my harp progress (adult beginner) // no previous musical knowledge

Hello viewers!
My name is Cara, I am 24 years old and I have been playing the harp for a little more than 2 years. I have decided to upload my progress and hope to motivate other harpists and maybe get one or the other viewer interested in the harp as an instrument - or maybe learn it!
Unfortunately I have always recorded everything with my cell phone in portrait format, so I apologize for this format - I will record the next videos landscape.
I started playing harp on a horrible Aoyama model and exchanged it early on for a wonderful Lyon & Healy Prelude. After a year I was very lucky and found a wonderful Salvi Daphne Ex - my first pedal harp. Since then I have really "arrived" in harp playing. have never learned another instrument in my life, even in music lessons (which now go back a decade) I have never listened attentively and learned to read music. Or anything else about music theory. I only knew the order C,D,E,F,G,A,B - that was all. To this day I am absolutely overwhelmed with reading notes or understanding the different keys. But even that comes with time... (I hope)
My current projects are:
The Minstrel's Adieu to his Native Land - John Thomas (Solo piece)
Sakura - Japanese Folkmusic (Harp Ensemble)
Sicilienne - Maria Theresa Paradis (violin & harp duet)
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#harp #progress #beginner #adultbeginner #harpist #salvi #salvidaphne #salvidaphneex #beginnerharpist #progression

[@MJ13ish]

Wonderful progress. Thanks for sharing the frustration scenes. It helps us newbies

[@nisey1201]

Thanks for sharing your progress. I rented a lever harp yesterday and I am looking forward to starting lessons soon. I am a total beginner and a mature adult. Your harp journey is inspirational and I hope I can be as proficient as you at the one year mark.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

You can, don't worry! I never imagined getting at this point so quickly - but as a lesson learned, I found out it only depends on the motivation and especially the time that you have to practice as well as the consistency. It is not a matter of talent! ☺️

[@harpgirly]

oh my goodness! Even after 11 months that's really impressive! You worked so hard on that Cannon in D I can feel your pain lol

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you so much! And yeah, that Canon in D was an absolute nightmare with the time pressure etc. 😅 Happy that it worked out in the end.

[@hanny131]

Beautiful, God Bless you. all the pieces you played are beautiful ❤

[@LuukSwinkels]

really cool to see your progress. its sounds amazing. god I love the harp so much

[@LuukSwinkels]

@Darius Eddie bruh really. Two alt accounts to advertise. Damn

[@dduknoona2965]

It is really touching how you are getting improved. And it reminds me of the teenager times when I learned harp first time. I almost cried. I’m sending you a big hug. Great wonderful job!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Sending a big hug back to you 💙

[@luceaschild]

This was a wonderful video. Thank you so much. Would love to see more progression videos!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you! ☺️ You can find Part II of my progress on my channel already!

[@michellechen6010]

That's a wonderful video, thanks for sharing. I definitely see myself when watching the video for the frustration part of practice :)

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Haha glad you enjoyed it! Yeah indeed - practicing is a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions 😅

[@aeramonell3438]

Thank you! I'm saving up to get a harp and start taking lessons!

[@nini-nc6kg]

so amazing!!! inspired me to start

[@pannapan5727]

So inspiring !

[@ilovepedalharpstheybeautif6692]

That is a really beautiful pedal harp and it sounds good

[@robinmarks5638]

Wow! You progressed so fast!! And all that memorized!!!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hehe thank you! I had to memorize cause I was/am so bad at sightreading. (And thankfully I have a good muscle memory 😅)

[@eannemarieweber5285]

I am also inspired by your story and progress! I just got a 22 string stoney end harp and am not able to read music but am very determined to learn! I have taught my self 1 song so far but by ear and definitely sounds like a beginner lol but hey I'm proud!!!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Omg I just looked up your harp model and it is SO cute! Definitley looks like an awesome lever harp, I wish you a lot of fun with it! And yeah: reading sheet music hehe. Out of experience I know that this is so confusing at the beginning (and for me still), but hey. If I could do it, then you too! :D

[@ralucastarlight6172]

