Practicing Harp Happiness

I once had a student say this to me: “But it doesn’t work when I do it that way.” We were trying to fix a passage in a piece she was learning. When she played the passage for me, there was an obvious stumble spot, and I had a definite idea about what was wrong and how to fix it. But after a week of trying to implement my suggestion, she came back to me, saying that her old way, even though it wasn’t really working, worked better than mine and so she was sticking with her way.  Please understand that the student didn’t doubt the solution I was offering. She had tried it, just as I had suggested. She had confidence in my ability to help her surmount this difficulty. The frustration for her was not just that the solution I offered didn’t work; it was that her old way was actually better for her, at least at that moment. At that point in our lesson, I could have responded with the all-time favorite response of music teachers everywhere - you have to give it some time.  That would certainly have been a correct response in that it was true, but that doesn’t mean it would have been very helpful. But if I didn’t want to trot out that old standby answer, I had to provide a different one. It was clear to me what she needed to know. She needed to know why.  This was years ago. I hadn’t published all the resources that I have now. I didn’t have the teaching experience that I have garnered in the years since then. But even back then, I was a good teacher, one who not only knew the right way to do things, but was skilled at seeing the underlying problem that a student needed to address. What I needed to learn, though, was how communicate my methodology, not a technique method necessarily, but how I knew my way of solving the problem would be better in the long run. When “just trust me on this,” or “because I said so” aren’t good enough answers, the better response lies in the reason, the explanation, and that requires a teacher to dig deeply into her own expertise. After all, it’s likely been a long while since we teachers asked for those explanations ourselves. We’re at a point where we simply know, and that’s good for us, but less helpful for our students.  So today, I’m hoping to share with you the reasoning behind some of those potential “because this is the way it works” answers. Whether you’re a student or a teacher, or just a harpist who has an inquiring mind, I’m sure at least one of these will click for you. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Sign up for the It's Not Working Webinar Join the Arpeggios with E.A.S.E. Quick Study Course Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-230  

If I were to ask you what you think the most important skills are for any harpist, what would you say? There are lots of obvious choices. You might include technical skills, like scales or arpeggios or putting hands together. You could mention skills like note reading, or sight reading, or rhythm skills or knowing basic music theory. What about working with a metronome or playing expressively? All of these are important, and none of them is particularly easy.  While all of these are crucial, I consider them all just part of playing the harp. Every harpist develops these skills continually, every day, over a lifetime of playing. Some of them come more naturally than others, but we become more skillful in all of them over time. It’s also a fact that neglecting one of these essential elements - and my list was by no means a complete one - will limit our playing at some time in some way. Today, though, I want us to think about a different category of skills, skills that are less about actually playing the harp and more about the mindset we bring to our playing. Our ideas and attitudes play a big part in the pace of our progress, the ease with which we practice and play, and the satisfaction and fulfillment we experience along the way. I’ve seen too many harpists struggle in their playing, simply because no one ever told them how musical growth really happens, or shared with them the specific instructions that will enable them to make the progress they want, to play the music they want. These aren’t musical instructions; they are mindset instructions. They relate to our playing, but they also guide the way we work, how we spend our time at the harp. So while they aren’t “do this, don’t do that” directions, they are “put this on a sticky note on your music stand” reminders, and I’ve picked three big ones to talk about with you today. So get out your sticky notes, and let’s get going. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Join the Arpeggios with E.A.S.E. Quick Study Course. Get connected! Join the My Harp Mastery community. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com  Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-229  

