Sounds like heaven? How to write 👼ANGELIC GLISSANDI for harp 𓏢 ! feat. Timothy Huling

In this week’s episode, Berklee’s Associate Professor Tim Huling takes us on the journey of composing for harp. With help from harp student Klara, he shows the pitfalls of pedaling and repedaling, and highlights the challenges these bring to writing for harp. Moreover, Tim and Klara explore the various articulations a harp can play, including some that are truly rare and unique.
Virtual Orchestration is a collaboration between Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA) and Orchestral Tools (Berlin, Germany).
A big warm thanks to Klara Poznachowska and her harp 𓏢 for supporting us on this episode.
Klara is also a pianist and a composer. Head over to soundcloud to listen to more of her work : / mira-paxon
You can also follow her on instagram: @mira.paxon
Music 🎶:
The music examples for harp 🎼 were composed by Timothy Huling
In addition to Tim's examples, Klara also plays these pieces in this video:
1) In the opening : "7:54", a piece by Klara Poznachowska herself
2) “Nardis” by Miles Davis
Assets used in the video:
SFX 🔊 :
The following sounds provided by: mixkit.co/
Air Whoosh
Video creation credits:
Video idea and Script 📜 : Timothy Huling
Script Consultation 🔍 and Director 📣 : Eduard Flemmer
Camera 🎥 and Editing ✂️ : Fabián Barba Hallal
Lighting 💡 and 2nd Camera 🎥 : David Kudell
Motion graphics 🎨 : Michael Logar

[@micwarren21]

For non-harp players, this was a treasure found for the various techniques used. It explains my virtual instrument patches probably the best video yet from the series. Thank you again for your time.

[@virtual.orchestration]

@Michael Thank you for liking this video so much. It is great to know that you find it the best of the series so far. It's really nice of you letting us know.

[@seanmcmahon5250]

Bravo Tim and Klara! What a wonderful video!

[@markelvinstudio]

This was amazing. I had no idea just how complex a harp is. My hat is off to all harpists!!!!!

[@DavideBonfantino]

The little transition music sounds really nice!

[@davidhepworthmusic]

Thanks for this great video. My issues writing for the harp are: 1. Understanding the limits of switching pedals ( How fast? In a busy passage?). 2. How to balance volume wise in an orchestral setting. 3. The limits of playing technique related to hand size/position (How far can the hand stretch? How many notes can be played at one time in various contexts?)

[@tapedeckhorror]

did you find any of this out?

[@user-zu2fl8dt6p]

Thank You Very Much! 🙏🙂

[@imanuelgarayar]

Thank you! I'm a big fan of the harp 😇😇😇

[@thinkingfield]

Thank you Tim and Klara for this video! It was informative, helpful and most of all, beautiful!

[@emmanuelschalit8853]

Great video Tim. Super clear presentation of all the possibility of the instrument

[@PerchHunter]

Fantastic video as always. If i may. Would be really great if You could add something , mention, give some tips about how to program (realistic sounding) Harp glissandos in DAW like Cubase for example. Im sure many of us have problems with this :) Thank You for another great video

[@jade8538]

I second your suggestion to follow-up with info regarding programming realistic glissandi.

[@virtual.orchestration]

Well @PerchHunter and @Kevin, if you ask for it, we will see what we can go. 😉

[@PerchHunter]

​@@virtual.orchestration Than You very much :) Im sure many of us will be very gratefull for any kinds of tips ,tricks, and advices. All kinds of programming "realistic" sounding runs and especially harp glissandos in DAW like Cubase for example is not very easy, and can be quite tricky thing. Im looking forward, thank You once again VO and OT ;)

[@BrettWMcCoy]

Getting the pedaling right has always been the trickiest part of writing harp parts (notation for a live human, that is). But it's something you have to be aware of when creating MIDI mockups, where you can do anything, and creating parts that are impossible for a human to play... you'd need two or more harpists!

[@virtual.orchestration]

Hey @Brett. You're probably right, that we Midi composers tend to compose something for a harp that one harpise can't actually play. But wouldn't that be a great challenge ? To write something that ONE harp can play actually ? Listening to Klara play I find it stunning how great and full ONE harp can actually sound. What do you think ?

[@BrettWMcCoy]

@@virtual.orchestration I have written harp parts for a live player (for a Berklee class!) and you have to pretty aware of what a player can actually do, for sure. I think this video was definitely a good demo for what a harper can and can't do

[@jonasforsberg8443]

Great and instructive video. It would also be interesting with live orchestral excerpts to demonstrate different techniques. Also, I met a harpist from Paraguay, who had a pretty wide metal ring with a flat surface on his right index finger. He used it to bend notes, close to a guitarist playing slide. It created a "bluesy" feel, but could it be used in a classical context?

[@gotmoresoul]

Very informative, thank you for this, and it was awesome when Klara busted out with some Nardis

[@anthonystahl]

Beautiful rendition of Nardis!

[@alexlamymusic]

Excellent video, Tim and Klara! I thought the musical examples in this one were really great too.

[@doctorbruno]

A very interesting video!! The harp is a so beautifull instrument! Fantastic! Thank you very much. Best wishes from Italy 🇨🇮

[@yaroslav_kniazev]

Hello guys! Thank you for another great lesson! The harp is definitely a challenging musical instrument. But just as beautiful as many others. The pidal system is complex, it will take a little extra time to figure out and consolidate this lesson ) I look forward to your lessons! Regards, Yaroslav Kniazev.

[@virtual.orchestration]

Hey Yaroslav. Thank you for always watching the videos on our channel and sharing your thoughts in the comments. We look forward to more of that too =)

[@LongshanMusic]

This is really helpful, thank you.

[@jorgestramusic]

Super useful video, thank you!

[@EVDMcomposer]

Another pluckin' good episode

[@virtual.orchestration]

Another nice comment from a composer and wanderer. Thank you and best wishes to CapeTown, @Edward.

[@michaelrasbury]

Great video!

[@_rstcm]

So....what is the maximum pedal changes a harpist can comfortably achieve during a chord/key change????

[@LeDrummerDu88]

Harpists have to press pedals to switch keys... I mean, i knew that... But i just realize how difficult it can be !! U have to learn your piece perfectly

[@ClaudeWernerMusic]

Since you asked: I've always struggled figuring out if the harpist will have enough time to change the pedals..

[@virtual.orchestration]

Hey Werner. Thank you for sharing this. This is a really tough question, especially if you don't play harp yourself.

[@karayuschij]

What about "prepared" harp?

[@deterdinghenry3592]

A bit scarce, the use of pedals in the dimished scale was not clear enough for me, as if time pressed you.