Harp Lessons FAQ

How hard is it to learn to play the harp?

What age is appropriate to begin taking harp lessons?

Do I need to be able to read music before I begin studying harp?

Do I need to own a harp?

How much does a harp cost?

Do you have harps available for rent?

What is the difference between and lever harp and a pedal harp?

Which type of harp should students purchase or rent?

How much do harp lessons cost?

How long are lessons?

Where do lessons take place?

How are lessons scheduled?

Can parents attend their student's lessons?

Are other types of lessons available?

Can you recommend harp teachers in other areas?

How hard is it to learn to play the harp?  Learning any instrument requires hard work and practice, just like learning how to dance or play a sport.  I find that if the student is seriously interested and understands that learning to play the harp requires a time commitment on there part to practice everyday, then most students usually have no trouble learning how to play the harp.  It does take time to learn, however, and in the beginning time must be spent learning how to physically pluck the strings correctly to produce the best tone.  Usually by the end of a semester the student has begun to master playing simple pieces.

What age is appropriate to begin taking harp lessons? My beginning students have ranged in age from as young as 6 years old to retired adults.  I have no set specific age for young students to begin taking harp lessons, but there are some important factors I consider.  Physically, the young student must be able to properly sit behind their harp comfortably and reach the strings, and their hands must be large enough to reach intervals of at least a 7th between the thumb and ring finger.  Mentally, the student must be able to say (or write) the alphabet forwards and backwards from A-G and G-A, have a reasonable attention span for their age, and good concentration abilities.  Still not sure if your child is ready for harp lessons, consider these questions: 

1. Is your child capable of sitting still and/or concentrating on a specific task for 15 minutes or longer? 

2. Does your child enjoy solitary games and activities?

  3. Does your child easily find patterns and solve puzzles? 

4. Does your child quickly grasp age-appropriate math concepts? 

5. Does your child mimic songs heard at school and/or on the radio? 

If your child struggles in several of these areas, then perhaps they are not quite ready yet for private music lessons.  I'm always happy to meet with parents and their children for a trail lesson to determine if they are ready to begin harp lessons with me.

Do I need to be able to read music before I begin studying harp?  While a previous knowledge of how to read music is helpful, it is not a prerequisite for admission to my studio.  Learning to read music is an essential skill that I teach during harp lessons and in small music theory classes. 

Do I need to own a harp?  Students must have a harp to practice on at home; I can assist you with a finding the appropriate harp to purchase or rent that will suit your individual needs.  Lever harps and even some pedal harps are available for rent by various retailers, manufacturers, and individuals (many of these sources require a teacher recommendation).  Please see my Links page for harp resources as well as harp manufacturers and retailers.

How much does a harp cost?  Good quality lever harps for students range in price from around $2,000 to over $5,000, pedal harps cost more.  I suggest looking directly at harp manufacturers and retailers sites to find specific prices.  I strongly recommend that students (and parents) work with their teacher to find and select the appropriate harp to purchase, and I am always happy to help students find the right harp for their needs.

Do you have harps available for rent?  I have a few lever harps available for short term monthly rental.  Students must currently be enrolled in lessons with me or another approved harp teacher in Austin.  Please contact me about rental harp availability and rental fees.

What is the difference between a lever harp and a pedal harp?  Besides size and price the difference between the two types of harps is a technical one.  Lever harps (with a full set of levers) have one lever on each string to raise and lower the pitch of the string by one half-step giving the harpist the ability to play in eight different key signatures without having to retune the harp.  Pedal harps have seven pedals (D, C, B, E, F, G, A); so for example the D pedal controls the pitch of all the harp's D strings and is capable of making the D strings sound as D-flats, D-naturals, or D-sharps.  This allows pedal harps to play in all fifteen possible key signatures and to change between them very quickly.  Because they are mechanically more complex pedal harps are usually larger, always heavier, and much more expensive than lever harps. 

Which type of harp should students purchase or rent?  I strongly recommend that students (and parents) work with their teacher to determine which size and type of harp will best suit the student's needs and goals. 

How much do harp lessons cost?  It is my policy that the first lesson is always free of charge.  Studying any instrument in private lessons is a highly personal process, in which both student and teacher must work well together to achieve common goals.  By offering the first lesson at no charge, both the student and I can determine if the harp is the right instrument for the student to study at this time, and we can mutually determine if I am the right teacher for them in a relaxed, no obligation environment. 

