Harp Technique Overview

  • 13 lessons teaching how to play 13 very popular Irish tunes.
  • Progress at your own pace, pause & repeat videos.
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  • PDF sheet music & mp3’s to download & keep for each tune.
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Harp Technique is designed as a continuation course to Harp Basics. So if you can’t already play Harp you are recommended to complete the Basics course first, before proceeding with this one.

By the end of the course, you will have a broader reportoire of tunes that sit well on the harp, improved technique that will ultimately help you to play with greater speed, stronger tone and clearer ornamentation. The course comprises 13 lessons, each with 3 to 4 tutorials.

Course Structure

In Harp Technique thirteen tunes have been specifically chosen to help improve and master different techniques on the harp. Techniques such as placing, fingering and hand position; through to more complex techniques such as ornamentation, variation and the dampening of the strings are all examined and demonstrated. Jigs, Reels, Waltz, Slip Jigs, Barndances, Flings, Polkas and one ‘Air’ are all included, thus covering a wide spectrum of tune types that are appropriate to various levels of playing and that cover a wide variety of techniques. In each lesson, the tutor typically teaches the tune phrase by phrase, the right hand on its own, followed by the left hand accompaniment, before playing through the tune slowly with both hands together.

Here are the popular Irish traditional tunes that are taught in this course:

The Ballydesmond Polka
Chimes
Lucy Farr’s Barndance
Frank Thornton’s
Going To The Well For Water
Tyrell’s Pass

The Humours Of Ballymaunus
An Válsa Snamh
The Ships Are Sailing
Cití Na GCumann
O’ Carolan’s Draught
Gan Ainm

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Sheet Music and Mp3s available to Download for each Tune

Sample Sheet Music

Download The Ballydesmond Polka ABC Sheet Music.
Download The Ballydesmond Polka Standard Notation Sheet Music.

Sample mp3 of The Ballydesmond Polka

Download The Ballydesmond Polka mp3.
Your Tutor
Lisa Canny is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and composer hailing from Co. Mayo. At five, she began learning tenor banjo, by ten, the harp and piano. She went on to win 7 All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil titles throughout her competing years, including the Senior Harp title. In her capacity as teacher, 9 of her students have also won All-Ireland medals. She holds a first class honours degree in Irish Music and Dance from the University of Limerick and has a first class honours Masters degree in Ethnomusicology from the University College Cork. Read more.

Detailed questions and discussion on the course can be found in the Community Forum, available to paying members only.

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Harp Technique Lessons

Level

The Ballydesmond Polka

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 1

  • A Minor
  • Level 3
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Introduction to the course and harp technique. Focus on left hand variation

Polka

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Chimes

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 2

  • Level 3
  • Melody
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Hand and Finger Positioning, plucking and weight distribution

Focus on Technique

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Lucy Farr’s Barndance

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 3

  • G Major
  • Level 3
  • Melody
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‘Crossing Under’ technique, triplets and cuts.

Barndance

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Frank Thornton’s

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 4

  • E Minor
  • Level 3
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‘Cross Over’ Technique, Cuts

Fling

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Going to the Well for Water

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 5

  • D Major
  • Level 3
  • Melody
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Trebles, triplets, plucking technique and cuts!

Slide

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Tyrell’s Pass

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 6

  • G Major
  • Level 3
  • Melody
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Hand and Finger Positioning, Cross Over Technique, Trebles and Cuts!

Jig

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The Humours of Ballymaunus

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 7

  • D Major
  • Level 3
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Demonstration of the use of ‘tenths’ in the left hand accompaniment and cuts.

Slip Jig

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An Válsa Snamh

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 8

  • A Major
  • Level 3
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Demonstration of the use of triads and inverted triads in the left hand accompaniment.

Waltz

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The Ships are Sailing

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 9

  • E Minor
  • Level 3
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Syncopation in Left Hand Accompaniment. Continuation in study of ornamentation.

Reel

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Cití Na GCumann

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 10

  • A Mixolydian
  • Level 3
  • Melody
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Playing of Slow Airs / Ornamentation

Slow Air

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O’Carolan’s Draught

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 11

  • D Major
  • Level 3
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Hand and Finger Positioning and Blade Changing

Planxty

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Gan Ainm

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 12

  • F Major
  • Level 3
  • Melody
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Demonstration of how to Dampen the Strings with the left hand and Ornamentation.

Jig

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A Cup of Tea

Intermediate Harp Technique Lesson 13

  • E Minor
  • Level 3
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Left hand Variation

Reel

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