Do you have to memorize your music? Of course not. How’s that for an easy answer? Okay, the podcast is over and we can call it a day. But of course, the answer isn’t that simple.  No, you don’t have to memorize your music, but the fact that you’re asking the question tells me that you’re almost certainly thinking about memorization the wrong way, or at least very differently from how I have learned to think of it. What I want to help you understand today is the role that memorization can play in your musical growth, how it can make you a better musician, how it can help you learn music faster, not necessarily because you are memorizing, but because the act of memorizing brings your focus to the music in a different way. But not if you’re trying to memorize the way you may have when you were young. The kind of effortless assimilation that came so easily to me when I was younger, and perhaps to you too, doesn’t happen with my aging brain. I still memorize, but I use a process that is more conscious, less automatic, and I can tell you that the conscious process is easier, more secure and more interesting. When I memorize this way, I know I know my music. That’s practically confidence in a bottle. What I’m going to help you understand today is the true value of memorization, whether or not you ever play without your music, and how you can develop your powers of memorization, even if you can’t remember where you left your glasses. Memorization isn’t about remembering. It’s about learning and knowing, done purposefully, and it’s not as hard or as scary as you may think. If you’re already a confident memorizer, then that idea won’t be new to you, but keep listening, because there will be a few important ideas and strategies in this episode that will help you too.  Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Join the Arpeggios with E.A.S.E Quick Study Course. Want more memorization tips? Check out podcast episode  158, Memorization Basics: How to Make It Stick Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-228    

When I was a beginning harp student, the technical method I was learning - the Salzedo method - was something I took very seriously. From my very first harp lessons, I learned the important points of technique, as Salzedo taught it. I wasn’t studying with Salzedo, of course, but my teacher, Marilyn Costello, was a student of his, and his method was what she taught her students. For a long time, I played the harp in innocent ignorance of the fact that there were other harp methods. In fact, it was a revelation to me in those early years when I discovered that most harpists in the world didn’t use the Salzedo method. Truly, all the harpists I knew in the Philadelphia area were Salzedo method players, and it never occurred to me that this wasn’t true across the wider harp-isphere.  Once that realization hit, I went into what I’ll call Stage Two of my education about harp methods. That was the stage where I believed that everyone who didn’t play Salzedo method wasn’t playing the right way and they would never be good harpists. Ah, the foolishness of youth! It didn’t take me long to realize how ridiculous that was; after all, there were many harp legends I admired who weren’t Salzedo players. Time for another outlook adjustment.  My outlook has undergone many such adjustments in the ensuing years, mostly due to the evolution of my teaching philosophy. The basic underpinning for my thoughts on harp methods can be summed up like this: the method itself doesn’t matter. What matters more is that you follow one. Without a method, your technique and your technique practice is merely a collection of skills. The method is the organizational plan that brings together skills, sound, ergonomics, and more, and unifies them with a cohesive set of why’s and how’s. A method doesn’t leave you guessing about how to do something; it gives you the system to find solutions.  In this episode, I will talk about the key points of technique that every method addresses and I’ll explore a few of the differences in approach between some common harp methods and why each approach works. It’s not about one way being right and the other wrong; it’s about having a plan you can follow. I’m hoping that by expanding your ideas about technique, I can encourage you to consider how following a harp method will make everything about your technique finally make sense to you.  Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Fast track your progress - work with a Harp Mastery® Certified Coach.  Looking for a teacher near you? Check out our Accredited Teachers. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-227  

I’m sure you’ve seen that famous optical illusion picture that can be perceived either as two faces in profile looking at each other, or as a vase. That image is named the “Rubin Vase,” after Danish psychologist Edgar Rubin, who authored a book in 1915 called “Visual Perception.”  This image, and others like it, have stimulated much scientific debate about how our brains understand and process images.  What fascinates me is that moment when my understanding of the image shifts, that instant where I can see the second interpretation of the picture. Naturally, there’s a technical term for that; it’s called a Gestalt switch. A Gestalt switch occurs when you change your perspective from one view of an image, a sound or an experience. As with the Rubin vase, you first saw it one way - as a vase - and now you see it another way - as two faces. There is much debate about the cognitive processes that allow this switch to happen, but there seems to be general agreement that the switch is hard for an individual to control. Sometimes you just can’t see the faces; you only see the vase. Nevertheless, we are talking about the necessity for you to be able to make that switch in your harp playing.  Here’s the premise for this show. Making your piece sound like music isn’t about what you do; it’s about your perspective. In case I’ve made this sound too difficult, let me reassure you that I am positive you already do this in your playing. You just haven’t thought of it this way before. If you weren’t making this perception change, you would stay stuck on one measure and never get to playing the entire piece. What we’re going to explore today is how to make that perception shift intentional. Why would we want to do this? Because when we shift our perspective from playing the notes to playing the music, we play the music better.  If this sounds a little mysterious, be sure to listen to the rest of the show, because this discussion will help you find more freedom in your playing. It will help you learn and finish a piece faster and allow you to play with more musicality and confidence. I know that sounds like a big promise, but I’m confident I can deliver on it.  Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Join us at Back to School Night Are you ready to work with a Harp Mastery® Certified Coach? Click and find out. Work with a Harp Mastery®  Accredited Teacher. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-226  

