Practicing Harp Happiness

“United we stand,” are words familiar to every American, but few of us know that they first appeared as lyrics of what was perhaps the first song of resistance in the colonists’ uprising against British taxation.

This podcast episode is dedicated to the story behind this song of the American Revolution, once iconic and now much less familiar than its jeering British contemporary tune, “Yankee Doodle.” With words by John Dickinson to a tune borrowed from an English opera, this song became a key player (pun intended) in the American quest for liberty.

No, it wasn’t a harp tune, but I will play it for you anyway and you can download my harp arrangement of it too!

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

• Download “The Liberty Song” sheet music
• Musicians in Uniform blog post
• Subscribe to the podcast
• Harpmastery.com

Thanks for listening!

Have you ever thought of your music as having colors? Or thought about a color difference between major and minor?
Maybe to you a minor key is just another key.
But to me a minor key is so much more. As a musician, I first learned to listen critically with minor keys. As a teacher, I have seen that minor keys (much more so than major keys) open the door to understanding music theory. And as a harpist, I appreciate minor keys for the creativity they allow me, again more than major keys. And I love the way minor sounds, its tonal color.

Today's episode isn’t just about the facts of minor but also its color - what makes minor sound like minor and what makes it sometimes sound almost like major. Major and minor are more closely related than you might think. But it’s not all rainbow talk today.

You will also learn:

• My 3 number system for making sense of minor key signatures and scales.
• The 5 essential minor keys for harpists to know.
• How studying minor keys can improve your sight reading, your musical hearing, and your improvisation.

Plus, when you listen, you’ll have access to a FREE masterclass and a discount on one of my newest courses.

Join me as I introduce you to the different colors of minor and how they can help you read, hear and play the harp better.

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

• Register for my Masterclass on June 28th
• Musical Understanding Starts with Key Signatures blog post
• Build, Extend, Advance Technique Challenge
• Harpmastery.com

You’ve practiced hard to learn your piece. Now what do you do with it, especially if you aren’t planning to perform it? Keep practicing, and if so, for how long? Put it away?

If you’ve ever wondered how to tell if your piece is really done or what to do with it when it is, you are not alone.

Starting a piece is the easy part. Your energy level is high and you’re ready to dig in. Then the going gets tougher as you drill the notes and the fingering. Finally, the piece begins to turn into music. This is when you discover that you have no clue what to do with it now.

On this week’s podcast episode, I reveal not only how to decide when your piece is finished, but also the four “finish line” options which allow you to polish your piece for performance, or put it away with pride and a couple of things in between.

Having a clear plan for your piece is key to your feeling of progress and accomplishment, and when you listen to this episode, you’ll learn:

• The three stages of learning and how to get through all three.
• Why finishing a piece is a personal decision.
• The four “finish line options” and how to implement each one.
• What you can do today to find the finish line for one of your pieces.

Plus, at the end of the show I’ll tell you about a free masterclass I’m giving to help you free up some valuable practice time so you can get those pieces done!

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

• Register for my Masterclass on June 28th
• Perfection or Performance: It’s Your Choice blog post
• Kaleidoscope Practice ebook
• Harpmastery.com

Fast flashy scales and graceful arpeggios are one sign of a strong harp technique, but they aren’t the only indication.

In fact, even if you never expect to play fast music or super-difficult music, you need a strong technique.

Technique isn’t just for speed. For instance  if you struggle to make your music flow smoothly or be more expressive, these could be signs that you need some technique work. 

In this week’s episode, I reveal the 3 most important reasons - not including speed and security - you need a stronger technique and how to begin developing it without hours of drudgery.

Even if you’ve never been a fan of exercises and etudes,  when you listen to this episode, you’ll discover:

• How your musical expression depends on your technical level.
• The skill you need to strengthen to create more flow in your music.
• How to prepare your fingers for that next piece you want to learn. 

Plus, when you listen, you’ll have access to a FREE masterclass where I show you how to develop your technique in just 10 minutes a day. Crazy, right? Nope. It's just a little clever.

