Start Harp is a brand new online harp course for beginner harpists, created by passionate and dedicated harpist Shelley Fairplay. It consists of three separate levels (1, 2 and 3), each delivered over a 12 week period.
Level 1 is designed for complete beginners, level 2 for those with some basic technique and skills and level 3 for beginners who have really taken to the instrument, learnt the foundations and flow and want to push themselves further! Throughout all the courses we will work on warm ups, techniques, key musicianship skills, music reading, playing by ear, improvising and learn to play music from a variety of genres.
Are you looking to study harp for the very first time?
Join this exciting new way to study harp technique, theory and musicianship from the comfort of your own home, on a lever, lap or pedal harp. These classes will enable you to access beginner level harp tuition at a time and pace to suit you. Whether you have a musical background or have never touched a musical instrument you will learn the foundations of harp playing to enable you to move forwards and enjoy playing this incredible instrument.
I would recommend this course for anyone who has ever dreamt of playing the harp. The ongoing support and advice, not only from Shelley herself but from the rest of the group through Facebook and Q & A sessions, has kept me focused. And it’s fun! What more could you want?
Pauline Jones
How will you learn as a student in START HARP?
START HARP will be delivered online, once you sign up you will be sent an invitation to join the online classroom and the Facebook group. There will be 10 weeks of lessons,a catch up week in the middle and finally a review week at the end. Course materials will consist of video lessons, play-along practice videos, PDF downloads, invites to six live Q and A webinar sessions open to all level 1,2 and 3 students and the optional opportunity to submit and receive feedback on 6 pieces of homework. Homework will consist of sending a short video and/or written submission depending on the task.
I’ve enjoyed Start Harp from the very first week. Even with my little 12 string lap harp, all the teaching sessions are relevant, and the mix of theory, improvisation and playing by ear is a joy. I’d never tried to play the harp before, and I’m hooked.
Fiona Angwin
Signup for START HARP today
You can signup for START HARP by purchasing level 1, 2 or 3 in the Harpwales Shop. If you are not sure which level is right for you, please take the START HARP Quiz and Shelley will recommend a level for you.
Be the first to know about the next session of START HARP
You can download the course level descriptions here: START HARP Course Descriptions Not sure which level to take? Take this fast quiz >>HERE<< to help you find out!
START HARP Quick Facts
Start Harp is delivered in three separate levels, 1,2 and 3.
Each level will be delivered over 12 weeks, with ten lesson weeks, one “catch up” week mid term and a review week at the end.
The course materials can be accessed online at whatever time of the day suits the students’ lifestyle.
The content is delivered in the form of video tutorials, reading materials and play along practice tracks.
It is also optional for students to submit 6 pieces of homework and receive feedback from Shelley alongside attending 6 live Q & A webinars, where questions can be asked and answered live during the session.
The live sessions are recorded so if students are unable to attend they can be replayed at a students’ leisure.
All students will be given access to a closed Facebook group where alongside Shelley all START HARP students can interact to share ideas, support each other through challenges and celebrate successes.
I’ve always wanted to learn to play the harp and START HARP has made it possible as it’s accessible at times that are convenient for me. The fact that the course covers learning by ear and improvisation as well as reading music from the page means that you can start to play recognisable tunes from the beginning. I’ve loved every minute of the course – even the homework!
Kate Adams
What type of harp will you need?
Regular access to a harp will be very important for this course, so if you have a lap harp, knee harp, lever harp, pedal harp, celtic harp, folk harp, non-lever harp, concert harp you will be able to use the materials in this course.
The materials for level 1 and 2 have been written to be accessible to beginners on harps with two full octaves running C to C or more (e.g. 15 strings with octaves with CDEFGABCDEFGABC). If your harp has more strings you will of course get to use them during the course! One of my favorite things about the level 1 and 2 courses is that if you have a lap harp without semitone levers you CAN study via this course! Many harp tutor books do not cater for harps with limited number of strings.
START HARP Level 3 is aimed at harps with a full set of levers and/or pedal harps. The course is ideal those playing on Celtic Harps and Pedal harps, although many lap harps will also be suitable – if you play a lap harp please contact Shelley first on email (info@harpwales.com) to let her know the octave range on your instrument so she can advise if the materials will be accessible.
Why choose to study online with START HARP?
Have you brought a harp and not been able to find a local teacher?
Did you dream of learning harp as a child but never have the opportunity?
Have you been given a lap harp but found all the tutor books are aimed at pedal harps and lever harps?
Are all the harp teachers in your area full with long waiting lists? Would you prefer not to learn from scratch with one-to-one lessons and learn the foundations before attending face-to-face sessions?
Are classes in your area all aimed at a particular age group?
Have you been told your harp is not the correct or proper instrument to learn on?
Have you begun teaching yourself the harp and been frustrated by not moving forwards fast enough?
Have you never learnt an instrument before and feel you cannot begin from scratch on the harp?
If you can answer yes to any of the questions above then come along and join START HARP!
I want to enable ANYONE who wants to learn the harp to be able to take their first steps and enjoy playing this incredible instrument. Students with different types of harps, musical experience, ages, geographical location are ALL WELCOME! So long as you are excited and interested in learning the instrument then come along and join us! Weekly lessons can be accessed at a time to suit you from the comfort of your own home. No previous knowledge of music or harp will be assumed, so if you have never played an instrument (or not learnt one for many years) you can learn and/or consolidate foundation musicianship skills alongside learning facts and techniques specific to the harp. You will be guided step by step – Weekly lessons will include the main video tutorial and a play-along practice session, so you will learn the foundations and then practice the ideas we have learned throughout the rest of the week, so you will know exactly what you need to do in order to progress. You will be able to interact with other class members via the closed START HARP Facebook group. You will be sent an invite to join once you sign up. Here you will be able to share your successes and concerns with others who also enjoy learning our wonderful instrument. We can all help to encourage practice as we work together to progress our pieces and techniques. We will learn and laugh together, inspired and supported by the course.
