by Amorelle Garner

Created on: June 23, 2009   Last Updated: June 24, 2009

If you are reading this, then presumably you have been captivated by this amazing, versatile, and soothing instrument. While the harp can appear daunting, if it's something you want to learn, go for it! As the saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way".

Hopefully, this article with demystify the difficulty of learning the harp and get you started on a wonderful musical journey.

First, a little bit about the harp:

1. The harp strings are color-coded. There are red strings and black or blue strings. These are the Cs and Fs, respectively. That gives you a good base to know which strings to pluck.

2. The harp is like a vertical piano without the black notes (more on that later). While not necessary, if you have had experience playing the piano, you will learn a bit faster.

3. You play with the first four fingers of each hand (no pinkies!).

4. There are many different types of harps, the two prominent being pedal harps (orchestral harps/concert harps) and lever harps (Celtic harps/Irish harps). They range in size from 22 strings to 47 strings. While people generally think that harps are out of their price range, lever harps can actually be quite affordable. The main difference between a pedal harp and a lever harp is the way in which a sharp/flat is played (the black notes on the piano). On a pedal harp, you achieve the sharps/flat by means of 7 foot pedals at the base of the harp. On a lever harp, you move a lever with the hand not playing to make the note sharp. On the lever harp, flats can be attained by tuning the harp in flats.

Next, how to make learning the harp fun.

1. If there's any possible way, please have lessons with a harp teacher. Even if it's only once a month or every few months, getting feedback on your technique and form is very important to avoid injury and to get the most out of all your hard work. There are many good "Teach Yourself" books designed for the student without a teacher. These are great, but again, I recommended getting that feedback from an experienced harpist who can assess for bad habits.

2. Don't compare yourself. Like any endeavor, there will be those who pick things up very fast and others who learn a little slower. That's okay. Just take little steps, set realistic goals, and make sure you're meeting those goals so you can progress. You'll be amazed at how quickly you learn from that first lesson!

3. Don't forget to tune. Playing/practicing on an out-of-tune harp may mean you practice less because your harp doesn't sound the best. Also, tuning on a regular basis improves your ear training so you hear what's right instead of being used to what's wrong.

Please, don't be intimidated by the harp. It is a beautiful instrument and one that YOU can learn!

Learn more about this author, Amorelle Garner.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.