Imagine you’re looking at a box of chocolates, knowing you’ve already had at least three too many. Your hostess is holding out the box to you, saying, “Have just one more. It couldn’t hurt.” It’s hard to actually know what one more would do. That “one more” candy might be the one that pulls out your filling. That “one more” episode of your favorite Netflix show might turn into an hours-long binge watch. That “one more” task before you leave the house might be the one that makes you miss your train. But there’s the other side of “one more” too. The extra rep in the gym that builds muscle and stamina. The extra pinch of spice that makes a dish delectable. That extra touch to anything handmade that makes it unique and treasured. Those are just a few examples of the beneficial power of “one more.” There are lots of opportunities for “one mores” in our harp playing, both helpful and distinctly unhelpful. When you know which of those extras you should avoid, you can stay out of some of the most problematic pitfalls for any harpist. When you know which ones have the power to move your playing ahead, that’s almost like magic. But there’s no magic to it, just a little information, and that’s what I’m going to give you today. I’ll give you the do’s and dont’s of the extra step, when it’s worth it and when you’d be better off having stayed in bed. In fact, I’ll share three things that you absolutely must avoid, and I’ll tell you why. And we’ll counter those with seven “one more” things that will multiply your efforts in ways you might not expect. There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get started.. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Join us at Back to School Night Are you ready to work with a Harp Mastery® Certified Coach? Click and find out. Work with a Harp Mastery®  Accredited Teacher. Harpmastery.com  Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-225  

How often do we say, “If I only knew then, what I know now”? Sometimes it’s about life experience, like surviving teenage drama. Sometimes it’s about turning down an opportunity, like not buying stock in Facebook before the company went big.  Obviously, we aren’t able to go back in time and really have a “do over.”  I imagine that if we could, It’s more than possible that the result wouldn’t be what we expect. We can never know how our world would have been altered, if we’d taken the other fork in the road. We can only guess.  Here’s my “if I only knew then” statement for today: If I only knew as a young harp student what I know now as a harp teacher. The fact behind this is key. The fact is that everything I learned about being a good student, I learned from trying to be a good teacher. If I had known as a student even half of what I’ve learned through my teaching, my harp life might have been so much easier.  Most teachers of any subject will tell you how much they learn from their students. One of the most powerful things I have learned is how many different paths there are to being a harpist. Discovering how to craft a course designed with each student’s strengths, needs, goals and desires in mind is not easy. But I have found it indescribably rewarding. I have such deep respect for my students - for their efforts, for their achievements, for their trust in me, for the incredible people they are.  But we aren’t talking about me or my students today, at least not exactly. What I want to share with you are the four most important aspects of being a harp student or a harp teacher. They have nothing to do with repertoire or technique. They are applicable to every student/teacher relationship, and they apply equally, but differently, for both students and teachers. I’m offering them to you today in the hope that they inspire you to bring a different mindset or intention to your study or your teaching or both. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Teachers Retreat registration closing this week. Register here. Level up! Work with one of our Harp Mastery® Certified Coaches.   Harpmastery.com  Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-224  

