HARP: How do I play two hands at the same time?? (4 tips)

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  • Опубліковано 14 січ 2025

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  • @tiffanyharpandsong
    @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому +4

    Is harp your first instrument?

    • @pattyorourke8068
      @pattyorourke8068 6 років тому +1

      Not my first instrument, but it might add well have been; I played trumpet and percussion in high school 50 years ago. This video is really helpful, thanks!

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому

      @@pattyorourke8068 good to hear, thanks Patty!

    • @elizabethdexter3779
      @elizabethdexter3779 6 років тому

      no, used to play piano a long time ago, but have trouble with 2 hands on harp

    • @petergoh6528
      @petergoh6528 6 років тому

      Like Elizabeth, I have learned to play the piano a long time ago, I still do warm up the keys. I have picked up ukulele. Now that I am retired from my office as a pastor, i decided to learn the harp and to use it as part of my hospital visitations. Thanks again for the very help video tutorials.

    • @saflool
      @saflool 5 років тому

      I'm an opera singer and took two years of piano during my Opera Masters but always dreamed of playing the harp :) Thanks for the lesson!

  • @bonnieleemellott242
    @bonnieleemellott242 2 роки тому +2

    Yes, it is my first instrument. I’ve never read music and first of all am concentrating on remembering what the notes are and how they relate to specific strings.

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  2 роки тому

      that's a good first step!
      Once you are ready, you might like this tip for reading music! ua-cam.com/video/GkxjtQxPhaU/v-deo.html

  • @ladyconan
    @ladyconan 4 роки тому +1

    Flute, piano, transverse flute, guitar, omnichord, guitalele, musical saw, jammed a bit with a bass a few times, composed a few easy waltz on the accordion... learning the harp now, at 33.

  • @brihilton
    @brihilton 2 роки тому

    My first instrument was the clarinet. Playing hands together has been the part I struggle with the most. Thank you for this video! ❤

  • @davidholden4543
    @davidholden4543 2 роки тому

    Hi Tiffany. I've been playing harp for about a year now and play several instruments.
    The two that I immediately drew from were the pedal steel guitar and a smaller nylon string guitar with higher tension called a requinto.
    On the steel guitar you use your right hand to pluck certain groups of strings to get your different intervals. The big difference I've noticed with most instruments your right thumb hits a lower note. On the harp it's reverse. The pedal steel guitar has metal strings and you put a plastic thumb pick and some metal picks on the fingers. On the requinto, you touch the strings directly with the fingers of the right hand. When I started to play the harp, it physically felt like touching a requinto.

  • @resamunde7650
    @resamunde7650 6 років тому +1

    Dear Tiffany, thank you for another one of your very helpful, compact and concrete explanations! The coordination of the left and right hand seems to be the holy grail of playing the harp... you explain so well, that the most important thing is to take it slowly and break a piece down into little, managable sections. This is the foundation for all the other practice methods, I think. I'm sure this video is a helpful ressource and inspiration for many harp players out there! By the way, I like your new intro, it sounds and looks sweet und professional!
    Greetings, Theresa

  • @petergoh6528
    @petergoh6528 6 років тому

    Thank you, Tiffany for that very helpful video tutorial. I like your pace of teaching, the instructions are very clear and encouraging. I look forward to learn from your video tutorials.

  • @feelbetterwithfai7781
    @feelbetterwithfai7781 4 роки тому

    Wow this is the best tutorial. Really easy to understand. This is mt fiest music instrument starting from scratch

  • @JocelynParamita
    @JocelynParamita 4 роки тому +1

    My first instrument is guzheng, second : pipa, third: harp!

  • @jasoncornwell8939
    @jasoncornwell8939 5 років тому

    I enjoyed this video very much, and I very much like your teaching style. I’m new to the harp, after playing guitar for 35 years.
    Looking forward to more videos!

  • @amydallmann-jones9666
    @amydallmann-jones9666 2 роки тому

    Thanks so much! This was really helpful. :)

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  2 роки тому

      Glad to hear it! I'm doing an expanded workshop on this at the end of August, if you're interested. :) It'll be on zoom. Send me an email if you'd like to learn more tiffanyharpandsong@gmail.com

  • @tatianagromova7997
    @tatianagromova7997 4 роки тому

    Harp is my third Instrument, the first one was a piano! It helps me, when i'm playing harp) Thank you for your tips!

