Do I have to have any musical experience to learn the harp?
Not at all! Having musical experience is definitely helpful, but is not required in any way. Even if you’ve never seen a single note of music in your life, you too can learn to play the harp! You will learn to read music and necessary basic music theory as you learn to play the harp, as they naturally go hand-in-hand.
What is the recommended lesson length and frequency?
For adult students and most teenagers, I recommend a one hour lesson. For mature young students, preteen, and some teenagers, I recommend a 45 minute lesson. And for very young students, I recommend starting with a 30 minute lesson and increasing lesson length as they progress and mature. For all students, I recommend having one lesson a week. Lesson length is important to make sure that we have enough time to go over what you have worked on since your last lesson, introduce new techniques and ideas, make sure the new techniques are fully understood and demonstrated, and assign practice material for the next week of practice. Younger students may have shorter lesson times due to decreased attention span and shorter assignments. Having one lesson a week is recommended because it gives you a full week to practice your assignments, but does not leave you with too much time to develop bad habits before you come back for your next lesson. Bad habits are very easy to start on the harp, but very difficult to break.
Where are lessons located?
All lessons are taught at my home in north Madison, Alabama. We are located close to the intersection of Jeff Rd and Nick Davis.
Do I have to bring my own harp to lessons?
No! I have both a pedal harp and a lever harp for students to play, so you do not need to bring your own instrument to lessons. The only exception would be if your personal harp has some major difference from my harps, such as non-standard spacing, making it difficult to adapt to a different instrument while you’re here. This is very rare though, and if you follow my recommendations when getting your own harp, it should not be a problem.
How young can my child start harp lessons?
I have found that a child is most ready to learn and progress on the harp around age 7. While it is possible to start harp lessons as young as 5-6, I highly recommend having a child of that age take 6-12 months of piano lessons before beginning on the harp. Exceptions can be made if the child has had musical lessons or experience in a private lesson setting. If you have a young child that is interested in learning the harp, please contact me to discuss the best course of action for your particular child to put them on the best path towards their goal!
What is your lesson availability?
I currently (June 2024) have lesson availability on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Do you offer online lessons?
I do not.
Do you teach lap harp lessons?
I do not.
Do I have to have my own harp before I can take lessons?
Yes! I require that you have your own harp at home to practice on before you can begin lessons. There is simply no point in starting lessons if you can’t practice what you’ve learned.
Where should I look to get my own harp?
Your best resource for all things harp is going to be Atlanta Harp Center, located in Alpharetta, Georgia (which is about 4 hours from here). I very highly discourage looking at harps on eBay, craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace as harps with unknown history and condition are rarely worth the price asked and can end up costing you more in repair and headache than if you’d gone through a reputable seller.
How much does a harp cost?
This is a loaded question, because it really depends on what you get, as there are many types, makes, styles, and sizes of harps. It also depends on whether you are looking at used or new harps. To get something that you will be happy with and will last you a long time, be prepared to pay at least $2,500 for a used lever harp to the sky’s the limit for the most expensive pedal harps. Most of my students throughout the years have chosen to start with lever harps that have cost around $3,000-5,000. Luckily, there are a lot of options out there for financing, rent-to-own, and even straight rentals if you’re not prepared to make a commitment. You can typically expect to pay around $100-150 a month with most payment plans, after a deposit of $200-500.
What is a pedal harp?
Pedal harps are the largest and most expensive harps. If you see a professional playing on a large harp, whether solo or in ensemble or with orchestra, they are playing a pedal harp. Pedal harps typically have 40-47 strings (47 is the largest) and 7 foot pedals along the back. There is 1 pedal for each of the 7 notes of the scale, with 3 positions possible for each pedal. What these do is change the pitch of the strings. The simplest way to explain it is to say that the harp strings are tuned like the white keys on a piano, and the pedals allow you to play the black keys. This allows the pedal harp to play in all 15 possible key signatures and all styles of music. The other neat thing about pedal harps is that since you use your feet to move the pedals, it allows you to quickly change notes and pitches while you’re playing, allowing you to play any number of accidentals (a one-time needed change of pitch in the middle of a piece) or even fully change key signatures in the middle of the piece (changing all the pitches at once), without having to stop playing the strings. A pedal harp is required if interested in pop or jazz music, playing with orchestra, or playing at an advanced level.