Mirror, mirror on the wall. If only my mirror could show me all. We humans love our mirrors. At some deep-rooted level, we love to see ourselves. Maybe you remember the famous scene in the movie Lawrence of Arabia when Peter O’Toole playing Lawrence first puts on the white Arab robes and headdress. He is for the moment all by himself in the desert, so there is no dialogue. According to the film’s director, David Lean, the only instruction he gave O’Toole was to improvise what this young man Lawrence might have done in this situation. O’Toole experiments with the sweep of his robes by running and spinning, feeling the gleaming white cloth swirl about him. Then he stops, and with no mirror to hand in the desert, takes out his shiny silver dagger from his belt and tries to use it as a mirror to see how he looks. David Lean remembers remarking under his breath during the filming, “Clever boy!”  Looking into a mirror, though, only gives us a limited perspective. We can only see what is in front of us. It takes multiple mirrors for us to be able to see our backs. Frankly, we have blindspots, spots that are difficult or nearly impossible to see. I always rely on a friend who can tell me if my hair looks okay in the back or if the tag on my shirt is sticking out. From time to time it’s a good idea to check your harp blindspots too. These blindspots are usually related to inefficiencies in our practice or skills we need to develop. They may be hampering or slowing down our progress. And the good news is that once you see the blindspot, just like the tag that is sticking out, you can fix it. So in today’s show, we’ll review 7 common blindspots. If none of them are yours, at least not right now, that’s great. You’ll have some additional knowledge you can use to keep them in check. But if you think your harp playing should be moving faster than it is, perhaps one or more of these blindspots will show you what you haven’t seen before, and you can get started removing that spot right away. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  New blindspot courses in the Harp Mastery® app! Want to take the Blindspot Quiz? Click here.  Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-223  

There’s a moment — sometimes only after someone is gone — when we finally see the full measure of their influence. We may have known they mattered, but loss has a way of sharpening our perspective, of showing us just how much they shaped our world. Some people use the word legendary too easily. For harpist Susann McDonald, it’s no exaggeration. Susann McDonald, who passed away this past May at the age of 90, left an indelible mark on the harp world. She was an acclaimed performer, a respected author, an extraordinary teacher, and a passionate advocate for our instrument. She co-founded the World Harp Congress and nurtured a global community of harpists, uniting people across continents through music. But her story is more than a list of titles and accomplishments. It’s about the way she created a sense of belonging — for every harpist, no matter your style or skill level. Whether you play concert halls or in your living room, her influence has touched you. And today, we’ll celebrate that — her life, her music, her lasting legacy — and consider what it asks of us as harpists now. This isn’t just a biographical podcast, though. I want to explore the idea of legacy, of the connections we have to our harpist forebears that empower and guide our playing  every day. Legacy isn’t just about what’s left to us; it’s our springboard to the future.  Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Watch our video series specially for harp teachers. Our Teacher Retreat registration is still open. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-222  

Not all mistakes are created equal. Sure, some need to be addressed and fixed. But others? They’re signs of progress. They tell you that your ears are sharper, your awareness is expanding, and your technique is evolving. Let’s put it in context. We live in a world that’s constantly trying to correct us. Type an email, and autocorrect will instantly jump in. Google will underline a word in red, and we assume it's wrong—just because it looks unfamiliar. But autocorrect doesn’t always get it right. And neither does your inner critic. Just because something feels like a mistake doesn’t automatically mean it is. In harp practice, this same principle applies. That little stumble in a piece might not be a sign of backsliding. It could mean you're playing at a higher level and noticing subtleties you didn’t even hear before. Consider this: I was deadheading flowers in the garden the other day. At first, I only saw a few to snip. But as I trimmed those, more and more faded blooms seemed to appear. I hadn’t missed them before—I just hadn’t noticed them. My attention had shifted, and I was seeing more clearly. Not because the garden got worse, but because I was more tuned in. This is exactly what happens in harp practice. The more you refine your skills, the more aware you become of tiny imperfections. And that’s not failure—that’s progress. But here’s the tricky part: this increased awareness can lead you down a rabbit hole of endless correction, and that’s where momentum can stall. If you’re constantly fixing, reworking, and over-analyzing, it can feel like you’re never getting anywhere. In today’s episode, we’ll talk about how to change your outlook so you can recognize the difference between real issues and natural growing pains. We’ll explore how to use mistakes as guideposts, not roadblocks, and how to keep yourself out of the pit of perfectionism. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to keep your progress moving forward—even when your practice feels messy. Just remember: all mistakes are not created equal. Not every mistake is a problem that needs to be addressed. Some mistakes are actually signs of growth and momentum. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Finish strong in the final week of our Hub Summer Challenge Check out the new Learn section in the Harp Mastery®  app. Join the group coming to our October Teachers Retreat Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-221  