Really inspiring! Especially for someone who never played and instrument before, well done!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you very much, I am glad you enjoyed it! 💕

[@hortenselonjon9180]

It's very interesting ! I'm 24 and there is 6 months, I entered in the conservatory next to my home. I played harp when I was young during 5 years. I feel like a beginner so it's very interesting to see your evolution. You can be proud of you !!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Aw thank you so much! Wishing you all the best for your harp journey! :)

[@Maya-ki6lr]

Thank you for the upload This was inspiring ! You’re playing has evolved so beautifully. I started the harp right before I turned 23 and have been playing a little over the year mark now. It was motivational to see someone with a similar harp journey. Will we see more of you’re playing on KZbin in the future?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hello fellow harpist! :) I will definitley use my account here to keep track of my harp progress including those progress videos aswell as recordings or maybe practice videos.

[@lynniejenkins2079]

Luckily I have a BEAUTIFUL Aoyama Kerry lever harp, with a lovely tone! No thoughts of exchanging it for another kind. I'm 3 months into learning and enjoying it a lot. Well done for your progress!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

So happy to hear that you found the right harp for you! Best feeling ever! :) Keep up the spirit, you are on the right track! ❤

[@SharonCullenArt]

Bravo! That’s terrific progress. I wanted to see more of that duet you played in concert. I was bummed! It cut off too soon. I was just getting into it. I’m going to look around to see if you have it on video elsewhere, I just started playing 2 and a half months ago. I am a musician but never played a string instrument or chords or read the bass clef of music so I have been jamming that in but I have no problem with key signatures or time signatures or counting put rhythms. I am now living in a rural area though and do not have access to any harp teachers anywhere. I am probably the on;y harpists in 100 square miles!!! So I’m learning on my own and I’m considering a zoom teacher. With covid there’s a lot more access to this. I am hoping in 2 years I will be this good. I do practice a lot but need to work harder on exercises I think. I’m trying real hard on hand positions and placements and see an improve,ent but I need a teacher to really hone in on what I,at be doing wrong like not keeping my left elbow up. 😜 Anyway, great job. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you so much for that lovely comment and that you share your story with us! And I wish you a lot of luck finding a good teacher that suits your needs! I am currently only having online lessons myself due to the pandemic, but I can assure you that even though its only online you learn A LOT through online courses - give it a try! :) P.S.: Sadly I have to tell you that there is no video elsewhere of the full performance.. :(

[@patricia7099]

So beautiful 😍

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Glad you enjoyed the video ❤️

[@irenechiang1153]

Thank you!

[@isabelleuna4734]

Thank you very much

[@michaelahrstkova6348]

You are amazing! I started at the age of 17 so I can really relate to your struggles.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Aww gosh, thank you! Are you still playing the harp?😊

[@michaelahrstkova6348]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 Oh I am so still playing the harp! I recenty purchased my own (a gorgeous 37 string hand made harp from Wales) and I just delight in playing it. I plan on starting harp therapy in a nearby hospice as the first harp therapist ever in my country. ☺ It is just the best.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@michaelahrstkova6348 Glad to hear it! It really sounds so wonderful! And what a beautiful idea with the hospice, I wish you much success in realizing this plan. And of course a lot of fun with the new harp ❤️

[@greygiraffe1403]

Oh my! I’m at my one year, and you were so much more advanced than I am! It gives me something to aspire to though!!! Beautiful playing, and thanks for sharing. Oh I want to add! I travel a lot and have to leave my harp at home. I am going to get a travel harp tomorrow so I can start taking my practice with me!!!! Eeeeek! So excited!!!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you very much! ☺️ If I may ask, which travel harp did you buy? I am starting a new job soon, where I am travelling a lot and won't be able to take my harp with me and now I am looking for smaller harps that I can take on my travels - I think otherwise I will barely make any progress anymore, when I am always out of home, aaaah.

