Category: Getting started

Ep. 279 – How to play “The Jolly Peasant” from the First Harp Book

In this episode I take a look at the Jolly Peasant from Betty Paret’s First Harp Book and talk about why the rhythm of the piece and coordinating both hands is so tricky!

A patron mentioned that in fact the dance is probably a “Furiant” and that the first 2 bars should likely be 3 bars of 2/4, in which case the LH rhythm for those two bars is the odd one out. Still hard to play it (as written), regardless of emphasis, since either the right or left hand will feel a bit weird!

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Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 273 – testing out Note Rush, a sight-reading app

Once you understand the basics of learning to read music (I did an episode on it many, many years ago! Episode 5…) I think the best way to get fluent is just doing it enough that it becomes second nature.

Drill/flash card style apps can potentially be a good tool. I’ve always thought it would be great to have an app that would let you play the note you think it is on your instrument, and tell you if you were right or wrong! (Rather than typing it, or otherwise indicating the note on the screen).

Thanks to a Facebook discussion I became aware of Note Rush, an app which does just that. In this episode I go over how it works and some of the quirks and downsides.

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Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 267 – How to play “Swinging” from the 1st Harp Book

In this episode I take a quick look at “Swinging” from page 5 of Betty Paret’s First Harp Book. It features right hand glisses – check out episode 18 for more on glisses: https://www.harptuesday.com/harp-tuesday-ep-18/

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Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 265 – Standard Interval Fingerings

There’s a standard fingering to use for any interval. Of course you don’t always have to follow it (especially if you have particularly small or large hands) but it’s worth knowing about – as well as the reasoning behind it.

You can download a PDF showing these typical fingerings here.

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Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 260 – How high or low on the strings should you play?

In this episode I talk about how in general you should play at middle of the strings to get the best sound, demonstrate a rule that helps ensure that’s the case when the hands are close together (left thumb above right fingers), and show how Près de la Table (close to the soundboard and Bas dans la cordes (lower on the strings) sound.

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Ep. 259 – How to play “Rondo” from The First Harp Book

Here’s a look at how to play the Rondo from Betty Paret’s First Harp Book. (I have wonderful memories of learning this piece 30+ years ago). It’s great practice for being able to smoothly turn around a 1,2,3,2,1 pattern.
I’ve done several other episodes over the years featuring piece’s from the First Harp Book: https://www.harptuesday.com/category/first-harp-book-by-betty-paret/
If you’re working on music from the First Harp Book, Stephanie Claussen has recorded almost all the pieces from it – an invaluable resource to be able to hear a piece you’re working on: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4JwuCn3bqMlPRnaUa8TqTYS_pypMAy3U

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Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

 

Ep. 258 – Grossi/Pozzoli exercise no. 1

In this episode I take a look at the first (grade 1/grado 1) exercise from Pozzoli’s “Piccoli Studi facili e progressivi”, found in Maria Grossi’s “Method for Harp” (page 90 in the edition I have).

If you’re looking for exercises the entire book has lots of good material, almost all of which can be played on a lever harp.

If you’re looking for more videos on exercises, check out episode 39: https://www.harptuesday.com/ep-39-exercises-arpeggios-scales-and-more/

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Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 254 – A fundamental finger exercise

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In this episode I demonstrate a fundamental ability on the harp – being able to play any finger while all four fingers are placed in a row.

This can lead to exploring further finger independence work: https://www.harptuesday.com/category/finger-independence/

Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 250 – How to play Carol of the Bells (easy arrangement)

In this episode I teach an easy arrangement I did of Carol of the Bells, suitable for small (fully-levered) harps.

Sign up to my email newsletter to get a free copy of this arrangement plus other free sheet music!

Support from my patrons helped make this video possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 213 – Easy harp music – how to play “Night Song”.

In this episode of Harp Tuesday I take a look at a short piece from Betty Paret’s “First Harp Book”. “Night Song” is a beautiful piece, and great practice for right hand chords (3rds and 6ths).

I could resist a beautiful June day, and took Harp Tuesday outside! This also ties in with my new series, Harpist in the Wild. Episode 2 (A Baroque Feast) is about to wrap up, with the season finale on June 5. More at https://www.harpistinthewild.com/

Paret’s “First Harp Book” is an excellent book with some nice music and great fingerings. You should be able to find it at your favorite local music store, or online for example at https://www.harpcenter.com/product/paret-first-harp-book/harp-music-books-betty-paret

Support from my patrons helped make this video possible: https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 200 – How I did I get started playing the harp? My harp origin story

Happy Birthday, Harp Tuesday!

This episode is special not only because it’s episode 200, but also because Harp Tuesday turns 10 years old today! Ten years ago on Dec. 1, 2010, I uploaded the very first episode of Harp Tuesday. (https://www.harptuesday.com/ep1/)

Support from my patrons has been invaluable over these past few years. You can become my patron and support the work I do on YouTube at: https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 184 – Learning “Down by the Salley Gardens” by ear

I thought I’d do something a little different today and try and teach (and learn myself!) a tune by ear. A beautiful Irish tune known by a number of different names – Down by the Salley Gardens (or Sally Gardens), Maids of Mourne Shore, The Foggy Dew, etc.