You’ve heard me say this before: I had wonderful teachers throughout my musical life. From my very first piano teacher when I started piano at age four, through my harp studies from age eight and my college years at the Curtis Institute, my teachers were all I could have wanted. They nurtured me, encouraged me, pushed me, and took me to task when that was required, and believe me, it was required from time to time. Most importantly - and this is one of my core teaching principles to this day - they were as invested in my musical journey as I was. They took my learning and my musical growth personally, not as a reflection on them, but as a mission that mattered to them because my music mattered to me. It would be easy to say that they were the inspirations for my own teaching path, but truly, the path itself showed up more or less by accident. But as is the case with so many blessings, it showed up when I needed it and led me in directions I could never have expected. At each step along the way, I have learned more about what it means to me to be a teacher, and more particularly, to be the kind of teacher I want to be for those I am honored to teach. I’ll share a few more specifics about some of the steps on that path in a few moments. But my primary mission today is to share with you a few things I have discovered about how the ways we teachers think about our teaching, and how many students think about their learning, can be either useful and productive or possibly not. These are “big picture” concepts that may help you, if you are a student, get even more value from your lessons. If you are a teacher, perhaps these will inspire you to keep bringing the joy to the students you are privileged to work with. Or if you’re a harpist who is neither teaching or taking lessons at the moment, there might be some ideas that will give you some food for thought, maybe even energize your harp playing in a new way. I certainly hope so. That’s part of my job, coaching you here on the podcast today. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Register for our October Teachers’ Retreat  In the Hub: Week 9 of our Super Summer Challenge  Check out the new Learn section in the Harp Mastery®  app. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-220  

I know I’m dating myself, but here goes… Back in the 1960’s there was a television show called “Sea Hunt.”  The show centered around a free-lance scuba diver named Mike Nelson, played by Lloyd Bridges. Mike Nelson was a former Navy diver and a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. As a free-lance diver, he was hired for all kinds of dangerous underwater work, everything from salvaging precious cargo from wrecked ships to rescuing people trapped in caves. Each episode had dangerous situations and villains who were ready to slash the hoses on Mike’s air tanks.  In nearly every episode, Mike would have to make a hasty ascent from the depths, which he would attempt to time carefully to avoid “the bends,” a potentially fatal condition more formally called decompression sickness. On occasion. Mike would have to spend time in a decompression chamber.  Watching this as a child, I was fascinated by the danger of too hasty a return to the surface. On the one hand, Mike would be running out of oxygen and would need to get back on the boat quickly. But on the other hand, making his return too quickly could prove fatal. Talk about a dilemma. Today’s show is not about the bends, but it is about the possible downside, although not a potentially fatal one, of returning to your regular practice routine too quickly after your vacation. If you’re like me, you may come back from vacation with your fingers itching to get back on the harp strings. If you run right to the harp however, you might find it more challenging or even frustrating than you expected. Broken strings and creaky fingers are annoying enough to deal with, but the real issue is that the pieces we were working on seem so far from where we left them. In my experience, diving right into your usual kind of practice can instantly deflate your post-vacation high. Instead of being able to keep that feeling of freshness, relaxation and renewal, you’re right back into the practice grind you left. What’s the fix? The good news is that we don’t need a decompression chamber. All we need is the right mindset and a plan, and I have both of those for you today. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Calling all Harp Teachers! Registration for our Teachers’ Retreat is open! Listen to Episode 60: Enjoy a Guilt-Free, Harp-Free Vacation with the Perfect Re-Entry Plan Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-219    

Here’s our question for today: what makes a piece of music a “harp piece”?  Does it have to have been originally written for harp? Or composed by a harpist? Or could any piece of music, no matter what instrument or instruments it was written for, be a harp piece if you play it on the harp? I happen to think that the third answer is the correct one. Mostly. Let me explain. If you play a piece on the harp, it has absolutely become a harp piece whether it started out that way or not. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it should have become a harp piece. Some pieces just don’t work on the harp. Take the “1812 Overture,” for example. This piece was written by Tchaikovsky to commemorate Russia’s victory over Napoleon. It’s 15 minutes long, It requires a full symphony orchestra (minus a harp), an additional brass band, a bell carillon and a battery of cannons - yes, cannons. How could a single harp play a meaningful rendition of this monster work? You could play some of the themes from the piece. You could shout “BOOM” when the cannons are supposed to fire. No matter how hard we try, though, it will never really sound like the original. Okay, that’s an extreme example. However, we harpists are known for borrowing music liberally from the piano repertoire. While that’s a good idea in general - after all, the harp and piano have a lot in common - some piano pieces never make good harp pieces, even when the piece translates easily from piano to harp. Sometimes, something gets lost in the translation. So what makes a piece of music a harp piece? What are the essential qualities and the specific characteristics that identify a piece as being written for harp, or that, on the flip side, mark it as definitely not a harp piece? Today, we will talk about those characteristics and how you can use them to spot pieces that might, or might not, be good ones to transpose or arrange for harp. This information will also be very useful when you’re playing someone else’s arrangement, and I’ll tell you why in just a minute. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Check out our brand new courses in the Harp Mastery® app!  We’re halfway through our Super Summertime Challenge. Are you in? Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com   Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-218  