[@greygiraffe1403]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 I’ve put a Camac Odyssey on hold but am going to play the 2 small Dusty Strings harps as back up contenders. I like the Odyssey for its very light weight, and it’s removable legs so I can play it on the floor like my regular harp. Also it comes with Camac levers. I am going to consider the dusty strings because they stand a bit taller and I’m very tall. You can upgrade to Camac levers, but they weigh a lot more. I plan to hike my harp into the mountains frequently so every pound matters. We’ll, I better head out! It’s a 3 hour drive to the harp center! I’m so excited to get my travel harp today!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@greygiraffe1403 Thank you very much for the insights! The Camac Odyssey sounds really nice, especially considering the smaller dimensions of the harp! I thought about the Luna-harp by Tremer - it has a very unique design and I also like the sound of it! ☺️ I need a very little harp bc I want to carry it with me on my business travels. Have a lot of fun with testing all the harps and ofc also a safe ride to the harp center! ☺️

[@Tarot22Estrellas]

Wow this is unbelievable!! In 2 years you play like an advanced player. How many hours a day do you study??I've been playing for 3 years and I don't play as well as you. If you can i can too! Thank you so much for the motivation! A hug from Spain 💖

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thanks a lot for the lovely message! ❤️ And don't worry - back then I was in university and it was quite easy to make a lot of time free to play the harp. In the video I practiced at minimum 90min daily and on the weekends even longer! Nowadays (I have a demanding full time job) I rarely had time to play the harp.... My progress also got kind of stuck, but no wonder if there is no time to learn! 😅 So don't worry, as you said: You can progress as quickly as me - you just need to be dedicated and make time for it! ❤️

[@seciliakiptoo9539]

I just started today, let's see where it will take me, I just turn 43 on the 1st of this month August 2022 this will be my gift

[@emilijabistrovaite2871]

Great progress! I'm currently on my 2nd month playing the harp, and your video really gives me hope haha :)) I'm planning to make a progress video as well, once I reach a year or more of practicing. Can I ask you where you found other musicians to play with at events/concerts? I would really like to do that in the future, but I thought that if you're not a professional musian you can't really do that :D

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hey, I am happy that my video gives you some hope - that was my whole effort behind making this video :) I am in a music school and there was a harp ensemble made when I joined the school. Additionaly my teacher always wants me to perform on some events in my area at christams, eastern etc. Btw if you want to have contact to some other harpists, feel free to join our little harp discord server, where we talk about playing the harp and even practice sometimes in front of each other (if we want to). (Link in the infobox)

[@12Mn730]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974. Is it a music program in a university? You are doing very well! It is amazing to hear you progress so quickly and it is awesome you are able to perform

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@12Mn730 Awww, thank you for your kind words! And no, it is not a music program in a university - really just a school/company where you can book lessons for various instruments as a hobby. I have for example 1x a week 45min solo lesson with my teacher. :)

[@kianavanherck4594]

Woow I play the harp since I'm 9 and play it for 9 years now. I think you're really talented. It's my dream to have a pedal harp, I think you switched fast to pedal harp but if you can effort it why not😀 and you also already play really good so I think it was a good choice to switch so fast.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you Kiana! ❤️ And yeah, my teacher brought that topic up really quickly, she didnt want me to get used to the lever harp too much and bc I could afford this harp, I already transitioned! ☺️

[@kianavanherck4594]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 I understand that the transition can be a bit harsh but at home I play on my lever harp and with my teacher I play on a pedal harp once a week. The difficult is only for me a bit to now wich pedal I have to change but the transition is not so hard for me as some people think it can be. The sound from pedal harp is just much better and you can play more songs on it that's why it's so nice to have one.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@kianavanherck4594 Yeah I just knew that I wanted to play mostly classical pieces, for which you need a pedal harp 😅 I am very happy that I was able to afford it right away. Hopefully you have one too soon! Do you want to become a professional harpist?

[@kianavanherck4594]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 I don't know if I ever will have one... But I really hope so. And no I want to keep it as a hobby. But I play harp at my church and in September I also am going to play at a wedding so it's not something I only do at home😉

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@kianavanherck4594 You are so young, I bet you'll have the possibility to buy a pedal harp one day! I was just lucky go found a super good offer for a used pedal harp, otherwise it would have taken much longer to find one (I searched for 10months!) I hope that one day I can play some pieces on weddings for friends and family members, maybe play a bit on streets here and there, that would be my personal goal.