While it kind of defeats the purpose (of learning it by ear) if you’d like a free copy of the music with my fingerings, sign up for my newsletter

(Existing subscribers, email me and I’ll send you a copy!)

Ep. 181 – An easy Bach “Chorale” – phrasing and dynamics

An easy Bach “Chorale” gives me an opportunity to talk about phrasing and dynamics!

If you’d like the sheet music for this easy harp arrangement of “Erkenne mich, mein Hüter” from Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, just sign up for my email newsletter and I’ll send you a copy 🙂

Ep. 165 – How to play “Petite Berceuse” by Hasselmans

A look at Alphonse Hasselman’s lovely “Petite Berceuse“. In the key of C and playable on a 25 string harp, the sheet music is in the public domain and can be found at archive.org – https://archive.org/details/petiteberceusepo00hass/page/2/mode/2up

Harpist in a Tree, episode 2, features me playing “Petite Berceuse” in a tree 🙂 Watch it at https://youtu.be/2hezgZDifyk

Ep. 164 – How to play with two hands at the same time (featuring Skye Boat Song)

Is playing a separate pattern in each hand a challenge for you? In this episode of Harp Tuesday I offer some ideas of how to coordinate playing with both hands at the same time, using as an example a small section from my arrangement of The Skye Boat Song.

You might also find this episode useful: https://www.harptuesday.com/ep-110-coordinating-two-hands-contrary-motion-and-practicing/

My arrangement of The Skye Boat Song is available as a PDF at http://www.joshlayne.com/store/

Ep. 161 – Relax! Staying relaxed while playing the harp

Relaxation is so important when playing any instrument – both for speed and to remain injury and pain free. Making sure your fingers don’t stay clenched into the palm when they aren’t playing is one key to staying relaxed. In this episode I talk about how to achieve that (including using a rubber band as an aid!) and demonstrate how it looks.

Ep. 122 Fundamental exercises on the harp – chord progressions

In this episode oI talk about chord progressions and working on the ability to automatically go up and down a chord sequence (root, 1st inversion, 2nd inversion). As a companion to this episode you might find these two episodes helpful:

https://www.harptuesday.com/ep-34-chord-basics/
https://www.harptuesday.com/ep-71-chordjumping-exercise/

 

Ep. 100! A guide to buying a harp

Welcome to the 100th episode of Harp Tuesday! 100 is a big number and I feel proud to have reached it! 🙂 Thanks to all of you who watch and comments on my videos – you’re the reason I’ve made it to #100!

In this episode I offer some thoughts and advice on buying a harp, with an emphasis on advice for someone looking to buy their very first harp.

I hope this is helpful, and thanks for watching!

The complete episode is below, but I also split this episode into individual sections if there’s something specific you’re interested in.

1. Introduction https://youtu.be/lY2PVTGFb-A
2. General advice/synopsis https://youtu.be/znZ6D3Pyss0
3. Three categories of harps https://youtu.be/IINfg-emaQo
4. Celtic harps – how many strings? https://youtu.be/8m-vBBdJY7c
5. Celtic harps – do I need levers? https://youtu.be/OrqoGgxEc8I
6. Build quality and ergonomics https://youtu.be/JcdPXdPgG6k
7. Sound quality https://youtu.be/Q_hj0a-OvRQ
8. Strings – gut or nylon? https://youtu.be/P1xQUAT1mDw
9. Pedal harps https://youtu.be/9tz-M-EvqCQ
10. Other type of harps https://youtu.be/S87aHF79BiE

Ep. 80 How to read music part 2 – Rhythm!

In this episode of Harp Tuesday I finally (!) finish my look at how to read music. In December of 2010, for my fifth episode of Harp Tuesday, I talked about how to decipher notes on the printed page and translate them into which strings to play on the harp… In this episode I talk about the other aspect of written music – Rhythm!

This was a tricky episode to put together, and I’m still not sure how much sense it makes, but if you’re trying to learn to read music hopefully this will help!

You can download the PDF sheet showing what shapes equal what note durations (Whole note, half note, etc.) here.

Ep. 10 How to change a string

How to change a harp string:

I later did a follow up to this episode, plus an episode on changing wire strings:


And low octave gut strings:

I also did a live-stream of changing the strings on my lever harp:

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Support from my patrons helps make continued Harp Tuesday episodes possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 8 Broken/rolled chords

In this episode I talk about how to play one of the quintessential sounds on the harp – the rolled or broken chord:

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Support from my patrons helps make continued Harp Tuesday episodes possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 7 Your second harp lesson!

Your second harp lesson. In this episode I talk about playing multiple notes at the same time (chords) and some fingering basics (connecting, etc.)


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Support from my patrons helps make continued Harp Tuesday episodes possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 5 How to tune your harp + How to read music

In this episode I cover two topics – tuning your harp and learning to read music. I’ve also included the conclusion to my look at learning to read music, Harp Tuesday ep. 80


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Support from my patrons helps make continued Harp Tuesday episodes possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne

Ep. 4 Your first harp lesson!

Your first harp lesson! I talk about some basics to get you started playing the harp:







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Support from my patrons helps make continued Harp Tuesday episodes possible – if you would like to help support future videos you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/joshlayne