Happy Bastille Day! This isn’t a French themed podcast episode, and we won’t be breaking the bars on any prisons today. However, while the French national motto of  liberté, égalité, fraternité is sounding across the globe, we should give some thought to the unequal treatment we give our hands. I mean the difference in the demands we place on our right and left hands. Probably you’ve thought about the very different roles that our hands play musically. Most often, the right hand plays a melody and the left hand plays an accompaniment. But think about it in a practical, action-related way for a moment. If our right hand specializes in melodies, then it likely is accustomed to connected, legato playing, along with some chords and arpeggios.  Our left hand, though, because it serves to support the melody, is more used to jumping between low bass notes and chords above them, or playing a series of octaves, or playing continuous arpeggiated accompaniments. That is a very different skill set from the one your right hand has. Just try playing a left hand accompaniment with your right hand or a right hand melody with your left hand, and you will find it a little uncomfortable. Try playing hands together with that role reversal, and it may feel extremely awkward.  If you’ve ever had to try to balance a left hand melody line with a right hand accompaniment, keeping the right hand softer than the left, you know how deeply ingrained those right hand/left hand roles are. Of course, most of the time, each hand plays the kind of playing it does best. But what about those occasions when the roles are reversed? How do you prepare for them, so they don’t stop you in your tracks?  That’s part of what I will help you with today. Even more importantly, I’ll give you a plan for developing more independence between your hands, and that sounds like a fitting topic for Bastille Day. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Join the Christmas in July Week 3 workshop. Are you keeping up with the Summertime Challenge? Join here. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-217    

This week I started my yearly ritual of going through my drawers of music and pulling out new pieces to play. Actually they aren’t all new; some are old friends that I haven’t played in years. Others are pieces that have been sitting around waiting for me to get to them. Others are favorites that I seem to pull out every summer and play for a while.  It’s a summer thing for me. Perhaps because my playing schedule is a little lighter, I don’t feel as pressured or as driven. Also, though, I just want to play music, music that fits my vacation mindset.  So this week as I was looking through the stacks, I thought maybe I could give you some ideas of pieces that might fit your summertime mood. Or if it’s not summer weather for you right now, maybe these pieces will add some sunshine to your harp playing.  Some of these are classics from the harp repertoire or classic transcriptions for harp. Others are newer compositions you may not know. I’ve thrown in a couple popular music selections, just because. And I’ve themed them in a very summer-ish way: music about water, the sky, the garden and daydreams. It’s a little fanciful, but that’s really the whole idea. I’ll play some bits and pieces of some of them for you, too. And if you feel inspired to check out any of these for yourself, I’ve put all the selections I am mentioning today in a handy list for you, which you can download right in the show notes. You’ll be able to find these at the usual harp music retailers, like Harp Column Music, Atlanta Harp Center, Vanderbilt Music Company, Harp.com and more. If you have trouble finding one of them, just post a message in the Harp Mastery® Hub, and we’ll help you find it! Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Get the PDF of pieces mentioned on the show. Week 2 of Christmas in July Live call tomorrow. Super Summer Challenge continues. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com  Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-216  

