❤️ So this explains why, no matter how much I practiced, I couldn’t get my crossovers smooth- I wasn’t keeping that web space open and my second finger had that sneaky curl. Busted! Thank you Christy-Lyn for these exercises and the clear technique!
Oh that’s so great Helen, what a breakthrough! It’s such a relief when you find the sneaky problem that’s been causing problems... now you know what to work on! 🙌🏻😃
Very informative and helpful. U never cease to amaze me with how much information you put up for free. I hope many Harpers that enjoy your free tutorial s will consider becoming a patron...NO ONE DESERVES IT MORE..👏💛
I agree with you, Margaret. Joining Patreon for Christy-Lyn is a nominal cost for such high quality instruction and hearing wonderfully performed harp music. Inspirational! She makes playing the harp seem possible to me!
Although my harp teacher mentioned this, and to pay attention when I was practising scales, we did not talk about specific exercises. This is so helpful, and I need it a lot.
My main instrument is the violin, and my violin teacher put quite a lot of emphasis on technique, so I'm quite used to playing scales and exercises like these - on the violin. My beginner's harp course book does have some scales and exercises in it, but the explanations are nowhere near as detailed as Christy-Lyn's instructions. I find it very comfortable to practice technique while someone is guiding me through the exercises. Thanks again :)
just got my first harp yesterday! I was actually practicing with one of your videos as you uploaded right now. thank you so much for everything you do.
Welcome to the harping world, Abigail! You will find that it becomes quite addictive! Christy-lyn has a whole new beginners' series you might want to check out!
I get really focused on learning individual songs via your video lessons and tend to neglect working on practicing proper technique. Thanks for these lessons. It really reminds me to do the work and not just the fun. You're the best!
Aw thanks Michele! ❤️ I sneak in a lot of technique in the video lessons in between the fun, so maybe you don’t always realize that you’re having your vegetables mixed into the pudding 😜
So helpful! For someone who has never hd an in-person harp lesson, this is perfect for correcting all those tiny errors in technique that add up over time. Thank you!
I agree, Bobby. I even had lessons from a great teacher, and it is still easy to get into bad habits, because you don't practice with your teacher right there to catch you. ;) A video is so great, @Christy-Lyn
@@LearningtheHarp I tried playing yesterday, but it gave too much pain afterwards. So rest and patience is the message still. Hopefully the plaster can get off on the 14th september. In the meantime I am going to like and comment on all your RU-vid video's 😂🎶
Thanks for all your comments, you’re the sweetest thing!!! I hope you wrist gets some extra quick and proper healing in payment for your kindness. Thank-you so much!
Christie Lyn, blind Goran here. In this exercise you mention the fingerings, just what I needed. so much helpful for me. Thanks again for excellent teaching All the best Goran
So very thankful for your help. I have purchased my own Gorssi Method for harp book and am looking forward to doing these exercises. Thank you again for your great explications. it really helps.
Wow, at first I was really lost but you very patiently explained and showed it over & over which helped the light clicked on in my brain and I was able to understand how to do it. Now, I need to practice the exercises over & over. thanks, Christy-Lyn.
These crossing videos are gold!! I’ve been wondering about this for a while and now I see the mistakes I’ve been making- but most golden of all here are clear instructions on how to cross smoothly and efficiently through the whole process. THANK YOU!!
As someone who was learning to play the harp myself, without a teacher, for so many years, the tunes just weren't "flowing" properly. Thank you, Christy-Lyn, for providing the basics -- the building blocks for success! I'm so grateful to have specific exercises and instruction so I can start back at the beginning and correct all the little things that have impeded my progress! Thank you!
This is sooooooo excellent and VERY clear! Every detail and naming the notes. As I watched I thought a blind person (think O’Carolan) could learn to play with your instructions. Thank you!
These are indeed some of the most valuable material you have offered, Christy-Lyn. How very rare it is to find step-by-step directions such as you have to offer. Thank you so much for such wonderful advice!!
