Enjoy improvising on the harp with these easy tips

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Learn some simple tricks for improvising beautiful music on the harp. I'll show you how to set your harp levers so you can play in the pentatonic mode. I'll share my favourite getting started tips along with a solid approach to the music theory. Go get your harp and enjoy a mini-lesson with me! (You will need a fully levered harp tuned to E flat Major to play along with this video.) 0:00 Introduction 0:18 What Is a Pentatonic Scale? 1:00 G Major Pentatonic 1:56 How to set your levers for pretty glissandos? 3:25 What are the notes in A flat Major Pentatonic? 5:29 Which chords to use in the left hand? 7:49 Short melodies in the right hand 8:40 Playing both hands together 9:40 Explore intervals of 4ths 12:14 Mix and match the pattern ideas How did you do? Let me know in the comments ⬇ Hear more relaxing harp music on our Adagio Atmosphere channel! www.youtube.com/@UCqLzfkCi7VVvqpifo9BcOaQ Thanks for watching! ♫ Anne

[@SusanCallHutchison]

You are such a good teacher. SUCH a good teacher. And this is really valuable data.

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Thank you Susan ❤ Much appreciated!

[@rebeccaroseadams8694]

When I saw the "D & G, D& G, my brain said, "Good dog!" And then you said, "Good dog, good dog!" This lesson is fabulous on so many levels which would take me paragraphs to describe!☺

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Ah you know how my brain operates 😉

[@cherrycordial4180]

I love the wind chime imagery. It helps with the expression of this idea.

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

I love that free wind chime improv style, glad the imagery helped ❤️🎶

[@prajabimehr8251]

You are so generous in sharing your experience and knowledge with us! Very beautiful! I can play this improvising for hours. Thank you, dear Anne!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

You are such a natural! You caught on instantly ❤️🎶

[@SharonCullenArt]

I like the way you teach this. It so pretty. I’ve learned the pentatonic improv from 2 others but there is something about your teaching style that is so nice.

[@RoseMCouture]

I love how you explain things so well and make things so much easier to understand ❤️

[@bdnewfound]

Your calm demeanor and thoughtful presentation are most appreciated! This video is so wonderful, Anne. Thank you for putting it all together in such an engaging way!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

I appreciate that, thank you ❤️

[@gentlerart]

Thank you so much for this Anne! I have been wanting to do this for years! This tuning with no “off strings” is just such fun! I can’t stop playing! ❤

[@lorikirkwood5414]

Anne, I miss you. 😊Thank you so much for this!😊

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Aw, I miss you too! Hope you are well ❤️🎶

[@maurarussi6910]

Loved this! Thank you so much for sharing. You made it all so clear!

[@annekantele580]

So inspiring and beautiful! Thank you

[@ValfreyjaAndTheHarp]

This is incredible, thank you for sharing this! I'm having so much fun in Ab pentatonic. Using the levers this way is very clever and creates a beautiful sound. For a simple chord progression in the bass, I love the sound of playing solid 1-4-8 on C and then 1-5-8 on Ab. I really appreciate your channel.

[@beckyneil]

Thank you so much for your kindness

[@kathrynbourque8908]

I learned the real key name!: A flat pentatonic - Who knew? Now I can easily improvise with chord progressions in this mode - I like A,F,B,E. This opened a new door for me Anne, you are Such a blessing to the harp world! (I remember to sharp notes G&D as G0D for the Angel mode) thanks!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

It helps to know where home is 😂 Glad the video filled in some gaps 🎶

[@lorifuller8895]

So much great information in such a short time. I’ve been improvising and glissing in this lever setting for years. Great to know what key it is and how to use chords. I also learned to add B and C# to this tuning. Now I wonder what key that is. Thank you. Loving Adagio atmosphere.

[@karlaarndt1321]

I'm so glad you created this video! I have just been working on a piece the last couple days and I really wanted to switch levers like this to have 2 strings be the same note and I honestly thought, "How dumb is that? You really have some dumb ideas, Karla!" 😂 Now, you just gave me permission! 😁

[@susannekalejaiye4351]

so beautiful and so very useful! I look forward to just exploring this

[@anne-marieandreae-jones2082]

Such an inspiration... a great lesson....easy instruction that I found able to follow and made me feel happy to play...thank you for your generosity in sharing your expertise...

[@TheSageBard]

This is so immensely helpful and really helped me get a better grasp of pentatonic scales! Thank you for sharing all your wonderful tips.

