Basic Harp Hand Position/Technique

[@denisemayosky1955]

It never hurts to go over the basics. The best way I can think of it is like your fingers are spring-loaded. They would just naturally snap back towards the palm.

[@robertowarren7007]

Been playing awhile but this is really good! Love the "follow through" explanation using the batter's swing

[@Maris-W]

I really appreciate the detailed explanation of how and why the fingers work in the hand position. Thanks for the informative video.

[@chas5131]

Excellent instruction, audio, and video. Also, clear speech with a voice that might be great for singing.

[@joemvalley5392]

Thank you for this wonderful video !! I found this very useful for keeping my finger position in check and understanding how I can pluck better on my lyre.

[@angelicaantezana9114]

These were some helpful tips. The butterfly idea was particularly helpful. I have a lap harp I want to enjoy playing in my spare time. Thank you for posting this. :)

[@TaisiaDanilova]

Wow!!! Thank you for such a cool tip about hand position that it’s the way I play the piano. I couldn’t understand how to play but now it all makes sense.

[@tommiefarooque426]

Great technique using good examples that are so important for a beginner to learn. Thank you Hannah, Sheridan.

[@hannahwhite5094]

Sheridan, Thanks for the comment! I am very glad that you enjoyed the video. Keep practicing!

[@hannahwhite5094]

Maris, thank you! I am glad this was helpful to you.

[@marinaburns2036]

Loved the very detailed explanation. Thank you!

[@MEOWalina]

thank you so much for this 😊 very helpful! i just started learning the celtic harp

[@hannahwhite5094]

Wonderful!

[@denisemayosky1955]

I learned it on my own, but am not playing it right now (not by choice), so I probably picked up some bad habits. This is good to remember.

[@MarkZiemann]

Thanks for the video and thank your harp teacher. He/She did an awesome job teaching you the how and why's of technique. gratz

[@ptuyentho89]

It’s really helpful!! Thank you so much! Thank you for sharing your knowlege of this incredible instrument. I really appreciate it! ♥️

[@ellenrainbow1359]

Thank you, I like it that you work with pictures and training natural motions and found it interesting about the energy, maybe you can write my please again and explanation about it? 😘

[@moniquemanspeaker8074]

Thank you for your lesson and time 🙏🏻😇😍

[@sarahdominymusic]

Do you happen to have a salvi daphne 47 natural? That’s what I have and your harp looks almost the same. Great video!

[@hannahwhite5094]

No, it's actually a Lyon and Healy 17.

[@cherylrajewski3390]

Awesome video!

[@julieskeye]

You are amazing! Thank you so much!

[@dianamccandless7094]

Fantastic!

[@victryismin89]

w o w ur really pretty AND a good teacher thanks so much

[@janicephegley4160]

She is a doll.

[@Apollo-rl8du]

Excellent

[@annablue8429]

I have been watching a lot of videos about the harp and I'm deciding on if I should get a harp.I want a prelude 40 but it will take me a while to get the money.What is a good beginner harp that is under $1,000?

[@hannahwhite5094]

Thank you for watching my video! The harp is such a beautiful instrument, but sadly it is quite an expensive one. The L&H Prelude is a great harp, but yes it is more expensive for a starter harp. I own a Blevins Encore, which I think was a great deal for the size. Dusty Strings, Triplets and Belvins harps are all great options to start off on. You can usually find them used. I would not start off with less than 26 strings.

[@annablue8429]

Thank you very much for answering my question and Thank you for the recommendations.I will look at those harps and watch more of your amazing videos.

[@Jay_Wolf]

anna blue Take a look at Reeseharps Harpsicles :)

[@KateKunkel]

Hi, Anna - I just found this video and your posting. I hope you were able to find a harp... but if not.... you might want to consider a Mikel. They're an excellent beginner harp and if you're in the states, you should only have to pay around $1500

[@shannonsarazin7073]

roosebeck pixie harp is great and its like 300$

[@braconnerie]

please can you make a video to explain how you tune your harp..

[@hannahwhite5094]

Yes, perhaps I will try to do that, thanks for the comment!

[@composerdoh]

I'm trying to get some ideas on writing for harp- these vids are very useful, thanks. One question: When you said you were playing a C, isn't that a half step below C? (B or Cb?) It sounds like a B to me. Do you have a pedal lowering the pitch?

[@hannahwhite5094]

I don't recall, but I may have had the harp pedals all in the flat position, so it may be I was plucking the C string, but the sound was Cb / B.

[@composerdoh]

@@hannahwhite5094 Thank you for your reply! That was bugging me- lol. May I ask why you stopped making videos?