There’s a third kind of shortcut, though, that I want us to think about today. It’s the kind of shortcut that comes with experience. I remember when I was learning to sew and following all the directions very carefully so that I wouldn’t mess up. I even learned which pattern companies had the clearest directions, and which seemed to presume that I knew more than I did, so there were steps missing. Those missing steps weren’t shortcuts, per se; they were just knowledge that a more experienced sewer would have.  One day, I watched a professional seamstress start to cut out a dress. She was making a concert dress for me, and I was excited to watch her start on it while I could watch. What turned out to be an even bigger thrill was to see that instead of painstakingly pinning the pattern onto the cloth, the way I learned in Home Ec class, she just laid a few weights on the pattern to hold it lightly in place and cut around it. What a shortcut and a timesaver! And why had I never thought of that? Of course, I had never thought of that because I didn’t have the experience and the confidence that comes with that experience to see that as a possibility. I was still following the directions, step by step. That step-by-step method was an important part of my learning, because it showed me what was necessary to get the best result. It wasn’t necessary to pin every pattern piece in place. It was necessary to lay out the pieces on the cloth correctly and to cut them carefully; the pins were a helpful tool, when you needed it, but not strictly necessary.    Harp playing has those kinds of shortcuts too. There are practice and learning strategies that are important at some stages of our harp journey that we can rethink and adapt as we gain more mastery. If we cling to our old learning habits too long, we end up slowing our progress and growth.  So today, I want to help you learn about harp shortcuts, not specific shortcuts, although I’ll mention a few, but how to look for and discover the shortcuts that could make a difference for you right now. This is about using your experience and your knowledge from all the harp playing you’ve done to help you learn faster, practice more effectively and play more confidently. It’s about making it easier, and who wouldn’t want that? Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Our Christmas in July celebration is starting and you’re invited! Join the weekly live calls, videos and mini-workshops from the Hub, our YouTube channel, or our Harp Happiness HQ Facebook group! Our 2025 Super Summertime Challenge is in full swing! Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-215  

It’s summer time here and time for a little R and R, rest and relaxation, maybe even time away. You might be feeling like you need some time away from whatever stress you’ve been experiencing. I hope it isn’t your harp playing that’s been causing the stress, but even playing and practicing the harp can cause frustration and burnout. If you’re feeling like you need a break from your harp playing, I’m here to help and to make sure you take that break in a way that will bring you more confidence and more joy in your harp playing again. Actually, at the time you are listening to this, I am on vacation with my husband. We are in Bermuda, which is one of our favorite places to vacation. We went there for our honeymoon and loved it so much that we planned to go back every five years. We’ve missed a couple of those five year milestones; COVID was one of the reasons, of course. But this year, we’re going back and I can’t wait. Often people will ask me if I take a harp when I’m on vacation, and I rarely do. If it’s an extended trip, or I have a special project or performance coming up, then I will take one, but I firmly believe that no matter how much we love the harp, it’s beneficial to take some time off. Like the old Coca-Cola slogan, “it’s the pause that refreshes.” It’s good for us physically to relieve our fingers of the stress of practice. It’s even better for our perspective. It forces us to pick up our heads, let go of the busyness of practice, and reconnect with the harp and with music. Aside from having to coax slightly sluggish fingers back to work after we get back, there are no negatives to taking a break. I realize we have podcast listeners all over the world, and if you’re living in the southern hemisphere, you’re starting a winter season, not a summer one. But you don’t have to wait for summer to try out this framework. It can help keep you balanced all winter long! Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Get on board with our 2025 Super Summertime Challenge! Related podcast: Small Steps to Break Through and Grow - PHH 200 Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-214  