  • @carolineburke2494
    @carolineburke2494 6 років тому

    This has been very helpful, I am a beginner and don't read sheet music. Thanks for this very practical tutorial.

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому

      Oh that's great! Thanks for your feedback Caroline. Happy harping!

  • @jillgeary1313
    @jillgeary1313 6 років тому +1

    Thanks Tiffany! I'm still very new to playing the harp - this is not my first instrument but I come from mandolin (and other instruments) that I didn't need to look at my left hand to be able to play the correct notes. Now that I am adding the left hand to my harp playing I find it hard to play at a constant tempo because I'm looking at the music, trying to figure out the bass clef, find the strings for each hand, finger placing, figure out the rhythm (different timing for each hand).... So it's a lot going on. I have an easy version of Silent Night and what I'm doing with it right now is just playing the right hand SLOWLY for a phrase; then I only play the left hand SLOWLY for the phrase until I'm comfortable with it - it's mostly arpeggiated chords (I play it until I know how it's supposed to sound - I think everyone knows how the right hand/melody sounds). Then I'll play both hands together for 1 or 2 measures. Very slowly. When I can do that smoothly I declare victory and stop for the day. The next day I do the same thing, but maybe add 1 or 2 more measures - but always learning each hand independently first. If I get too overwhelmed I do just what you said - just play the root note, or the root and the fifth of the chord with my left hand.
    Thank you so much for your instruction! I'm so glad I found your videos and I'm now a Patron!

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому +1

      I'm so glad to meet you Jill! That sounds like a very smart strategy you're using. 😁 And thank you very much for becoming a patron!

  • @rs8319
    @rs8319 4 роки тому

    Great advice as always! 👏 and awesome harp teacher

  • @lisaharper2975
    @lisaharper2975 5 років тому

    I'm already subscribed to your list but would love this sheet music (please and thank you!)

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  5 років тому

      Hi Lisa, send me an email please and I'll get it to you :) thanks!

    • @lisaharper2975
      @lisaharper2975 5 років тому

      cakestuff@mail.com@@tiffanyharpandsong

  • @ryand.5857
    @ryand.5857 5 років тому

    Harp is, I believe, my sixth instrument, BUT I'm watching this video for a reason! Piano is NOT one of my other instruments lol, so I've never had to use both hands quite like this before. Tricky. But not impossible. Your advice is on point!

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  5 років тому

      Glad you found it helpful! Yeah, it's definitely a thing to get used to :) One advantage I like of harp and piano though is all your notes are pretty much laid out there, so there's no special combinations to learn in order to get a certain note! Like whistles and such confuse me!

    • @ryand.5857
      @ryand.5857 5 років тому

      Oh totally! It’s so cool how much sense the harp and piano make. I look at horn players and just shake my head in total confusion haha! I think I’ll stick to my chordophones, thank you :D

  • @michaelgoldsmithii6469
    @michaelgoldsmithii6469 5 років тому

    My first instrument was guitar, followed by drums (rock). I just picked up the Celtic harp. Hope to learn a lot with your videos!

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  5 років тому +1

      Hi Michael! That's awesome, welcome to the channel! You might like the left hand lessons I have on Patreon down the road.

    • @michaelgoldsmithii6469
      @michaelgoldsmithii6469 5 років тому

      @@tiffanyharpandsong Thank you, Tiffany. I am left-handed, so I look forward to them!

  • @reginaclarke1574
    @reginaclarke1574 6 років тому

    Just wonderful!!! :-)) Thank you so much, Tiffany!!!

  • @pamgevelinger2997
    @pamgevelinger2997 4 роки тому

    Ive played violin since 6th grade, bandjo, guitar, mandoline,

  • @ensingrey1984
    @ensingrey1984 3 роки тому

    saving my life

  • @chloey1137
    @chloey1137 2 роки тому

    Hi Tiffany! I looked briefly at your videos but couldn't see anything. Do you happen to have any explainor videos on terms like "chord" "bracket" etc? I'm familiar with making music but not the technical terms or orthodox methods and really wanna learn! Thanks so much for your videos, this one definitely helped.