[@zoearpa8733]

❤❤

[@LuukSwinkels]

omg you played la danse marcabre? thats epic

[@alvinong6395]

Hi, as an aspire-harpist-to-be, I am also looking forward to getting my first pedal harp. Would you mind sharing how and where you get the Salvi Daphne Ex? (and if possible the estimated price range as references)

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

So I bought my harp via a forum, where people sell their used harps. In my case I bought it from an 18year old girl that quit with harp after several years - the harp itself was pretty new, only 3years old. The Salvi Daphne Ex itself costs around 20k € in germany. If you have the same currency, I'd expect its in the same price level. I was lucky to buy my "used" harp for 15k with a harp waggon, all covers, music stand and bench. I was pretty lucky, cause all that brand new costs about 22k. 😅 I would advise you to look on ebay or similiar stores as well as harp sellers in your countries. Give them a call or write a mail, sometimes they also sell used harps!

[@mathildegay1849]

Your improvement is huuuuggeee 😱 I'm a 4 years adult beginner and I'm far from this level... 🙄 One day maybe...

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hehe, thanks a lot! Do you have a teacher? Because this is what really makes the difference. And I have to admit (maybe you read some of my comments here) that I have a very good muscle memory which you see helping me here immensly. On the other hand, my sheet music abilities are literal trash, so yeah :D

[@mathildegay1849]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 Yeah I do have a wonderful teacher : Élodie Baile 🎶 if not i would have given up long time ago 😅 and same my music reading is sloooowww so I'm reading once and remember everything from memory

[@janpliler]

At time stamp 1:10 and 1:34, what is the exercises or pieces you are playing? You have a couple like this in the video that I like the sound of, likely an etude. What are the name or etude books they are from? I love exercises that are more melodic than structured. Much more enjoyable to play!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

puh, kinda difficult to answer your question, cause they are not etudes at all. 😅 At 1:10 it's just a basic c,e,g chord that I am playing up and down, then d,f,a, then e,g,b and so on. You can do that in every key you like, it's just a standard scale exercise. At 1:34 I tried to play continuous downward scales/chords. I played c,g,e,c (4x) then shifted my thumb on b and continued those chord-repetitions. The left hand was just playing a low octave of the note that I played with my thumb. I wouldn't call that an explicit exercise, back then I just needed to build finger strength for playing down (cause I struggled with that at the beginning) so I just played scales up and down in different variations. You can find exercises like that in nearly every harpist exercise book as well as etudes for when you got some basic technical knowledge. If you want a recommendation, feel free to ask. ☺️

[@turtlesoup672]

Wow this is so inspiring! I recently picked up the harp and I'm excited to get as good as you. How many hours a day did you practice?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thanks for this lovely comment, already made my day ☺️ Uff, about my daily practice... I practice nearly every day at least 30mins or every second day an hour. If my life allows it, I also practice more - there have been days where I practice 3-4hrs a day. BUT: My biggest advice here is to split your daily practice session in multiple sections e.g. if you wanna practice 40min you do 2×20min - that really helps a lot to learn faster and get used to the harp (building callus, having a feeling for the harp, training your eyes to see the string patterns etc...). I wish you a lot of fun with your personal harp journey, if you got any more questions - hit me up! ☺️👋

[@turtlesoup672]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 Thanks so much for such a thoughtful and thorough response! I do agree with splitting up your practice into 2 sessions, I did that when I was learning piano and it really helped a lot. I do have another question, how did you stay motivated to practice the harp daily? I’m usually able to practice a few times a week even though I have the time to do it every day.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@turtlesoup672 Oh that is an easy question. 😂 1. I have weekly lessons and a teacher with high expectations - since I don't wanna fail her, I need to practice. 2. I am in a harp ensemble and the others (ofc) expect me to be able to play my part. 3. I only learn pieces that I love, that is a huge motivator! 4. I love the harp 😂❤️ 5. Playing the harp is my kind of stress release after a long work day!

[@Tregnier52]

Which arrangement of Canon in D did you play? It sounded beautiful.

