Exploring The Folk Harp

Written in a supportive, easy-to-follow style, this big book covers just about everything of interest to harpers, beginning through advanced, and is recommended by players and teachers as an excellent tool to better understand your instrument. It combines a reference on such topics as types of harps, maintenance, harmony and chords, ear playing, arranging, singing, improvising, instructions on how to simplify and personalize the music to suit your playing level and much more with a full range of harp arrangements from Celtic to Classic, including a special emphasis on Renaissance music. The 46 titles include Ash Grove, Greensleeves, Danny Boy, Gymnopedie No.3, Cielito Lindo, Amazing Grace, and more, with complete lyrics

Written in a supportive, easy-to-follow style, this big book covers just about everything of interest to harpers, beginning through advanced, and is recommended by players and teachers as an excellent tool to better understand your instrument. It combines a reference on such topics as types of harps, maintenance, harmony and chords, ear playing, arranging, singing, improvising, instructions on how to simplify and personalize the music to suit your playing level and much more with a full range of harp arrangements from Celtic to Classic, including a special emphasis on Renaissance music. The 46 titles include Ash Grove, Greensleeves, Danny Boy, Gymnopedie No.3, Cielito Lindo, Amazing Grace, and more, with complete lyrics.

First Lessons Folk Harp is designed for the beginner harp student who has no prior music training. In this book they will learn to read music notation, count rhythm, implement important fingering techniques, organize practice, tune a harp, play common bass patterns and make a decision about which kind of harp to play. Tips are included to help students get the most out of practicing. The songs serve as examples of harp basics, allowing the student to learn while playing vibrant melodies instead of repetitive or trite exercises. This book features traditional Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Canadian, American and Renaissance music. These songs will transport and delight audiences with their simplicity and profound clarity. They invite us to ancient landscapes steeped in mystery, and to experience the traditions of harping throughout the ages. This book presents two new note reading methods based on logical, predictable music patterns that employ cutting edge techniques. They were developed to move students beyond reading notes as single isolated symbols. The rhythm table compares the different note values and rests to each other and visually shows how they are related through counting out rhythm increments. Helpful photos define how important hand positions are on the harp. These are an immense resource for students, allowing them to avoid tension in their hands and prevent injury. Accompanying online audio allows them to play along as they learn.

Folk Harp for the Young Beginner is designed for beginning harpists with no prior musical experience. The book presents two new methods for reading notation built around recognizing common musical patterns over traditional single note reading. Each group of songs has fun, engaging exercises that will build the student’s coordination and confidence. The material draws from timeless melodies from classical, Renaissance, Celtic, English, old-time and traditional folk repertoire. Topics covered in this method include: • How to tune the harp • Reading music notation and counting rhythm, including two methods for reading ledger lines • Recognizing basic fingering and bass patterns • Changing keys with sharpening levers • Using brackets to help see note patterns • Chord inversions Additional resources include rhythm practice and workout pages to test your musical knowledge. Helpful reference photos can also be found inside. Includes access to online audio.

Want to get started playing the harp? This book will show you how. Written explanations and plenty of songs help you play right away. You're introduced to the symbols used in harp music, the basics of note reading, and fingering. There are new pieces, old pieces, silly pieces, and serious pieces for you to play. and there is a part showing you how to care for your harp and replace strings. Take this book home and learn on your own, or take it to a teacher and get some specialized help. It works both ways!

This book teaches the student step by step how to play the harp. Each of the 12 lessons includes instructions, exercises, and folk and classical pieces using the new skills and techniques taught in the lesson. --from publisher description.

This book illustrates a variety of accompaniment patterns and arrangement techniques for the folk harpist. the procedure taught in this book will enable the intermediate to advanced harper to play any melody beautifully on the pedal free harp.

The Folk Harp Wall Chart provides an overview of important hand positions and techniques unique to the harp. Included is a table that explains tuning relating to sharpening levers, examples of common bass patterns, fingering rules and brackets. This wall chart presents a visual aid for reading glissandos and covers special effects exclusive to the harp. Ornaments essential for the Celtic musician are also included. This 24" x 35" poster is a great visual reference to have in the studio, home, or classroom!

Evoke the traditional sounds of the Celtic lands with these instrumental arrangements of songs for solo Celtic harp. These 25 tunes are Manx, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, Cornish, Hebridean, and Bretton, including pieces by Turlough O'Carolan and Robert Burns. Notes at the end of the book give insights into the meanings of the texts of the songs, aiding interpretation and inviting you to experience the ambience of the Celtic lands through their music. Lyrics for selected songs are given in the notes in English.

Since early times in Ireland and nearby Celtic lands, the Irish harp and its music have captivated musicians and audiences alike. Numerous historical aspects, such as the function of the harper at Tara, the seat of ancient Irish kings, is explored in this comprehensive history of the harp of Ireland. Through the ages, the harp has been a symbol of the lyrical nature of Ireland and the Irish people. This book explores the reawakening of this beautiful instrument in Ireland and around the world in the mid-twentieth century and beyond, touching on the quite recent development of the popular Folk and Celtic harps of today.