Great video Christy-Lyn, my teacher has me doing this with scales which I was struggling to keep doing smoothly this video has really helped thank you so much 👏x
I'm still quite new to the harp and none of the pieces I'm practising right now call for crossing over our under, but with your detailed explanations I was able to eventually do it quite smoothly! Thanks especially for pointing out the "web space" between fingers and thumb, this has been so helpful to find the right position. Also, my right thumb might be strong enough to coax a sound from the strings even with bad technique, but my left thumb certainly isn't. If I forget about the web space, I can forget about the sound. ;)
Thank you Christy-Lyn for sharing these exercises with us. I am one who is struggling and I now have more hope that with improved technique I will improve. I love your positivity, it really helps me stay motivated.
Aw you’re so sweet, thanks for your heartfelt message. There is definitely hope! Try doing one or two of these exercises every day for a week and let me know how it feels 😃
Very, very helpful. I really appreciate the time and attention that you give to specific techniques. I can see how being careful with this technique will even out my playing and help create a good tone. I am a beginner with the harp.
I have had a few early lessons with an instructor via Zoom and I have her instruction book so I've spent time on these exercises. Now I'm working on learning my first melody and placing both hands together. I appreciate your detailed instruction and the video. Thank you so much. My goal is to learn a couple of melodies to reinforce the techniques I've learned to date.
Wow, it's really exciting to try some advanced techniques. I felt like a real harpist. Switching directions in the last exercise is still a little tricky, but I'll stick with it. Do you think you'll create some practice pieces with crossing?
Yay! It’s a wonderful feeling when you feel like a “real” harpist 😁 That’s a good idea, I should create some beginner pieces with cross-overs. Thanks for the suggestion!
These exercises are great. I was self taught and for a long time I could i had trouble getting to where i needed to go on the strings. As I played a lot, it all came into place. If I had the exercises then, I would have been more advanced by now. I stuck with it and learned a great deal.
Thank you Christy for that clear teaching. I always look forward to your teaching video. Keep up the good work with your labour of love. i have learned a lot from your good teaching. Keep it up. Every time I watch your video, i learn something new. Learning to cross over and under with the 3rd finger is new to me.
I wondered what could be the difference between crossing 1-2 vs crossing 1-3. Very good detailed explanation, it will help me a lot! Keeping the 2nd finger down instead of pushing it up/back is my next goal :-)
This is a wonderful video! I was trying to learn crossing on my own (my music school closed due to Covid-19). I've been re-writing (taking piano fingering, etc) out of a score, and in the middle of the score (part 2) is a "run" of 7 notes. I've been frustrated at not getting this series of notes smooth at the cross-over and not making the first note after the X sound the same as the previous 4. I'll be running this video a couple more times, to get the concept solid in my brain! Thank You!
you are such a life saver in learning how to do those techniques perfectly and correcting mistakes. I was wondering if you had any stretching recommendation to warm up and relax hands and fingers before/after playing ?
Thank you for all your help. I'm really enjoying this process. I'm struggling to make the top transition fga - agf smooth as I mute the G when I prep for the 3rd descending bracket. I watched your video like 30 times where you do the switch and I don't get how you don't mute the strings.
May I add that moving your thumb gradually under is also the secret to playing smooth piano scales. If you don't move smoothly and "in advance," the scales are absolutely NOT smooth. Oh for 26 hours a day to practice everything!!!
You mean there is more???? Oh oh. 😉 Still getting the fingers untied on scales but more fluid in my movements when I avoid a snafu. Getting there. Thanks Christy Lyn.
Thank you for this lesson! I find myself learning quickly and able to pick up the skills well but I don't know why but it is very hard for my 4th and 5th fingers to stay with my 3rd finger, especially on the left hand! I'm thinking about taping them together.. would that be a bad idea?
I find it almost impossible moving with left had through exercises higher than the middle range on a small 28 string harp. I end up with my elbow sticking out to try and keep the scale going. It would be good to see how you move through the higher octaves re the left hand. The right hand doesn't have the same restrictions.( I'm using a small plastic milk crate to get the low stool height,) ' What else can I do?
You can find a link to the Grossi book in the description below the video, just click “see more”. Or you can just use this video and learn the exercises by heart 😊