How long are lessons?  I teach twice weekly, once weekly, or Bi-weekly* lessons in time periods of 30 minute, 45 minute, and 1 hour long lessons.  Lesson length and frequency are determined by the student’s age & goals, and decided by mutual agreement between parents, the student, and myself.  *Bi-weekly (every other week) lessons are available only to adult students, and only for 45 minute or 1 hour long lessons.

Where do lessons take place?  Lessons take place at Hong Kong Harp Chamber.  In rare cases I may travel* to students’ homes to teach an occasional lesson for a slightly higher hourly rate, but regular lessons must take place at my studio.  *Travel to a student's home is only available at my discretion in special circumstances based on schedule, location, and need.  Travel is only available for 1 hour lessons to homes within the HK city limits.

How are lessons scheduled? 

Can parents attend their student's lessons?  I encourage parents of younger students to sit quietly, observe lessons, and take notes.  This way parents can see first hand the student’s progress, learn how and what the student needs to practice, and in turn parents can more effectively help with the practicing process at home.  Older students however, may not be comfortable with their parents observing the lesson, and I encourage this option as well because older students need to begin to take responsibility for their own practice skills.

Are other types of lessons available?  I encourage all of my students (of all ages) to participate in harp ensemble.  Many students choose to take longer individual lessons to devote time in the lesson to studying music theory.  When time and enrollment allows, I am happy to offer group music theory classes to students.

Can you recommend harp teachers in other areas?  I know harpists throughout the country, so even if I don't know of a harp teacher in your area I might know someone else who does.  Also you can try looking at websites that list or advertise harp teachers.  Links to sites with harp teacher listings can be found on my Links page, just look to see if harp teachers are mentioned in my description of their site.

Please contact me to learn more about taking harp lessons.

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Weddings & Events FAQ

How much does it cost to hire you for a wedding ceremony or an event?

Will you attend the wedding rehearsal?

Will you play for my wedding or event if it is outdoors?

How does a client secure your services and reserve the wedding date?

Does the client need to provide anything such as a chair or stand?

Does the harp need to be amplified?

Do you play continuously for the entire event?

How far will you travel for gigs?

What will you do should something (i.e. an emergency) prevent you from performing for a gig?

Will you attend the wedding rehearsal?  I usually do not attend the wedding rehearsal, since the rehearsal is usually on a different day than the ceremony.  However, for an additional fee and if schedules allow, I can make arrangements to attend the rehearsal if the client desires my presence - especially in the case of elaborate weddings with lots of music and musicians where rehearsal is necessary. 

Will you play for my wedding or event if it is outdoors?  Playing the harp outdoors rapidly adds to the wear and tear on the instrument.  Extreme temperatures and humidity levels are not great conditions for stringed instruments, and in some cases the weather can adversely affect the quality of the performance.  Some harpists will not perform outdoors under any circumstances, and I do not usually perform outdoors in the winter months (November through February) or in the extreme HK heat of July & August.  My rates for outdoor events include an additional fee, and I have a few special provisions for outdoor events including a large level surface to position the harp on, out of direct sunlight, and preferably under some type of shelter.  Under no circumstances will I perform outdoors in inclement weather.  For example, if it starts to rain you will see me immediately cover up my harp and move my instrument into the nearest shelter, no matter what else is going on at the time.  I require all of my outdoor gigs to provide an alternate inclement weather site prior to my accepting the gig. 

Does the client need to provide anything such as a chair or stand?  I bring my harp, harp bench, music stand, and music to every solo gig.  Other equipment (such as a board for outdoor surfaces or amplification) needs to be discussed in advance as I do not bring that equipment to every gig.

Does the harp need to be amplified?  I very rarely amplify the harp for indoor or outdoor gigs, because the harp typically doesn't need it and the sound quality can suffer.  One church sound technician said as he removed the microphone from the harp, "We took an expensive acoustic instrument combined it with expensive sound equipment and got a $20 guitar sound."  If you are planning a large (300+ guests) event then amplification my need to be discussed.