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  2 роки тому +1

      Hi Chloey! I don't have a video on that but it's a great concept! If I get to making one, are there any other terms you think I should cover besides Brackets and chords?

    • @chloey1137
      @chloey1137 2 роки тому

      @@tiffanyharpandsong intervals! I've seen some explained on them, but often its difficult to see and understand exactly what they're talking about.

  • @christophertsiliacos8958
    @christophertsiliacos8958 6 років тому +2

    👍 I currently don’t play the harp. But it's like playing the piano is it not? That is, the right hand plays the treble clef notes, and the left hand plays the bass clef notes all at the same time. But in my case, since I only read and play music in the treble [G] clef, I play the melody with my right hand, and the chords with my left hand on the piano - all in the treble clef. The same is true with the harp as with the piano is it not? As you said, "Work smarter and not harder." Happy harping! BTW: My first instrument was the Bb trumpet followed my many others. 🎼 ♫ 🎸🎺 🎻 🎷et al

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому

      Hi Christopher! Yes, it is similar to piano in the way you said. I heard it said recently that it's helpful to think of the bass clef as a continuation of the treble- it's nice because middle C is notated almost the same way in both clefs: on the first lower ledger line in the treble, and the first upper ledger line in the bass. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

    • @christophertsiliacos8958
      @christophertsiliacos8958 6 років тому +1

      @@tiffanyharpandsong You're welcome. 😊

  • @AltoonaYourPiano
    @AltoonaYourPiano 6 років тому

    My main expertise is piano/keyboard and I have no real harp experience outside of being a fan of some harpists' music but it's definitely fascinating and I like to learn as many instruments as possible, how much overlap is there in skills between harp and piano? Some of the stuff seems familiar to techniques I've learned with piano. I've found with piano one thing I learned years ago is to use the left hand as an extension of the right hand, if that makes any sense.

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому

      I'd say the biggest difference is in how you move your fingers and place ahead of time. It's a closing of the fist rather than a pushing down of the keys. But in terms of how the notes are laid out, it's pretty much a vertical piano. :) There are other differences of course like if you want the notes to stop ringing, you must stop them with your hand, as opposed to lifting your foot off a sustain pedal like in piano.

  • @gavinmackinney8484
    @gavinmackinney8484 5 років тому

    This is really helpful thanks. I also struggle with the rhythm of the left hand being different (going across) the rhythm of the right hand. By the way, I was watching one of my harp role models, Andreas Vollenvieder, and I saw his funny little claw hands - I might be wrong but I reckon a harp teacher would have had a fit at his finger work!

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  5 років тому

      I'm so glad it was helpful, Gavin! I hadn't heard of Andreas but just looked up a video. Seems he plays with his nails which is a different technique :)

  • @evelynmocton3162
    @evelynmocton3162 4 роки тому

    Hi , yes Harp is my first instument. I am just beginning to play with 2 hands. Contrary movement is difficult . Understanding that this is typically going to be difficult is reassuring.

  • @marthagauthier9549
    @marthagauthier9549 4 роки тому

    My first instrument was the fife, then the tin whistle!

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  4 роки тому

      How cool! I used to have a Fife when I was younger, could never get a sound out of it 😂

  • @TheWithinTempation
    @TheWithinTempation 4 роки тому

    Could you do a video about sightreading? I am quite advanced in playing, but I have no strategy how to practice sight reading! My first instrument was the flute, so I never struggled there :)

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  4 роки тому +1

      Hi! Hm, I don't really do much reading myself, but I might end up doing a video. The best thing I can advise about sight reading is just to make it part of your regular practice time. Maybe you'd spend 20 minutes a day on just doing it. Start with some easy pieces (probably below your level of playing because sight reading is a whole different skill). You might try circling the C's with a red pencil, and the F's with a blue pencil. Then just look at the notes and go through them as slowly as you need to. I've heard the strategy, "see the note, say the note, play the note." That may be helpful. Consider what the spaces between the notes look like on the page as relates to the spaces in the intervals at your fingers (what a 3rd looks like, or a 5th) as opposed to recalling exactly what note you're reading all the time. That can speed things up. Also you can find flashcard apps that will help with note reading practice (like if you struggle with recalling the bass clef). If you need to, try reading the right and left hands separately then put them together. Your aim isn't to sight read perfectly from the get go, but just to train your brain to link the page with the harp. Hope that helps! Thanks for the suggestion.

