How to Read Lead Sheets for HARP | How to Add Left Hand Chords

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Would you like more help with left hand? I now offer monthly workshops on Zoom at The Mastering Celtic Music Club. They are available on my Patreon page: www.patreon.com/tiffanyharpandsong

[@mishidex]

I've been needing this information for a long time- thank you!

[@lindareese4579]

Thank you dearest one..

[@hartvenessa]

I miss your tutorials because they dive in where we need to go.

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

I'm still doing monthly workshops! They've just moved to my club over at patreon.com/tiffanyharpandsong. Actually we just did one similar to this last month - we all pitched in and wrote an arrangement for Jock O'Hazeldean over Zoom. The recording and sheet music is still available for download there if you want to check it out!

[@Bratzzyy]

Very well explained ty!

[@machteldschram2639]

So helpful this, thank you!

[@mandarinlearner]

Thank you! Lead sheets are now starting to make sense.

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

So glad it was helpful for you!

[@dancint]

This was a really great explanation. Thank you so much. It really helps as I'm trying to arrange some harp music from lead sheets!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Wonderful, glad it was helpful!

[@amandagareis407]

Thank you very much for your explanations! This video came at the right time, because I'm about to learn different left hand patterns. I like your educational videos a lot! ♥️

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Thanks for your feedback, Amanda!

[@bdnewfound]

Tiffany, this video is extremely helpful! Thank you so much for posting it. In fact, all your instructional videos are top notch. YAY!!!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Thank you! I so appreciate when people take the time to let me know my videos are helpful :) Are you new to the harp?

[@bdnewfound]

@@tiffanyharpandsong Yes! I just got my Rees 26 string SE Fullsicle 2 weeks ago. I am really focused on getting my hand positions correct as well as bracketing. I can't tell you how much your videos have helped. I plan on joining your Patreon site too.

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Good for you, hand position can be one of the hardest things to get down, but so much easier if you develop good habits early. :) Let me know if I can ever help you with that! Happy harping

[@bdnewfound]

@@tiffanyharpandsong I first saw you on Christy-Lyn's site when you were doing a tutorial on Celtic harp. It is so rewarding to see 2 harpists who share with each other to help all of us. I just love you both and find all your postings uplifting, very helpful and INSPIRING! I'm hooked!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

@@bdnewfound Christy-Lyn is great, isn't she? She inspires me too!

[@lucphu656]

i think this is the most useful technic when playing string instruments. anyway my mind still distracted when playing with 2 hands at the same time. still have to get used to it. thanks for the amazing video so the idea is play the main notes of the song by your right hand and left one play other notes so that the song is better. just like the linebacker who stand behind to support the main singer.

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

That's the idea! Of course once you're comfortable you can start embellishing the right hand too - by adding extra notes in the chord, ornaments, etc.

[@Mezilesialan]

This is Tiffany’s way to create beautiful music. A superb lesson. I will find you on Patreon. 🍀Alan

[@GeraldWilhelmBradenComposer]

Does anyone know the best way to play quick A7 arpeggios and glissandos on a standard orchestra harp in the key of D major?

[@melissalundberg4656]

Five Stars! Thank you so much.

[@Meltiqueful]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@faiabadi]

Thank you so much Where do we usually place the triads in a 4/4 or 3/4 ? I heard that the first and third note are most important but if I start the Triad at the 1st note if ends at the 2nd note... Beginner here so go easy on me

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Good question! For starters I would say try starting the triad in 3/4 on the first beat in your measure. You have a few options here; you could break apart your triad and play 1 LH note for each of the 3 beats in your measure (you'd then count each left hand note 1 "and" for the 1st note, 2 "and" for the second note, and 3 "and" for the 3rd note). This gives you a very steady sounding measure. Another option is you could break apart your triad a little more quickly - 1st and 2nd notes of your chord could be 8th notes (you'd count that 1 for the 1st left hand note, "and" for the second left hand note, 2 "and" 3 "and" for the last note.) This leaves some space at the end of your measure- its ok to have empty space! Another option is to play your triad as a block, all on the first beat. So you'd play them all at once and count 1 "and" 2 "and" 3 "and". For songs in 4/4, and when you only still want 3 notes in the left hand, you can pretty much follow the same advice above to start with - like you could break apart your triad one note for each of the fist 3 beats in a measure, and then the 4th beat just won't have a note in the left hand - and that's OK! I hope that makes sense. Let me know!