Learning on your own with a “Teach yourself book” can be very challenging when you have no one to turn to when you get stuck or encounter a problem, as a member of START HARP you will be able to ask a questions live during the online webinars and via the “Ask a question” form.
Shelley Fairplay teaching a workshop at NBGW
How much does it cost?
Start Harp runs in three Levels, 1, 2 and 3. Each level costs £295, however there will be an early bird discount of £245 offered for a short period when registration officially opens for each new session.
Each level will run over a 12 week period, with 10 lesson weeks, 1 catch up/half term week, and 1 review week, 6 live Q&A webinar sessions with Shelley Fairplay (open to level 1,2 and 3 students) and the opportunity to submit and receive feedback on 6 pieces of homework.
START HARP Level Descriptions
START HARP LEVEL 1:
The START HARP LEVEL 1 course works on the foundations and building blocks required to help you take the first steps towards becoming a proficient harpist.
The course presumes no prior knowledge of the harp or music and is based in C major.
During the course you will study from the very beginning basics in harp technique, music theory and musicianship from the comfort of your own home, on a lever, lap or pedal harp. These classes will enable you to access beginner level harp tuition at a time and pace to suite you.
We will work on the foundations of harp playing to enable you to move forwards and enjoy playing this incredible instrument. You will very quickly find you have a basic working knowledge of how to play by ear, from written music and how to improvise!
START HARP LEVEL 2:
In LEVEL 2 we begin to learn how to put your foundation harpist skills into play; working on fluidity, confidence and really owning your abilities.
Each week you will be introduced to a new repertoire piece and given activities including warm up ideas relating to the piece, exercises to help you master tricky sections and ways to extend and add to the piece to “make it your own”.
The course is based solely in C major. The elements focused on in LEVEL 1; technique, learning by ear, improvisation and reading from the music will all be developed further in this course. We also cover the “modes” and the theory of basic chords and inversions.
If you follow all the lessons, by the end of the course you will have 10 pieces you can enjoy playing and even perform if you would like to!
START HARP LEVEL 3:
As in all the courses LEVEL 3 consists of videos and written materials designed to help you work on theory, technique, new repertoire, improvisation and playing by ear.
This course has a focus on learning to play in different keys (up to 3b’s and 3#’s) and teaches students how to modulate, change key and use levers/pedals within a piece.
Other elements of the course include:
Techniques for “Moving on”: Including looking at harmonics, different ways of damping, 4th finger slides, thumb slides, mid piece lever/pedal changes and trills.
“Think Theory” lessons: Including reading and writing pedal charts, modulating to join pieces together, learning new key signatures, learning about relative major/minors.
“A Spotlight On” lessons: Including; practice techniques, avoiding aches and pains, extending repertoire quickly, preparing to perform and learning to teach yourself.
Common Questions
Q: Who should participate in START HARP?
A: The classes are open to complete novice / beginner harpists. Simplification and extension options will be provided so everyone can participate and progress appropriately within their comfort zone. Level 1 is designed for complete beginners, level 2 for those with some basic technique and skills and level 3 for beginners who have really taken to the instrument, learnt the foundations and flow and want to push themselves further!
To help you work out which level you should start on fill out this quiz >>HERE<< or contact Shelley Fairplay direct by email on info@harpwales.com
Q: What are the benefits of learning online?
A: You will have the opportunity to work at your own pace, replay any learning materials over and over until you understand the lesson and fit your learning and practice sessions in around your daily life at a time that suits you.
Q: Will you need your own harp and equipment?
A: You will need to have access to a harp, a computer with internet access and, for homework submission, a way of making videos (e.g. by using your phone, internal computer camera, other filming devices).
Q: What will be provided?
A: All course materials will be provided online, you will be able to download and print course handouts to keep and you will have access to the online classroom for a minimum of 12 months after the course opens.
Q: Who is Harpist Shelley Fairplay?
Shelley Fairplay is a performer and teacher with over 15 years experience teaching harp, harp ensembles and workshops for all ages. She’s also the founder of ‘Harpist for a Day’, a program that gives non-harpists the opportunity to go from first note to concert performer in a single day. Her successful concert series ‘The Three Strands: Passion, Sorrow and Joy’ was premiered in the UK in 2014, and her CD of the same name was released in 2015. Her 2016 concert series ‘HarpOSphere,’ like all her concerts, featured her own original works along with her arrangements of popular, classic and traditional tunes. She has performed throughout the UK, and appeared in Europe and the U.S. as a soloist and alongside internationally renowned harpists including electric jazz harpist Deborah Henson-Conant. Her Dynamic Harps Ensemble, features both an adult and children’s group, filled with harpists who enjoy learning and performing music from films, pop, shows, classical, Jazz and celtic genres. Shelley Fairplay has University and music college qualifications (Degree and Masters in music), teaching diploma from ABRSM and she is a fully qualified school classroom teacher with over 5 years of class and workshop teaching experience.
Shelley says: ‘I have a great passion and enthusiasm for all aspects relating to the harp and I want to share it with you! I look forward to welcoming you to the classes!
Signup for START HARP today
You can signup for START HARP by purchasing level 1, 2 or 3 in the Harpwales Shop. If you are not sure which level is right for you, please take the START HARP Quiz and Shelley will recommend a level for you.