[@l2516]

Amazing video, thanks for uploading! Is there anywhere else where we can follow you?:))

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you very much! ☺️ I am only posting my harp progress here on youtube - if you are a harpist yourself (no matter the experience) you can join a harp discord server, where me and other harpists practice sometimes! (link in infobox)

[@evelinh1714]

Hi! I’m playing on a 34 lever harp right now, but want to move on onto pedal harp. Do you think there’s any benefit to starting on a petite pedal with 40 strings? Or would you recommend making the jump to 46/47 string? The smaller size would be great for my apartment, but worried my repertoire will be limited. I have piano experience if that matters. Since you’ve played both sizes, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hello! Well, your repertoire will definitely be limited if you decide to use 40 strings, after all you are missing a whole octave! 40 or 47 strings may seem like there's hardly any difference, but as of now I couldn't have played a single pedal piece on a 40 string pedal harp that I've played. Another factor, of course, is comfort when playing. I can understand the point about the flat, that it seems more practical to you to take a smaller harp in order to save living space.... On the other hand, for you as a (I assume) full-grown person, it will be much less comfortable on a smaller pedal harp and ergonomically I can't recommend all that either. In general, the smaller pedal harps, especially the 40-string harps, are actually only used for children and young harp students. If I were you, I would buy at least a Semigrand pedal harp with 46/47 strings. And even here I have to say that the difference to the Concert Grand is enormous. Especially in the upper octaves, you have much more space for your hand, which of course makes playing easier. So I definitely don't recommend a 40-string pedal harp, I recommend a Semigrand instead. And if possible, of course, a Concert Grand, but that's always a question of budget and I don't want to nail you down to this most expensive variant. You would probably be happiest with a Semigrand with 46/47, because you don't limit your repertoire and you have a bit more space in your flat. And a Semigrand also sounds excellent, in my lessons I always play on a Daphne Salvi 47 S! And since I play the big sister Salvi Daphne Ex here at home myself, I think I can make a good judgement about it. :)

[@evelinh1714]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 Ahh thank you! my harp would have to be moved up/down two flights of stairs, so that’s why I prefer a smaller harp right now. my best option would probably be to buy the Petite 40 and upgrade to a larger harp if I need to later. BTW your progress is amazing for someone who hasn’t played an instrument before!!! Keep up the great work. :)

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@evelinh1714 Don't forget to buy a harpo!! Even though it might be a petite 40, they are still huge and a petite 40 is still 27kg to carry! I'd die without my harpo tbh. And thanks a lot! ❤️

[@Meltiqueful]

Very impressive!! Quite amazing, actually! How much time do you practice each day, on average?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Aw, thank you very much!! ☺️ I practiced at least 30min a day, usually 60-90min. And on the weekends on average 2-3 hours.

[@Meltiqueful]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 no wonder you progressed so much! Thanks for sharing your journey with us!

[@carolinemdk6785]