[@faiabadi]

You always give such detailed replies and know how to break it down in a way a newbie like me understands it. It's a teaching skill not many have mastered!! Thank you so much, I can now finally make my first own arrangement 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@faiabadi]

I've tried joining your patreon a few times, without success. Will give it another go soon but might message you beforehand to make sure I sign up the right way this time 🥰

[@victoria.singstoparis]

Hi there, I hope you respond! I can play chords on the piano and guitar and am curious to buy a harp and have always wanted to learn but I am having trouble understanding where the placement of each chord is if there are no « black notes » like on a piano. I’m sorry if this question is super oblivious sounding but for example - how do I play a minor or D which requires the black keys on the piano of a harp or smaller harp only goes cdefgabc and so forth? Thank you! It would be super awesome for you to make a video of chords going from c d dminor e eminor f g a aminor b b minor and so forth but I’d gladly settle for a written response! Thanks!!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Hi Victoria! When you get a harp tuned in C, it's just like the white keys of a piano. It's actually easier to see triads on a harp, because the spacing is all the same. For example, a simple C triad chord is played by starting on C, skipping a string and playing E, then skipping another string and playing G. All triads will look like that: string, skip, string, skip, string. You might find my inversions video helpful because I touch on that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHyyh52Ij9tmgbc For changing the third of the chord, that's what levers are for. They kind of act like the black keys of a piano. For example I can play D, F, A, for a D minor chord. If I want to change it to D major, I would have to raise my F lever to F sharp. Learning the Harp with Christy-Lyn has some great beginner videos. I also offer one- or two-time lessons on zoom if you want someone to get you started on the right path. You can email me at [e-mail].

[@christophertsiliacos8958]

👏 Hi Tiffany - Great video! It should also be emphasized that chords played with the left hand are played in the treble (G) clef along with the right hand playing the melody also in the treble clef. If one does not know the bass clef (like me), there's no need to have a 'harp attack.' The bass (F) clef is not required when playing the harp with only lead sheets. Happy harping! 😊 🎶

[@dawnhappyhand3541]

awesome ！

[@sallyikin5311]

Hi Tiffany I tried to download the sheet of music to read while I watched this tutorial but I can't get it, I followed your instructions but the only link I could find still couldn't help

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Hi Sally, sorry to hear you're having trouble, did you try this link in the video description? abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=thesession.org/tunes/11188.no-ext/0002

[@sallyikin5311]

@@tiffanyharpandsong hi Tiffany, I found a sheet of music for the song on the net, same key signature, so that worked out good. Thank you for your reply and will check out your link. I learn't so much from your lesson. I have always wanted to understand how to interpret the chords at the top of the music and you explained it so well. I will keep watching, you explain thing so well. Talk soon and thanks again

[@sallyikin5311]

@@tiffanyharpandsong thank you Tiffany, much appreciated (I live in a place called Emerald Beach NSW, the East Coast of Australia) so glad I found your learning site. Talk soon & have a Merry Christmas

[@Retierdlife4me]

Thank you for the chord tips. I’ve always just played by ear on my left hands and played around till it sounds good. I’m not good at reading music and those chord notes on top are great at helping you what goes there. I’ve changed up my channel now it’s all harp and music related. Feel free to check it out. I just uploaded musical nail art for short nails.

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

Love what you're doing with your channel, Laurie!

[@sharonbaker6907]

I'm new at KZbin (and the Harp!) how can I print out the sheet music? Thx!

[@sharonbaker6907]

Got it! Thanks for sharing and help!

[@tiffanyharpandsong]

@@sharonbaker6907 Oh good! Glad you were able to get it. Happy harping!

[@jenborn5358]

Reading notes, especially the bass clef 😩