[@shannonsharpstory]

A wonderful demonstration and teaching. I love improvising in pentatonic scale. It sounds so beautiful and relaxing. Your video gave me some new ideas to try. 💖

[@Lililotte]

This is so interesting! And it sounds SO beautiful! I'll definitely try it myself, even though I have always been a little scared of improvising... 😄❤️

[@lynnzeng53]

You show me a new way to really ‘play’ my harp and soak myself into the therapeutic music ambience. It really sounds good for whatever I play on the right hand! Adagio is exactly the type of harp music I wish to learn to play. Hope you could develop courses on it or provide the sheet music link, so that we could play and enjoy ourselves at home.

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Thank you so much for the lovely comment. It’s so nice to hear that my music is resonating with you.

[@shannoncooper9711]

This is so helpful!! Thank you so much, Anne!!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

You're welcome! Glad you found it helpful!

[@organist1982]

Yes! I love to do this all the time; thank you for this wonderful video! And, in Eb tuning, I sometimes like to raise the C levers in addition to the D's and G's so that it puts the harp in C# major pentatonic, so that low-C string can be used more! There are a total of 4 pentatonic lever settings, but the Ab major and C# major ones are the two I use most. It's also interesting in the C# pentatonic mode to have the "re" scale degree doubled enharmonically instead of the "do" scale degree doubled.

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Wow, that's such a helpful comment! I hadn't tried raising the C#s and it sounds great. Thanks for sharing your extra tips!

[@organist1982]

@@annecrosbygaudetmusic 🥰 I'm so glad I could help! The four possible pentatonic lever settings involve raising more and more levers in succession. So, in Eb tuning, raising D and G levers is the simplest pentatonic lever setting, of course; then adding the C levers for C# pentatonic, then adding the F levers for F# pentatonic, then finally raising the B levers for B pentatonic.

[@PermacultureApartment]

What perfect timing I was just wanting to improvise and i'm amazed at how accesible you made this tutorial thank you. That was beautiful!!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Wonderful! How's it going?

[@AnneHarp]

Thank you so much! 🙏 This is exactly the kind of improvisation lesson I was looking for. Love from the Netherlands! ❤🌻

[@j2000rocks]

Thank you so much for this lesson - can't wait to try it!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

You’re welcome! Have fun with it ❤️🎶

[@kimpoole659]

I appreciate this so much, thank you!

[@violettaclever8132]

Thank you very much dear Anne❤It’s great👌I love it.

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!🎶

[@CarolineWeharp]

Great teaching, looking forward to trying it out 😊

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Thank you very much, have fun! 🎶❤️

[@pamelabusby18]

I love love LOVE this Anne! I can do it, yay!!! Thank you so much ❤

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Yay! Good for you 🥰🎶

[@AmataGoldie]

This is such an insight for me Anne! Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing your musical knowledge. I loved learning Mermaids Tears and am about to begin your gorgeous original compositions "Year Round". So glad I found you! 🙏

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Lovely to have you here on the channel! I'm so glad you are enjoying the videos and my music.

[@maatf7372]

love love love

[@lindayoung4350]

Absolutely lovely...

[@connieennis7110]

Thank you so much for teaching this! I have always been scared to improvise, thinking it would sound awful. You have made it so much easier to understand.

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

I’m so happy to hear that! Have fun!

I appreciate all of your videos. I have a full size harp but only have levers on my c and f strings. I would love to improvise. Maybe you could make a video for those of us that can only play in C, G, and D Major. I also have been watching you for many years and have a lot of your sheet music that I love so much!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

Thank you so much! You could definitely do the G pentatonic by playing on the white strings only. You could use G & E chord patterns in the left hand.

[@lindadias4132]

Great video!!!❤❤❤ thank you very much!

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

You’re welcome, glad you enjoyed it!

[@CzechJamie]

Maybe someday in the future? But, this is very interesting. In fact, I might have guessed that you had tuned to another frequency hz.

[@PhilippeBarrilliez]

Bravo and thank you dear Anne for this moment of sweetness on a few notes so beautifully thought out. I wish you a very nice week. Musically, Phil

[@annecrosbygaudetmusic]

You’re welcome, so kind of you to take time to listen 🎶🙂

[@louhoneycutt2310]

Love your teaching style and you have the most calm relaxing voice. My harp is tuned to Bflat. After watching your video on this tuning method. The harp I purchased only has levers on C-F-B can I play another pentatonic scale with the these limited levers?