    • @TheWithinTempation
      @TheWithinTempation 4 роки тому

      @@tiffanyharpandsong Thank you so much! I guess reading the intervals instead of the notes itself is key, as I need to play without looking, right? I think the whole attention lies on reading both staffs and not checking if one plays the right string, otherwise one cannot play smoothly..

  • @lowcountryhooper
    @lowcountryhooper 6 років тому

    Piano was my first instrument. Playing hands together was my biggest hurdle with that as well. I’ve got the coordination of the two hands together, but when both hands aren’t placed at the same time in a piece I forget to place one of them before I play (usually the right hand). I’m going to try chunking and see if that helps. Thanks for the video.

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому

      Thanks for watching! Yes I think that will help! Piano was my first instrument too :)

  • @connieLo87365
    @connieLo87365 3 роки тому

    Harp is my first instrument (other than earing a harmonica). No music skills. I can play with both hands from a video and sheet music. But when I only have a lead sheet, how do you know which note to start a chord on or the second part of the chord with the melody. Is there a formula.

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  3 роки тому +1

      That's a great question! The easy answer is to stick with the root note. My default chord is always 1-5-8. When that's not satisfying or requires a lot of fast jumping from one root to the next, you can always try one of the other two notes in the chord as the bottom, or, an inversion. Doing that also can create a different-sounding and cohesive bassline, and can provide those pretty "walk-ups" and "walk downs."
      You can use inversions whenever you like, it's just whatever sounds good to you. Or, when reading a leadsheet, if you see a symbol like "G/B" that's telling you to use a G chord but with a B in the bass.
      I talk about using inversions in my arranging for small harp video which you might find helpful!

    • @connieLo87365
      @connieLo87365 3 роки тому

      @@tiffanyharpandsong Tiffany great answer but excuse me for not knowing what a root note is. When I say I have no music experience.

  • @Ourladyrosaries
    @Ourladyrosaries 4 роки тому

    This is my first instrument. When you play with both hands together do you play a note for each hand say a b on the left and g on the right but plucked at the same time together is that how it works please. I'm so upset that I don't know what to do sorry if it's stupid question xx

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  4 роки тому

      Hi Carly, that would depend on the arrangement you're playing. I think in most cases, yes you'd end up playing a note on the left hand at the same time as one of the right hand notes. Often if you're playing a triad (three notes in the left hand) you might play the first note of the chord, on the downbeat of the melody. It's a little hard to explain in text - you might check out a song like this one: ua-cam.com/video/8I8LiWFvFho/v-deo.html

    • @Ourladyrosaries
      @Ourladyrosaries 4 роки тому

      @@tiffanyharpandsong I Tiffany thankyou so much for the link I've been practicing that tune all day and I understand the left and right hand arrangements. Thankyou so much for everything xx

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  4 роки тому

      @@Ourladyrosaries Great! I'm glad it helped.

    • @Ourladyrosaries
      @Ourladyrosaries 4 роки тому

      @@tiffanyharpandsong yeah it really did. Do you offer one to one online lessons? X

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  4 роки тому

      @@Ourladyrosaries I'm not currently taking regular students, but I do offer one-time lessons. If you'd like to email me we can set one up and/or I can give you a list of online teachers I recommend. tiffanyharpandsong@gmail.com

  • @bonnieleemellott242
    @bonnieleemellott242 4 роки тому +2

    Yes harp is my first instrument.

