up, encode, and use will move you a little farther along your journey
I hope you can see that actually studying theory may help you play better because you will have a better understanding and will start from a more knowledgeable place. Do you have a reference you prefer? Let me know what it is in the comments.
* please don’t start a word war about nutrition – you might have noticed that I’m not a nutritionist. It’s an analogy.
** these are suggestions and the links are provided so you can find the books if you want. I’m not an affiliate, I won’t get any money if you buy the book, I just want you to know what I’m talking about.
Harp Room Bling
Sometimes you just need a little, visible nudge to remind you of what is important to you. So this week – a downloadable poster. Print it out (up to 18 in x 24 in) and hang it up near your harp so you remember each time you sit. Yes it’s goofy – but if it makes you focus or makes you laugh, at least you’ll already be at your harp – so you might as well play a little.
To get your copy – just let me know you would like to have it – leave me a comment and I’ll get it to you!
If it was easy, it would be easy!
I have told you before that I find many parts of making music are relatively easy. I would say that it’s easier to play the harp than to calculate cubic roots in my head or to determine the easiest way to teach unified field theory to toddlers.
But not everyone agrees – especially less experienced musicians who often express frustration and dismay over how hard it can be to play the harp.
To less experienced harp players, ease seems to be either a sadistic ploy to make them feel badly about their level of experience (it isn’t, I assure you – we’ve all been there at some point) or a cruel twist of fate that leaves some people finding it easy, with others finding it impossible. I will not take up the nature/nurture question vis a vis musicianship, but I will tell you something that will (upon reflection) not surprise you –
That apparent ease that you see in experienced players – especially in professionals – is a result of (you know what I’m about to say…)…PRACTICE!
The more you practice something – the more often you perform that skill – the easier it becomes. Continued, focused practice can result in the task itself becoming automatic. You can do that thing without even thinking about it. In fact, if you think about it, you may not be able to do it! The more you practice something, the less you have to consciously think about it to make it happen. And that comes about through practice.
If you practice anything accurately you will become better at it (of course if you practice inaccurately, you will become better at doing something incorrectly!). If you practice counting, you will get more proficient at counting. If you practice reading you will become better at reading. If you practice making hand shapes and blocking, this will become second nature – it will become just the way you do it.
Even beginners have developed some skills. If you’re more experienced, you have already mastered many activities and made them automatic. Complex tasks can like walking, jumping, writing, etc. all once required a great deal of concentration and effort but are now automatic. If you think this is not the case, I recommend you spend more time with very young children – you can watch them find behaviors and practice them. When walking is new, you don’t just wish to walk better – you walk and walk and walk, and fall down, and get up and walk some more – until you can do it all by yourself!
So, if you are working hard to play – whether it is counting, or blocking, having consistent fingering, sitting up straight, or reading – you now know that you just need more practice with those basic behaviors. Strong practice of these basic skills – making them automatic – frees up your brain to do other hard work, like learning new pieces, adding appropriate dynamics, or writing your own!
There are no short cuts. If it was easy, it would be easy. Now, go practice!
Are there things you find easy? Things you find difficult? What are they? Leave a comment below!
Better get moving – 10 steps to get ready for the holidays!
It’s nearly October (yikes!), the summer is over, the kids are back to school, the days are palpably shorter. And you know what that means – the holidays are nearly here!
There are only 12 weeks to go – but you know that festivities will start in about six to eight week so there will be plenty of time to fit in all the parties, pageants, festivals, parades, celebrations, get-togethers, gift exchanges, as well as gatherings. And each of those will be an opportunity to share one of your greatest gifts – your music!
Better get ready – but how? Here are ten (relatively easy) steps:
First, manage your expectations. Be realistic. You might want to capture all the things you will be doing during the run up to the season as well as the season itself. You know you will have work and practice, and family traditions, and social events that you anticipate you will be part of. You can make a list or pencil them into your calendar or make a spreadsheet. What you really need to know is how much time you actually have. How much time do you really have to practice? How much time do you have to prepare? How much time do you have to share?
Second, manage other people’s expectations. If you want to be playing for others, let it be known so you might be asked. Not interested in playing for an event? Just say no. It is, however, the season for music and people will try to be persuasive (or maybe they will gently bully you into trying to get you agree). Worried about saying no? Ask someone you know who does want to be playing. Be prepared with their name and contact information. It will be a win-win-win: you don’t have to give a flat no because you have a referral ready (you win). The referred harper gets a gig they might not have been positioned for otherwise (harper wins). And the audience gets a willing performer (so they win too).
Third, make a list of the tunes you have played in the past. These will likely come back quickly and can be the backbone of your playing.
Fourth, make a “learn these” list of the tunes you want to play but haven’t learned yet. These will be work, but they will be worth it! Be reasonable given the amount of time you have to practice.
Fifth, if you will be playing for others, estimate how much music you will need. I usually guestimate about 6 – 8 tunes to 15 minutes. This might be conservative, but it assures that I don’t run out of music before I run out of time. I also suggest you build two set lists – because I like to be overprepared and having too much music means I can pick and choose once I get there depending on how the audience is responding. It also means that I won’t have to play something that feels shaky or just hasn’t come together enough yet. Remember that you can insert other music into the list – include the winter themed tunes or favorites to make an enjoyable performance. Especially later in the season, people will begin to fatigue of holiday music so some other tunes will wake them up and keep them engaged.
Sixth, now that you have a list and know about how many tunes you’re looking for, play through your old tunes and critically (but not harshly) determine what work is needed to get them up to scratch. Revise your list as needed (move anything that feels like it might be a train wreck to the “learn these” list).
Seventh, make a schedule to get the new music learned and ready to go and to make the old stuff polished and shone. This will be a plan to structure your practice between now and the holidays. Be realistic!
Eighth, schedule your practice time. Write it in your calendar. Make a date with your harp every day. Keep practicing your “regular” music too – although they come quick, the holidays are here and gone – so you might as well stay up to date for January!
Ninth, keep an eye on your plan and revise as necessary! Update your lists, adjust as needed, keep the end in mind. Remember the goal is to play well and feel comfortable when it’s time to play.
Finally, have fun! You’re going to make so many people happy when you share your gift – make sure one of those is you! The holidays are a time for joy – share yours!
Follow these ten steps and you will be well on your way to sharing your gift! How do you prepare for the holidays? Share your tips in the comments.