[@composerdoh]

Oh, if you don't mind my asking, I was wondering- I was writing a passage for harp just this evening, and I was wondering if I have an ascending arpeggio where it's crossing between bass and treble clef, but just going straight up, should I do stems up and stems down for left and right hand, or just notate it like piano and let harpist figure it out? I saw in one article I found online where they recommended putting stems up for left and down for right, but I BELIEVE they were just talking about if the LH and RH are playing the same notes, like say Middle C, E, G (played by LH) Middle C, E, G again (this time played by RH.)

[@hannahwhite5094]

@@composerdoh to answer your question, assuming that these are arpeggios are taking place all in the treble clef. Left hand arpeggio stem should be down and the right hand arpeggios should be up. If these are divided between bass and treble clef, then the regular stem rules would apply. Hope that was helpful

[@hannahwhite5094]

@@composerdoh life and music focus change. I am hoping to upload some new repertoire solos to this channel in the near future!

[@Serennekin]

What kind of camera do you use??

[@hannahwhite5094]

I used a Canon 90d.

[@MehlindaHeartt]

C in left-hand yes, not in right-hand , fingers pointing down, so right hand not C, you will engage more of the first joint and get a better sound - Some hands are small and have to do the C. Right hand should be pointing to ground, patting the head of a child, left hand I am holing a cup, never have the right hand facing the strings ( unless your hand is small) pointing down. 40 years of playing and teaching, just a hint to make things better. If you do not place fingers pointing down and pull your hand back there will be a lot of bumping against string, especially doing descending scales. Trust me . Rest of instruction is good. I am 3rd generation Salzedo learner, but I do not adopt all of his techniques, in all my years of playing and teaching I have learned some things work better.

[@hannahwhite5094]

Thank you for your thoughts! I actually have very small hands, and have worked with many non Salzedo, and Salzedo teachers, and find this works best for me, as well as it being the standard Salzedo approach to technique ( which I prefer ) Although, I completely agree with you, that each person may ( but I believe many times being tense is a big contributor to thinking on has to alter a technique ) have to alter techniques a tad, because of their own unique physicality. Which Salzedo teachers did you study under? I've always wished I lived closer to Canada so I could study with Judy Loman!

[@MehlindaHeartt]

@@hannahwhite5094 yes my students with small hands have to work around things, also my students with really large hands and long fingers have similar problems,

[@hannahwhite5094]

You mentioned being trained in the Salzedo technique, who did you study with? I checked your site, but didn't see anything under your resume. Just curious! I have studied with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. generation Salzedo harpists.

[@MehlindaHeartt]

Yes, I studied with Nora Principle harpist of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and I studied at Universtiy Of Vancouver with Elizabeth Volpe, Principle harpist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, they both studied with Judy Loman, principle harpist with the Toronto Symphony, and, she in turn studied with Salzedo. I don't write anything about who I studied with, it seems kind of like name dropping, my technique after 40 years even in the last 2 years has changed, and is distinctly my own, and incorporates more than Salzedo, and I feel it has improved my sound, my recent video's are a better representation, I teach a lot, and play a lot, I have studied Alexander technique in the last year, so I incorporate that into playing, so that makes a big diffeence. I will now explain. It is important to get an even sound from all fingers, the reason for pointing down and not sideways is look how far it takes you to bring your fingers into your palm, as opposed to pointing down with wrist in, I am talking about the right hand, it is very quick and even, if your hand is facing the string, sideways, it takes longer to bring fingers in and to get an even sound, so a loss of energy and equal distribution of sound. Also if your plucking at different locations on your fingers, like straight across horizontal instead of vertical that affects your sound, your location of where you are plucking affects your sound, the old Salzedo method has you plucking closer to the edge of the finger where the skin is harder, which makes a harder sound and does not engage, the first joint, and there is not much fat or padding, my Japanese students always wondered why I had a warmer tone and theres was hard, well they seem to have less fat on the fingers, so if you play more into the fat of the finger, vertically your sound is completely different, try it, plus you engage the first joint more and have more strength, if you want askype lesson contact me, I can show you, and change your sound and strength of the sound forever. As I said this is 40 years of playing professionally, do I have any injuries ? NO! Have I ever? NO! Do I have to play in crowds with loud noise, YES! If a person does not have good technique they won't last in this industry, plain and simple

[@mylesbrathwaite8010]

I hate it when people use that word... Crisp Why must you 😣 play 😫 with my heart strings 😲 like that This is not an advertisement for eggs, waffles, toast and bacon WHERE YOU GET CRISP FROM???

[@elfacirinino8873]

i need a girl who take care about me just like you do with your hands

[@pauldavisbd]

You sound very strict without a smile!