Practice

I'm often asked by parents and students alike, "How long should he/she practice?"  The answer of course varies from person to person as well as culture to culture.  But there are some basic ground rules to help students best learn how and when to practice the harp.  Learn these easy steps and success and improvement are bound to be achieved.

1. Practice at least 10 minutes in one sitting.  Longer is always better but when you do decide to sit and practice, do so for at least 10 minutes.  Even if it takes three 10 minute sessions in the day for you, at least your mind will have studied for three intervals.

2. Make sure when you are practicing that it is as distraction free as possible.  Shut off the TV and radio, ask the kids to read a book or do homework for at least 10 minutes (or more) so that there it is quiet.  Don't leave anything on the burner, in the oven or while waiting for an important phone call.

3. Practice one piece of music you know well as a warm up.  Then, begin to learn your new piece of music.  In this, one's confidence is help by past accomplishment while encouraging the new learning to begin.

4.  If reading music is difficult, find the music in recording.  CD's, tapes and internet recordings will sometimes help a harpist to understand a new piece of music that may seem more difficult that originally thought.  In parts of Europe, ear training (playing by ear) is the preferred method of learning the harp.

5.  Play and learn music that you enjoy.  Playing what you hate is a chore.  Music should never be something you dread.

For information regarding this website please contact our webmaster.