Listen to this episode as I show you the hidden costs of a shaky technique.

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

• Register for my Masterclass on June 28th
• Three Little Things that Add Up to Big Changes blog post
• Harpmastery.com

Whether you’ve played it a thousand times or have yet to learn it, the Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel has become standard repertoire for harpists. The piece has embedded itself in our musical culture so deeply that it is on every gigging harpist’s most requested list and a favorite with any audience. 

But it isn’t all that easy to play, unless you know the shortcuts.

In this episode I explain some of the musical elements of the Canon with the idea that the more you understand about this piece, or any piece, the easier it is to learn it quickly and to play it well.

Plus, I share some of my favorite Pachelbel practice techniques with you, ones that can save you a lot of practice time and frustration, even if you’ve played the piece before. You’ll discover:

• Why your harp version isn’t really a “canon.”
• The unique features of the melody and harmony and how to play them musically. 
• Why that C natural isn’t a misprint. 
• My practice guide so you can create your own foolproof version of the Canon.

Join me as we explore some of the inner workings of this interesting piece and some very  practical playing pointers too.

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

• Reflections on the Canon blog post
• Harpmastery.com podcast page for subscribing and sharing

Every harpist wants to play well for her teacher. Somehow, though, we always find ourselves explaining that we played so much better at home.

I know; I’ve been there too. But over my years of teaching I have gathered some insights from the other side - the teacher side - that will help you understand what your lesson really should be about, the right way to prepare, and how to save  yourself from “lesson meltdown.”

On this week’s podcast episode, I not only reveal what your teacher really expects of you, but I also give you my top strategies for:

• Staying focused not frazzled.
• Creating the “inspiration mindset.”
• Understanding what and how to practice when you get home.

Plus, when you listen, you’ll learn about a new course to help you strengthen your technique so those finger fumbles won’t get in your way.

Join me as I walk you through the strategies you need to make every lesson a great lesson. 

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

• • Build Extend Advance Technique Challenge
  • Related blog post: How to Make Every Lesson Count
  • HarpMastery.com

We harpists all have our own practice style. You might not have thought about it until you discovered some of your harp friends have very different ways of practicing. Maybe this made you wonder if you’re practicing the right way or doing it all wrong.

In today’s episode, I review the first 2 practice styles - maybe one of those is yours! - and I’ll tell you everything you need to know about practice style 3 - The Beagle - the strengths, the challenges and if you’re a Beagle, you’ll learn how you can use your Beagle superpowers to make consistent progress in your harp playing.

I know it sounds a little goofy, but bear with me. This is important because when you understand your own preferred style of practice, you can practice more effectively which will save you time and help you get your pieces finished faster. And that’s a HUGE win. 

And at the end of the show I will give you a point-by-point comparison of all three practice styles. Don’t worry - all three are good, there are no bad dogs here!  

Harp Mastery® News :

But first I wanted to give you a special invitation. If you’re listening to this around the time this episode is published which is May of 2021, I want to invite you to a brand-new Harp Mastery® challenge. Everyone loves a challenge and I’m excited about this one. It’s called Build, Extend, Advance and it’s the technique course you wish you had when you started the harp. It’s actually a technique course that I have designed as a 21-day challenge. You see, while technique maintenance is something we harpists always need to do, from time to time we need to go deeper, back to the critical building blocks of harp technique and then to intentionally extend those concepts and finally to advance our skills. All it takes is a relatively short period of time and the right focus.

This challenge is like a spa vacation for your technique. With just 15 short, easy-to-follow lessons and 4 LIVE virtual seminars, you can refresh and rejuvenate your technique (or build it from scratch, if that’s where you are!) as well as advance to the next level or beyond. And we are doing this challenge together starting June 1st.

All you need to do is to look at the show notes for this episode and head over to Harp Mastery® to sign up and join us. All of the members in my online community My Harp Mastery will be participating so it’s going to be really fun.

And now it’s time to talk practice styles. 

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

• Build, Extend, Advance: The Technique Course You SHOULD Have Had Years Ago
• Blog on the first two practice styles