  • @SharonCullenArt
    @SharonCullenArt 4 роки тому

    As a child I wanted to play harp. I knew a woman who taught harp. But my mother said we just couldn’t afford one so I thought violin. But no! We had a clarinet so guess what I played! Yep clarinet for 8 it was off to college and I just couldn’t fit any music into my nursing schedule because we took classes in the morning or afternoon and had clinical training for a shift at the hospital. But I also sand until I paralyzed a vocal cord permanently. But when it began I had decided to pick up flute and taught myself to play. Within 3 weeks I was playing along with a church choir. Then I began private lessons and have been playing flute for 19 years. But I have a genetic lung disease and my breathing is getting worse. And the flute takes a ton of air. So I bought a lyre. I like it okay but thought it was something I could transition to harp on so I turned it around and played with low notes away from me like a harp. Playing the right hand melody is nearly impossible because my upper notes are covered and I can’t reach the strings! So I bought one of those cheap Aklot 15 string harps and I am awaiting “real strings” but I got it to see if it was something I am really interested in before spending thousands. I don’t know what I will do with a $13,000 gold flute too. So I am trying to learn exercises and beginner songs on it focusing on placement and bracketing. It’s not a nice sound! But it is working for now and once I get good strings then it should help a bit as well. Others who have them say changing strings makes a world of difference. I was looking at the sonnet harp but may go with a harpsicle with levers to begin and work up from there. But with autoimmune arthritis that effects my spine I will likely stick with a smaller harp. I’m glad I found you though. I have been watching others like learn the harp with Christy-Lyn and also Lisa Canny. It is nice to learn from a few of you. I won’t have access to a harp teacher in my area. I moved from metro-Detroit to a rural area where some days all I see are the animals in the woods!

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  4 роки тому

      It's so great harp companies are making affordable harps now! I know so many people who are beginning harp after age 40, 50, 60. It is a very forgiving and accessible instrument, once you get past the not-very-intuitive hand position. 😉 Honestly if you're between a harpsicle and a Music Makers Sonnet, I would go with the Sonnet if you can. In my experience harpsicles are pretty hard to balance (they do have a stand that helps a bit) and the strings are really close together. The soundboards are smaller too so you'll probably get a better sound with the Sonnet. Either way, I'm glad to hear you're fulfilling your childhood dream! There are so many teachers on Zoom nowadays too, you can really take your pick of who you want to learn from as long as you have decent internet haha

  • @christinedayon9004
    @christinedayon9004 4 роки тому

    Thank you Tiffany. And yes, Harp is my very first instrument, and I am 49. Do I have a chance?

  • @emtjab
    @emtjab 5 років тому

    Other than a stint with guitar in High School, yes my first instrument as an older adult.

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  5 років тому

      Fun! How long have you been playing?

    • @emtjab
      @emtjab 5 років тому

      About 2 years. Trying to get more serious with it this year. I also struggle with getting that left hand in there.

  • @falwyn
    @falwyn 6 років тому

    I would love to get the sheet music, but I’m already an email list member...

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  6 років тому

      Hi! If you missed it when you first signed up, just send me an email and I'll get it to you :)

  • @lisakbanks
    @lisakbanks 4 роки тому

    I played the flute. I would like private lessons.

  • @Saxthefan
    @Saxthefan 6 років тому

    Trombone, Tin whistle and then flute harp is not my first

  • @christinebanny3389
    @christinebanny3389 4 роки тому

    I'm 49 and harp is my.very first instrument

  • @bonnieanne5483
    @bonnieanne5483 Рік тому

    First instrument is guitar!

  • @wonderstruck_olm
    @wonderstruck_olm 4 роки тому

    my first is harp

  • @cythiahall7177
    @cythiahall7177 2 роки тому

    All you do is Talk 👄 and not show us while you're speaking at the same time

    • @tiffanyharpandsong
      @tiffanyharpandsong  2 роки тому

      I dont know what you mean? I'm literally giving examples on the harp as I go.
      This video is just suggestions on how you can get your hands used to coordinating together. Folks are meant to adapt this to the pieces they are working on.

  • @danielskomp9072
    @danielskomp9072 2 місяці тому +1

    My left hand is lazy!

  • @danielskomp9072
    @danielskomp9072 2 місяці тому

    Might I add…? Don’t rest your left on your leg or elsewhere, at least near the strings!