Have you ever made something and it turned out ok, but somehow it just didn’t look right? Maybe you thought those two paint colors would go together, but now you’re not sure. Or maybe the furniture arrangement in the living room looked great on paper but it sort of doesn’t work now that you see everything in place. I think we’ve all had those moments. I had one not long ago with a photo I was doing. It wasn’t quite right, but since I had to get it done, all I could do was to shrug and sign off on it, whether it was right or not. But if a piece of music we’re working on doesn’t sound right, we want to fix it, not forget it. I’m sure you know what I mean. You’ve been working hard on a piece. You muster up your courage to do a recording of it and after a lot of takes, you come up with one that you think is pretty good, without noticeable mistakes or hesitations. Then you listen to it, and something’s not right. Is it too slow? Are you not making the dynamics clear? How come it doesn’t sound the way it sounds in your head?  This is truly a challenging point, because it can be difficult to know the precise things you need to do to make the music sound the way you want. Assuming that the notes and the rhythms are correct and that you’re playing reasonably expressively, what else is there? That’s the question we’re going to answer today. I’m going to identify three things that are essential to make any piece of music sound “right.” These three are the same whether you are playing a classical piece or a folk piece or a hymn or a pop tune. When each of these is in place, your piece will sound like you want it to. And the bonus is that you have choices. Every one of us harpists makes these choices, but you may not realize the power behind them. These choices are what makes one harpist’s interpretation of a piece sound different from another harpist’s, even though they both may be beautiful performances. My friend, you have the power to make your music sound right to you; all you need to do is exercise your freedom to choose. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Our 2025 Super Summertime Challenge starts today in the Hub. Participate and win! Download the free Harp Mastery® app. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-213  

Since you’re here with me today, I know you are the kind of harpist who knows that technique matters. You take your warm-up seriously. You have exercises and etudes that you play regularly, maybe even religiously. You subscribe to the motto, “If your fingers can’t play it, you can’t play it.” But there may be times when you, even as dedicated to your technique work as you are, need a new direction, some more motivation, inspiration and know-how to move your technique to the next level. Here’s the thing we don’t want to think about. We have our favorite exercises and they fit perfectly into our practice routine. We know how they go, so we don’t have to struggle with notes, and we can focus on our fingers. Unfortunately, if we are that comfortable with them, they probably have lost some of their value for us.  Now I’m not going to tell you that you have to abandon the exercises or drills you love. I’m just like you; I have my favorites, and I am not about to give them up.  But I am going to suggest - very strongly - that you need to switch them up with some that will provide you with a little more challenge. When I started doing this in my own practice, I found that it sharpened my technique, not just because my fingers were learning new patterns, but also, precisely because I had to pay attention to the notes for a change, I was even more focused on what I was doing. No chance to go on autopilot, even for a minute.  So today, I am going to share information about three exercise books you might not know, but that I think you should. Why? Because your technique work should be about leveling up, and if you’re doing the same-old same-old, you definitely aren’t leveling up. I’ve also included links to each of the books, so you can find them easily, but you can purchase them from any retailer you like. I don’t get a commission from these links; they are purely for your convenience.  Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Our 2025 Super Summertime Challenge in the Hub starts next week. Join the Hub today so you don’t miss it! Big Book of Exercises for Harp by Isabelle Frouvelle Exercices et Etudes by Edmond LaRiviere Conditioning Exercises by Carlos Salzedo Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com   Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-212

Every time I talk about putting more fun into your practice, I hear feedback like, “I enjoy my practice,” or “I really like doing the challenging work,” or “My favorite part of practice is my exercises and etudes.” All of those harpists are enjoying their practice, and that’s terrific. But that’s not what I mean. Much of what we do in our practice can accidentally disconnect us from the music we want to make. We identify and correct mistakes. We drill our technique. We repeat passages over and over again. That’s all part of practice, and it is part of what enables us to play well. But there’s so much more that we could be doing in our practice, so much more that is truly aligned with why we are playing the harp. Here’s an example that may help you understand what I mean. A young person wants to be a doctor because she likes helping people. She goes to medical school where part of her training involves working when she’s physically exhausted. Part of her training also helps her learn the ability to detach from her patients, so she can view their cases objectively and clinically, and so that she doesn’t burn out emotionally. Is it any wonder that some doctors lack an empathetic bedside manner? Those doctors may be gifted physicians, but they also may be in danger of losing the connection to their patients. That’s a broadbrush kind of example, and I certainly have had doctors who were both gifted and compassionate. But I hope you see my point as it applies to our harp playing. If all we do in our practice is critique, correct and repeat, we put ourselves at risk of losing the connection to what brought us to the harp in the first place. We risk losing our joy.  Today, I would like to help you put more fun playing into your practice. I’ll share a few of my favorite ways to help recapture the rapture and put more creativity and yes, fun, into every day you play the harp. Remember it’s not about right or wrong - it’s about the music. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:  Download the Free Harp Mastery® app and connect with us! Are you a harp teacher? Tell us what you’d like to do on your fall break! Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com   Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-211