Thank you for sharing! My harp teacher tells me not to change to pedal harp, she says the transition is difficult. How was it for you? and why did you decide to change to pedal harp?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hello Caroline! I switched to the pedal harp because my teacher actually encouraged me to do it more and more. After only half a year of lessons, she was of the opinion that I should get away from the lever harp. I have to say that my teacher always encouraged (and challenged) me a lot, and she probably thought that I shouldn't "feel comfortable" on the lever harp in the first place, so that the switch to the pedal harp would be easier. She also knew from the beginning that I wanted to play classical pieces on the harp, for which a pedal harp is absolutely necessary in most cases. Fortunately, thanks to my savings and the financial support of my parents, I was able to finance this high investment, which of course cannot be taken for granted. Phew, how did the change feel? I have to say, at the beginning I was most irritated by the sound of the pedal harp, it sounded "worse" than on my previous Lyon & Healy, although both are equipped with gut strings. It was very difficult for me to somehow build in dynamics, everything sounded very flat and equally loud - forte was hardly possible. Today I know that I was simply too weak at the time, or rather my finger muscles were. I had to practice this finger strength for a few weeks by doing a lot of technique and fingering exercises, but after 1-2 months this was no longer a problem and I could finally start to produce the "real" sound on the pedal harp. At the beginning, there are a lot more blisters on the fingertips, also because of the much thicker steel sides, but that also goes away with continuous practice. Of course, the amount of strings is also a bit confusing at the beginning, e.g. finding middle C. But as a rule, you don't play pieces on such a harp where you need this range directly anyway, and you learn to deal with it piece by piece, also by practising scales. Now to the most important part, the pedals: this is of course very different when you were focused exclusively on the hands before, and I would be lying if I said that today I hit every pedal unerringly on the first try - you can also see that in my practice video for the Serenade melancolique on my channel. But as with the first harp pieces on a lever harp, you also start on a pedal harp with pieces that contain few pedal changes and if several, then always the same pedals. Of course, I don't know how long you've been playing the harp, nor what your goals are with the harp: for me, it's a passionate hobby and I knew I wanted to start playing the pedal harp as early as possible so I could play my desired repertoire. If it is financially feasible for you and you know today that you want to play a pedal harp (for whatever reason), then I would make that happen. Ultimately, it is your life and your harp teacher is of course right when he says that a change is difficult, but I am of the opinion that the longer you play the lever harp, the more difficult the change becomes. And just because something is difficult doesn't mean it's impossible. How many people do you think told me when I was 21 that I didn't need to start an instrument because I was too old and it would be impossible for me to learn it?

[@carolinemdk6785]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 Thank you so much for taking the time to answer, this was very helpful! :)

[@biova_harp_cover]

Great job, i am also a beginer ! I practice since one year now

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thanks a lot! I just had a look at your channel, you are also doing an amazing job! Loving your covers!

[@biova_harp_cover]

​@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 thank you ! I try my best to do at least some good covers haha. Are you still playing harp ?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@biova_harp_cover My pedal harp is currently getting a full regulation & restringing and then I will get back to it and also drop new videos ;) Maybe sth like a "How to get back to the harp after a 2 years break" series or sth like that :D

[@biova_harp_cover]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 Oh nice ! I will wait for it 😀

[@10Yvone]

Thanks for sharing! How many times and how long of the lesson that you took per week may I ask so I can learn from your experience!?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

I had lessons 1x per week á 45min. ☺️

[@10Yvone]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 thank you! You are inspiring! It shows lots of passion when you play 🌹

[@ilovepedalharpstheybeautif6692]

I wish I was able to buy a harp and be able to learn the harp

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hey Karrianne! You don't have to buy a harp, usually beginners rent a lever harp (which you see at the beginning of my video) - they cost around 25-50€ per month depending on the model and there are a lot of videos out there on youtube for free with some harping-advices! Give it a try! :)

[@user-uj8kr3xs8p]

Hi! May I ask you, who is your teacher? Very good job by the way!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you very much! 😍 I was so lucky to have 2 extremely talented teachers. In my first year my teacher was Letizia D'Amico: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3nUYnuQedpohsk My second teacher, whom I had my whole pedal harp journey with in the second year was the wonderful Samira Memarzadehh: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIm8nWt4ebaUm7s www.youtube.com/@samiramemarzadehharp/videos

[@TheCelestialHarpist]

What’s the piece at 1:59? I have been trying to look for it for years.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hi - it is from Bernard Andres the "Dyades"! I think the first one :) It is a duet piece for two/or more harps!

[@Elazarko]

Can you please recommend me a relatively cheap good first harp to buy? I'm a piano player looking to learn the harp.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hi! Sure - what would be the budget?

[@Elazarko]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 $500 or less but I can go a bit higher if worth it.

[@Alexvandrya]

@@Elazarko The only good quality harp you'd be able to buy at that price is a harpsicle, without any levers. I own a fullsicle and they are great lap harps, but if you want a floor sized harp you'll have to make an investment of at least a few thousand. You can finance these through different companies too.

