Description

‘Chasing the bunnies’ and Other Technique Glitch Fixes

An IMMERSION looking at the most common technique pitfalls and exploring how we can train our fingers to do as our brain is bidding! This IMMERSION will be filled with instantly usable hints and tips for our harp playing.  Whatever your level, from the complete novice to advanced, you’ll learn my favourite tips for like how to minimise buzzes, enhance your sound, take care of your body and find shapes with greater ease. 

During this IMMERSION I will introduce you to four mini etudes (taken form a set of 14) written specifically to allow our mind and bodies the space, time and excuse to focus on common challenges. 

Whilst I risk sounding like I am starting my own children’s TV show with these titles, here are the four mini etudes I share during this IMMERSION: 

Chasing the Bunnies – working on hand position and avoiding fingers we are not using pointing up when we are playing (the bunny ears) 

Rainbows and Smiles – again working on hand positing, this time specifically when we are turning which can often be a challenging technique to get to flow well on autopilot. 

Think Like a Chameleon – where we address the glorious and varied world of buzzes on the harp and how to reduce/minimise them. 

Cinderella and the Sea-Saw – we look at the unintentional brushing of neighbouring strings and how we can stop sweeping at the harp strings. 

The Mini Etudes Full Set:

1. The Zombie Harpists
2. Ride the Bike
3. The Bird Hop
4. Five Step Sounds
5. Up and Down the Hill to Alberti
6. Think like a Chameleon 
7. Chasing the Bunnies 
8. Cinderella and the Sea-Saw
9. Trampoline Strings
10. Rainbows and Smiles
11. The Butterfly and the Bumble Bee
12. Intentional Emphasis 
13. Ready to Roll?!
14. Kissing Frogs to Find Your Prince

Intrigued? Sign up and find out what on EARTH I am going on about! If you cannot attend live you are welcome to sign up anyway and I will send you a link to watch the replay after the session. 

What will the course include?

• Welcome and overview
• Overview of foundation techniques
• Overview of common pitfalls
• Etude Chasing the Bunnies – working on hand position and avoiding fingers we are not using pointing up when we are playing (the bunny ears)
• Etude Rainbows and Smiles – again working on hand positing, this time specifically when we are turning which can often be a challenging technique to get to flow well on autopilot.
• Etude Think Like a Chameleon – where we address the glorious and varied world of buzzes on the harp and how to reduce/minimise them.
• Etude Cinderella and the Sea-Saw – we look at the unintentional brushing of neighbouring strings and how we can stop sweeping at the harp strings.
• Thank you and goodbye 

Online short Course

The course will initially be delivered live on Sunday 15th January over a 2 hour time slot 3.00PM-5.00PM GMT. The session will include a short break for fingers and brains around half way through! After the live event you will receive a link to the recorded materials which will include approximately 90 minutes of video training, along with some explanatory text and sheet music downloads for you to print out and keep. You will be able to access the course for 12 months after the IMMERSION. It is fun to attend live but do not worry if you cannot make it, you will be able to access all the materials afterwards.

My main aim is to cover ideas that will be useful in your future learning, so you can continue to work on improving all the time.

This course is similar to one week of the START HARP  or Flourishing Harpist 12 week intensive online courses for beginner to upper intermediate harpists. Full details on www.FairplayHarpSchool.com

“Great immersion! As usual, Shelley went above and beyond.” Rebecca Blakeney referring to last IMMERSION (START HARP Level 1, 2 and 3 graduate!)

Following the same ethos and delivery style as the main 3 START HARP 12 week courses, we look at playing from sheet music, improvising and playing by ear all with an underlying focus on a good strong playing technique.

This course is aimed at advanced beginner to advanced intermediate level harpists. To be honest as long as you can read treble and bass clef at least a little bit and can play with all four fingers (and turn) you will be able to take this course. Simplification and extension ideas are offered as we go along so lots to keep everyone busy!

You will have 12 months access to these videos and materials.

When you sign up you will automatically receive a confirmation on email from this website. If you are signing up before the live session you will receive the meeting link and sheet music by 1pm BST on Sunday 15th January 2023. If you do not receive any details when expected please check your spam/junk file and if it is not hiding there email me on info@harpwales.com.

If you prefer you can subscribe to my Patreon account (Tier 4) where you pay a monthly fee to access the monthly IMMERSIONS along with various other benefits including monthly live Q & A sessions. Full details here: https://www.patreon.com/ShelleyFairplay

Comments from students who have attended previous IMMERSION

• Insider info…don’t miss it but prepare yourself to be bombarded with info in the nicest possible way???
• Don’t miss it! And don’t be surprised if you feel overwhelmed if you do it live. Shelley basically fits a full week of Start Harp into 2 hours, so it’s a lot to take in live — but then you can go back and work with the videos as you’re already used to doing in Start Harp. Or you can miss the live bit and just do the videos afterward. I did my best learning of Spiraling Shoots after the fact, when my brain was quiet and I could hear myself think and appreciate what I was playing.
• I couldn’t join live so learnt it from the recordings, which are great.
• I was glad to be on the live presentation, although it was early in the morning. However, due to more pressing priorities, I tabled my practice efforts for a future time—hopefully, in September. That is a benefit of the Immersion structure. Sign up for the class and add to your repertoire when you are ready.
• I also saw it in the replay. It’s great to be able to go over everything slowly…