What is a lever harp?
Lever harps are smaller and cheaper than pedal harps and typically have anywhere from 20-40 strings. Instead of pedals, each string on a lever harp has a small lever at the top that allows you to change the pitch of the string. Since the levers only have 2 positions (as opposed to 3 like the pedals), the lever harp is more limited on what it can play. While a pedal harp can play in all 15 possible key signatures, a lever harp can play in 8 of the key signatures. This would be like removing half of the black keys from a piano. The levers must be moved by the left hand, so if you need to change a pitch (or multiple pitches) in the middle of a piece, you must stop playing with your left hand to make the change. The plus side is that for the vast majority of harpists, they very very rarely ever need the missing key signatures, and lever harp music is always arranged in a way that if you need to change a lever in the middle of the piece, the left hand is given a break from playing in order to do so. Because the lever harp is more limited in what it can play, it cannot play some types of music, such as jazz and pop, orchestral music, or advanced level repertoire.
What is a lap harp?
Lap harps are much smaller, having anywhere from around 7-20 strings. They have no levers, so would be the equivalent of playing a piano with NO black keys at all. Due to the small number of strings and lack of levers, lap harps are VERY limited in what you can play on them. While the cheap price tag is appealing, I recommend avoiding lap harps, especially if your intent is to move to a larger harp someday, as some sacrifices to proper hand position and technique must be made on lap harps due to the fact that you have to physically hold the instrument in your lap while you play. I do not offer lap harp lessons.
I’m overwhelmed, what kind of harp is for me?
The biggest thing to consider before getting your own harp is what your ultimate goals are with the instrument. Specifically, will your goals require a pedal harp? If you’re unsure, don’t be afraid to contact me and I’ll help you figure that out! The incredibly large majority of harpists begin on lever harp and the majority stay on lever harp and never move to a pedal harp. While you can definitely start on a pedal harp if that’s what you are interested in and ultimately want to play, there’s no need to go out and get a pedal harp right off the bat unless you want to. Proper hand position and technique on the harp is learned gradually, with each new concept building on what you already know. This means that even if you start on a pedal harp, we may not even use the pedals for awhile outside of setting the key signature at the beginning of a piece. But again, if you have the budget and the interest in starting on a pedal harp (I started on a pedal harp when I first began learning), then that’s great! That also saves you from having to buy two harps, the lever harp to start, then the pedal harp later. But by no means is it necessary to start on a pedal harp even if that is the ultimate goal. Some of the harp stores even have special trade-in deals for trading in a lever harp towards a pedal harp.
What should I look for in a lever harp?
I recommend 32-36 strings, a full set of levers (one lever for each string), and standard string spacing. 34 strings is a good sweet spot and how many strings the lever harp has that I use for lessons. If you want an example of an ideal starter harp that would also be a wonderful harp to keep your entire life if you choose, look at the Lyon & Healy Ogden.
Do you have any requirements for the harp I get?
I do require that my students have a harp with a minimum of 28 strings and a full set of levers (one lever for each string). This is for your best investment, versatility, and best chances for long-term success with the instrument.
There are a lot of harp makers, which should I choose?
When it comes to makes and models, there’s a lot of options. The two biggest and best harp makers in the world are Lyon & Healy (Chicago) and Salvi (Italy). Most of my students over the years have had Lyon & Healy harps, with Salvi as the second most popular, and some of the smaller name brands such as Dusty Strings being less popular. Salvi actually owns both Lyon & Healy and Salvi, but the 2 makes are made very differently. Salvis generally are less resonant and a bit harder to play than Lyon & Healys, but still have their own wonderful sound. It really comes down to personal preference. I currently own 3 Lyon & Healys, as I am a diehard Lyon & Healy fangirl. I have had experience with and students who have had just about every make of harp out there over the years though, so I am happy to offer unbiased and truthful opinions on all of them.