[@coleycocosmith7010]

What books have you used or are currently using?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Technique-wise I am still using the "Grossi" - though I do not recommend it, if you are teaching yourself. Without my teacher I would be lost and I know others who are struggling with this one too. Sheetmusic-wise: I actually do not use books, I get the sheet music by my teacher or mainly over islmp. I have some books of Bernard Andres, but I am not using them currently. (hopefully in the future) 😌

[@karinoszek]

Dear, could you please recommend books about first steps on playing harp?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Hello! Sorry for the late reply, I was on holidays haha. I would like to give you a recommendation but I only used german books at the beginning and the biggest help was of course my teacher who guided me through every piece! I can only offer you to check out the harp discord server that I made a video about on my channel. We have nearly 100 harpists there from all over the world and maybe some of them know a good beginner book! Have a nice day!

[@kuttelei]

Hey Cara, what is the arrangement of pachelbels kanon you play? it sounds great! where can i buy it?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Sorry for the late reply! Difficult question, because back then I learned a very easy beginner version, but over time I quickly evolved - especially the left hand. The arrangement that is like 80% the same as to what I play it today is the one by Svlvia woods. If this one is too hard for you, you can always make the left hand easier by playing just a single note D,A,H/B,F,G,D,F,G and so on or play those notes in plaque chords. ☺️ That is how I started, too.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Oh and the arrangement is quite popular, so it should be in your local harp store but its also on amazon and actually every other online sheet music store.

[@kuttelei]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 THANK YOU!!!

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@kuttelei Aaaaaah you also started with the pampuch-version? How funny, me too! 😅 It is kinda "cute", but nothing compared to the Original that e.g. Sylvia Woods really nailed with the transcription. I hope you have a lot of fun learning the piece! Good luck with it! 🎉

[@reinas9666]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 you said no previous musical knowledge so may i know from where do you learn music theory and reading that you can play harp this well?

[@hmr28]

What was the piece just before the hasselmans piece?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

The piece is always in the top right corner :) So you probably mean the piece where I sit in the orchestra (Danse Macabre by Saint Saens) ☺️

[@Satsusss]

Do you read music while playing ? Or just learn how to play each song without reading notes ?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

My sightreading abilities are quite bad. I often write the letter under the note, so I can read faster. I have a good muscle memory, so after quite some time the notes are in my head and I don't use the sheet music anymore. As of now I play mainly out of my head and also learn songs just by trial and error without sheet music. 😊

[@MiranaWisperwind]

Which pedal harp do you have?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Salvi Daphne 47 Ex

[@gutsandgrittv5076]

Also, may I ask your opinion on the double strung harp for travelling?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thanks for the question. Unfortunately, I never played on a double strung harp, so it is quite hard for me to give an opinion on that. If you feel comfortable with playing on a double string harp, I think it is a great option as a travel harp!

[@trishapaytasdaughter8602]

where can i get that lever harp that looks identical to pedal harps?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

its called Lyon & Healy Prelude - its one of the biggest lever harps you can buy! Also a very common model you can rent! ☺️

[@trishapaytasdaughter8602]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 nice ! Did u get ur lever harp from online or a store?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

@@trishapaytasdaughter8602 I bought it from a store where I tested several Preludes. I also recommend to ALWAYS buy a harp in a harp store! 👍🏻

[@siyanhoyik6523]

how often you practice ?

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Back then 30min per day, on the weekends (if possible) more.

[@pietroradici]

0:35 What is the name of that song? I will like to play that :)

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

It's called Emma and is a folk song. Here is a link to a longer version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGjVd2mJeLemmsk The sheet music I used is from a harp beginner book called "Jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne" by Christoph Pampuch. But I bet you can find the sheet music also somewhere else. :)

[@pietroradici]

@@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 Thanks :)

[@alisalis1568]

How much was the harp

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Lever harp: I rented it for 50€ per month, if you want to buy it it is around 5.000€ Euro here in Germany. Pedal harp: I bought it for 20.000€

[@ingridr4374]

Amazing! So you can't read music? Unbelievable.

[@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974]

Thank you Ingrid! Yeah, I couldn't and I am still really bad at it. Thankfully I have a good muscle memory, haha.

[@isabelleuna4734]

​@cara-thebeginnerharpist6974 that is very good to know. There is hope for all of us ❤