RE: [Harp-L] beginnings

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

> From: "Dominick Passaretti" <DominickP@xxxxxxxx>
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] beginnings
> Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 16:16:44 -0500
>
> 	I took up playing the harp 4 months ago. I'll be 49 soon and this is my 
> first attempt at >playing any musical instrument. I have been taking 
> lessons the entire time. I have been learning a >variety of folk songs 
> designed to teach me my way around the harp. Ive been using honer >diatonic 
> key of C and A. Each week the lessons at first seem like an impossible task 
> but I have >enjoyed the challenge and through daily practice have been able 
> to show some improvement >each week. That is until this week. My task this 
> week has been to learn to draw the 2 & 3 holes. >I've been relaxing my 
> pucker, tilting the harp, experimenting with the amount of wind for nearly 
> a >week and have shown no improvement. I have had some sucess drawing the 
> single notes but I >usually get nothing when I try to play them in a song. 
> Can anyone enlighten me or am I destined >to play campfire songs?

Dominick - from one late starter to another:  you WILL make it.  When you 
play those low draws do you get any sound at all?  If you get a sound but it 
isn't a nice sound then you could be using too much force from the head.  
Sit bolt upright, or stand up, and draw gently deep into your diaphragm.  
The mouth should be very relaxed.  The idea is that you're drawing, not 
sucking.  Those poor great big long draw reeds - you have to coax 'em!  If 
you're sometimes not getting a sound out of them at all, or there's a delay 
before the note kicks in, the reeds may have insufficient "gap" for your 
playing style.  You may find things OK in practice when the surroundings are 
quiet, but when you're playing in a song you may be using a bit more force 
and so you are "choking" the reed.  You may get round this eventually by 
learning to play more gently, from the diaphragm, or you may need to 
increase the reed gaps slightly.  It isn't unknown for this to be required 
for new harps, but I'd explore the possibility that your technique needs 
honing first.

Steve


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