Practicing Harp Happiness

On today’s show I interview Houston harpist and Harp Mastery® Certified Coach Caitlin Mehrtens. Caitlin is expert at helping her students succeed and she shares her advice on how to choose the right goals for you, as well as the two most powerful factors for success. You’ll also learn when to take a step back and refocus so you can move forward. This is a must-listen episode!

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Caitlin Mehrtens’ website
• Loop 38
• Square One, beginner course
• Progress Planner Download
• Are You Living Your Harp Dream or Just Thinking You Are? blog post
• Harpmastery.com

Maybe setting goals feels like it will stifle your creativity or take the fun out of your harp playing. Maybe you think goals are only for “serious” harpists.
Today’s show reveals why goals are crucial for every harpist who wants to improve. You’ll learn the 3 types of goals, the 4 levels of goal setting and I’ll give you my exclusive Progress Planner so you can map out each step toward your goal.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Progress Planner Download
• Harp Mastery® Certified Coaching
• Spark Journal
• 3 Ingredients of a Perfect Plan blog post
• Harpmastery.com

The Practice Gap is the divide between making your music better and making it music. If you’re taking longer than four weeks to finish a piece, you’re in serious danger of being stuck on the wrong side. Revamp your practice system so you never have to worry about getting tired of your piece before you can actually play it.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Work with one of our Certified Coaches. Register today!
• Get involved in the show! Email me a question, comment or topic at [email protected]
• Practicing Differently: 4 Steps to Faster Learning blog post
• Harpmastery.com

We harpists rely on our thumbs - just try playing a scale without them. They are our longest fingers and undoubtedly our strongest. They double our reach on the harp strings. But how musical are your thumbs?
In this episode, I will show you how your thumbs can be expressive with a supple, fluid sound that can make a melody sing or blend in beautifully with your other fingers, and how to fix common thumb problems.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Four Weeks to Finger Freedom course
• Beautiful Thumbs or All Thumbs? blog post:
• Harpmastery.com

If the metronome feels like torture, this show will save you from going click crazy. The metronome isn't just for playing fast; it's for creating time to be correct and musical too. You'll learn the proper (and nearly painless) ways to use the metronome - not as a paperweight- and save tons of practice time too! You can play along with me too!

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Related blog post from the archives: Your Metronome Speaks
• Back To School Night virtual event
• Harpmastery.com

In this episode of the show, I’ll share some of my own struggles with self-confidence and the experiences which helped me grow and get stronger. I’ve also helped many students feel more confident in their harp playing and I will show you how you can follow those same steps on your own.

You will discover:

• The hidden dangers of the “comfort zone.”
• That it’s not really a lack of confidence that is holding you back.
• How you can feel more confident when you can’t see any reason why you should.
• The two most powerful words for building your confidence.

Are you feeling more confident already?

There’s no need to worry. I’m right beside you. Let’s do this!

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: 

• Related blog post from the archives: Permission to Play
• Back To School Night virtual event
• Harpmastery.com

Debussy is generally credited with the rise of the Impressionist movement in music. The Impressionists focused on the mood and atmosphere of music, conveying it through tone color and flow, rather than sharp musical detail.

The paradox of this music is that, although it often seems outside of time even without a tempo or pulse, the very formlessness of it is written into the music. Following Debussy’s printed directions is often the easiest way to get the expression you want. You can and should approach this music in the same way you would begin a Bach or Mozart piece - but you need a little more information first.

On today’s show we will explore three features of Debussy’s Clair de lune. You will discover:

• How Debussy uses them to create the moonlight mood of the piece.
• How they reveal Debussy’s intention for the piece.
• The best practice techniques to employ so that you can make your Clair de lune magical.

Plus, I will share my 2 page practice guide for Clair de lune so you will have all the information at your fingertips when you’re ready. By the way, these tips will work for other similar pieces too.

Join me for this musical moonlight stroll as we delve into some of the secrets of Debussy’s music.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Download my Clair de lune Practice Pointers
• Purchase my Clair de lune arrangement as an instant sheet music download
• Related blog post from the archives: The Debussy Dilemma
• Harpmastery.com

In this episode, I will reveal three ways in which you can make your music - any piece of music - more musically expressive. You will discover:

• Why you need to focus on “dimensions” instead of “dynamics.”
• How to practice playing more expressively whether you’re an expert or a beginner.
• How adding more expression to your music may be the key to solving some of those trouble spots in a piece.

Plus, I think you’ll learn how to do the most creative and interesting practice you’ve ever done!

• Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:
• The arrangement of the Flower Duet from Lakmé is in the Harp Mastery shop.
• “Your Five Day Plan to Better Musical Awareness” blog post
• The Harpist’s Playbook, with over 75 practice techniques, including an entire arsenal of ways to practice expression.
• Harpmastery.com

Are you a “Last Minute Letty,” getting on the right strings at the last second?
Maybe you are a “Not Ready Yet Nellie,” and you make the music wait while you find the right strings.
Or maybe you are a “Fumbling Freddy,” struggling to make your placing clean and correct.

The tips I share In this podcast episode will help you fix your placing issues and learn to help your fingers find the right strings, on time, every time.

You’ll discover:

• The real purpose of placing,
• How to practice proper placing easily,
• The “Rule of Ones,” my golden rule of placing, and
• The magical marking that makes it all work.

Let’s get your fingers on the strings!

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• “Flowing Arpeggios Start From a Ripple” blog post.
• Share the podcast on your social media or with a friend.
• Harpmastery.com

Musical flow, or continuity, can be hard to achieve, if you don’t know how. In this episode, I reveal what you must do to create continuity as well as what you must not do. If you have struggled making your music sound seamless, expressive and effortless, this is the podcast episode for you.

You will learn:

• The three “must have” elements of flow.
• Practice tweaks to instantly create more continuity in your playing.
• My four step system that you can use to incorporate more flow from the very first day you start learning a piece.

If you'd like to go a little deeper, my 30 Days to Done course shows you exactly how to use those four steps to take a piece of music from bumpy start to seamless finish, in - you guessed it! - 30 Days. The link to join the course is below.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• 30 Days to Done course
• “The 30,000 Foot View” blog post
• Harpmastery.com