Re: [Harp-L] Trouble With Timing

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- camposs@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Anybody have any good excercises to help 
> me get better timing? 
> 
> -Stiv Whiskywine

Hi Stiv,

You've already had some great suggestions here. I
only would add one other practice idea for you.

For some of my harp students gaining a good sense
of timing/rhythm is the toughest thing. I believe
that timing is something that has to be integrated
into your entire body for it to become 2nd nature.

IMO, it shouldn't be over-intellecutalized or your
timing acatually becomes ~more~ wooden, stilted and
un-natural.

One thing I try to get students to do is to
practice harp while walking. Get yourself walking
at a good steady pace (not too fast) and play harp
using your own gait as your metronome. You can play
on the "beat" of your footsteps, or off the beat,
ahead of the beat, just behind the beat, etc. Work
it!

If you can get your harp playing "in tune" with
your body's natural rhythms (walking) then you will
start to get a sense of fitting it with music more
naturally. Your harp rhythms becomes more a part of
who you already are.

I may be full of hooey, but it seems to work, and
that's exactly how I taught myself about playing
rhythmically and in time... 

Walking By Myself (with a nod to Mr. Butterfield). 

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.


		
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