You're in trouble Blackbird!

[sulla]

No matter how many other harps I look at, I keep coming back to the Pilgrim Clarsach, I'm hooked! Hubby has said that if it's the one I really want I should go with it, so I will be contacting Pilgrim as soon as the Bank Holiday is over. ;D

[siaron]

LOL! When I went to read Sulla's post, the ad banner at the top of the page was about "Urology"...so it is picking up on the topic headings. Too funny!

[Brochfael]

My harp is a nineteen string pictish rosemarkie harp by Ardival in or near Inverness.

I still haven't found someone to teach me how to play it yet though!

When I do, I suspect Alex (daughter aged 6) will want to learn too!

[sulla]

Brochfael said:

My harp is a nineteen string pictish rosemarkie harp by Ardival in or near Inverness.

I know of Ardival harps, I found them when I was looking around. I'm going to teach myself to begin with (I play the piano and woodwind already), and I have a local friend who plays the harp too, so she may give me the odd tip I hope. There is a very good teacher nearby, but I'd like to at least have the basics under my belt before I go to her.

[Blackbird]

;D Trust me, it's a great instrument! And the guys at Pilgrim are really nice, very helpful and generous with their time. I wouldn't part with my Pilgrim for the world

Just to throw a spanner into the works - have you taken a look at Starfish harps? My teacher plays one, and it is a lovely instrument. It's a much smaller harp than mine, but the sound is incredible.

I've come across the Ardival ones too, and know someone else who plays one. Lovely things they are.

I played the piano for years before taking up the harp. It both helps and hinders, in my experience. It helped immensely with the coordination needed, but hindered in that the hand position is completely different. Initially, I found it quite hard to get into the 'thumbs up, fingers down' position.

I taught myself for about eight months, then decided that I really needed to sort out my technique if I wanted to progress - and that it would be better to do that sooner rather than later. I found a brilliant teacher - she lives about an hours drive away from me, but I've learned so much since then.

I was worried initially that a teacher might try to turn me into a classical harpist, or make me practice plucking two notes for six months ;D but it's not been like that at all. My teacher is a traditional harpist, and right from the offset, we were working on traditional tunes, methods of arrangement, regional styles and stuff. Along with learning proper technique!

[goldenhand]

Definitely! Pilgrim harps are great ;D I know they are not the cheapest, but cost really shouldn't be the issue when choosing a harp.

I don't know if you know, Sulla - but Pilgrim do a hiring service. I think that if you choose to buy the harp after a hire period, they deduct the cost of the hire from the cost of the harp. So you can try before you buy, and if you decide to keep the harp, you've lost nothing.

Good luck and happy harping ;D

Blessings,

Angharad

[Midori]

Does anyone know much about the French company Camac? I have heard they supply harps to the Continent, and I know of a few in England.

BB Midori

[Blackbird]

Yes - that little harp I had at the last camp was a Camac Troubadour. Generally, they tend to do more of the gilded pedal harp type thing, rather than traditional harps, as far as I can tell.

The little harp I had was very nice, though - smooth levers, good string tension. Solid construction and a very sweet little voice.

[sulla]

Blackbird said:

Just to throw a spanner into the works - have you taken a look at Starfish harps? My teacher plays one, and it is a lovely instrument. It's a much smaller harp than mine, but the sound is incredible.

Yes, I have looked at the Starfish harps and I agree they are lovely, but it's still the Pilgrim Clarsach that has captured my heart. ;D

[sulla]

Goldenhand said:

I don't know if you know, Sulla - but Pilgrim do a hiring service. I think that if you choose to buy the harp after a hire period, they deduct the cost of the hire from the cost of the harp. So you can try before you buy, and if you decide to keep the harp, you've lost nothing.

A lot of companies do a harp hire scheme now, particularly good if you've a child who wants to learn and you're not sure whether they'll stick to it or not. It's strange but I feel the same way about learning the harp as I did about the tenor sax, I was 100% sure that it was what I wanted to do.

[jainewinterbourne]

Hi Folks,

I took the risk of buying my harp on Ebay 18 months ago. I admit it was a 'psychic shopping' rather than an educated purchase but I got a good deal although I had to do a total restring immediately (praise be to Pilgrim who managed to get my string order correct in spite of my ineptitude at describing what I wanted!). I'm delighted with my harp and it compares favorably with models I have seen on my travels. A friend of mine recently did likewise and got what I consider to be a reasonably good harp. We both have 22 string folk harps.
I am teaching myself via books and listening to harp music to get a feel for how it ought be done! I intend to get some tuition but finding a teacher has proven difficult in Shropshire/Staffordshire, unless one of you knows otherwise?

Jaine

[sulla]

My harp arrived yesterday, and I'm in love. ;D I've managed to play a few pieces from the books I have, even a couple two-handed ones, but I'm trying not to jump ahead too much as boring as the exercises may be.

[sulla]

JaineWinterbourne said:

I intend to get some tuition but finding a teacher has proven difficult in Shropshire/Staffordshire, unless one of you knows otherwise?

Pilgrim Harps keep a list of teachers both nationally and worldwide as well as details of harp clubs and societies you can join. Have a look at www.pilgrimharps.co.uk/teachers.htm

[Brochfael]

I'm just about ready to give up on finding a teacher so what books do poeple reccomend for a COMPLETE beginner who can't even read music?

[Blackbird]

I managed to get the Sylvia Woods beginner book from the library when I started learning. Looking back, if I were to write a book for beginners, it would have some differences. But it is a good guide, which also goes into the basics of reading music, and it is available in most music shops and libraries.

[jainewinterbourne]

Thanks for the tutor tip Blackbird - I'll check it out.

As for beginners harp books, I rate Mel Bay's Basic Harp for Beginners by Laurie Riley. I have had some success with this one and I can't read music either. As for learning to read music I bought a childrens book for 7 - 10 year olds which explains everything really simply and clearly and is therefore idiot proof!

Jaine

[Blackbird]

I've not come across the Laurie Riley book. Good idea to buy a book for children! (I've been using childrens books to help me learn Welsh ;D )

Being able to read music does make life much easier. I'm lucky to have learned to read music at about the same time I learned to read letters, so it comes quite naturally. However, I know several excellent musicians who don't read a note of music - just do it all by ear. The Susuki (sp?) method of teaching is supposed to be very good, and concentrates on aural learning rather than notation. So there are ways round it, if the notation is a problem.

[sulla]

I'm using the Sylvia Woods book at the moment, and also The Small Harp by Alison Kinnaird which comes with a CD. I bought the Basic Harp for Beginners from Amazon and it arrived today, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet.

[Blackbird]

I love Alison Kinnaird's book. In my opinion, she is one of the best Scottish harpers around, and definitely among the most knowledgeable.

Although her book is sold as a beginners tutor, most of the tunes are great whatever level you are at. Ossian's Daydream is one of my favourites at the moment