Do you play continuously for the entire event?  For events lasting up to two hours, I require one 10-15 minute break.  For events lasting up to three hours, I require 30 minutes of break time either in two intervals of 15 minutes or three intervals of 10 minutes.  Breaks are not an issue during wedding ceremonies as there are periods of rest for musicians throughout the ceremony.  Playing the harp (or indeed almost any instrument) continuously is actually quite physically demanding.  I do my best to take breaks at appropriate times, such as just prior to (and during) speeches or presentations.  With a little coordination and planning between myself and the client, breaks can become a seamless part of the overall atmosphere of the event.

How far will you travel for gigs?  I regularly travel to locations and venues throug Hong Kong for gigs.  Travel to locations in counties other than those previously listed will involve an additional mileage fee.

What will you do should something (i.e. an emergency) prevent you from performing for a gig?  I sincerely hope that nothing prevents me from performing at your wedding or event.  In unlikely event that an extremely urgent situation (such as an accident, death in the family, extreme sickness, etc.) prevents me from performing, I will arrange for a suitable and similar instrumentation replacement based on availability.  I know many other professional harpists in Hong Kongs, as well as numerous other professional musicians.  I will do everything I can to find another harpist or professional musician to replace me.  Should no other musicians be available on extreme short notice (i.e. car trouble en route), I will of course refund your money.

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FAQ About Harps & Strings

How much does a harp weigh, and how many strings does a harp have?

What is the difference between a lever harp and a pedal harp?

How do you move a harp around?

Do you have to tune the harp yourself?

How often do you need to tune the harp, and how long does it take to tune?

Why are the harp strings different colors?

What materials do they use to make harp strings?

How often to harp strings break?

Do harpists keep a spare set of strings?

What is a skeleton set of spare strings?

How much does a harp weigh, and how many strings does a harp have?  The answer varies because harps come in many sizes.  A Salzedo model concert grand Lyon & Healy harp is 6' 3" tall, has 47 strings, and weighs about 85 lbs.  A Lyon & Healy Style 22 pedal harp is 5' 10" tall, has 46 strings, and weighs about 77 lbs.  A large lever harp is often around 5' tall, has 36 strings, and weighs between 20-40 lbs.  A small lever harp, or a lap harps is around 25-20" tall, has 26 strings, and weighs 10-20 lbs.

What is the difference between and lever harp and a pedal harp? Please see the answer already stated above.

How do you move a harp around?  Harps are moved carefully and usually in a big car.  For my larger harps I use a dolly (carefully strapped to/around the harp) to wheel the harp to and from the car.  The harp must always be moved with its padded cover on or in its padded case.  There are several ways to load harps into cars, depending on the size of both the harp and the car.  The important thing to remember when traveling with the harp is to always keep the levers or discs facing up or away from any pressure in the car.  You will most often find harpists driving wagons, mini-vans, and SUVs.

Do you have to tune the harp yourself?  Yes, you have to tune the harp yourself and you have to tune it often.  Harps come with a tuning key that fits onto the tuning pegs and allows you to raise or lower the pitch of each individual string with a small turn of the key.

How often do you need to tune the harp, and how long does it take to tune?  Lots of factors affect how often the harp needs tuning.  Changes in temperature and humidity levels affect the tuning of any instrument made of wood.  Moving the harp can (and often does) cause the harp to go out of tune.  New strings require a period of adjustment before they will hold their pitch for long periods of time, so new strings must be tuned more frequently.  Tuning regularly helps the harp strings hold their pitch, and therefore greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to tune the harp in the long run.  I suggest that my students tune their harps at least every other day, and always after they move their harp.  I can usually tune my 47 string pedal harp in about 5 minutes.

Why are the harp strings different colors?  The strings are color coded to provide the harpist with reference points for finding the correct notes.  All of the C strings are red, and all of the F strings are black or dark blue, all of the other strings are white or non-colored.

What materials do they use to make harp strings?  Harp strings come in many varieties.  The low strings which produce the bass notes are often wire-wound and similar to piano or guitar strings.  The high strings in the top octaves of the harp are often made of nylon and appear white/translucent.  The strings in the middle of the harp are often made of gut (yes, actually made from the intestines of cows) and have a fibrous as well as more opaque appearance.

How often to harp strings break?  Strings break for a variety of reasons, usually because they are old and brittle or because they have become worn in places.  The different types of strings vary in durability and life span.  Most strings will last for years, but you might not want to keep them on your harp for years on end.  As strings get old (both on the harp or in the original packaging off the harp) they loose their bright sound quality and begin to sound dull and/or produce less volume.  Eventually strings break, often with sudden changes in the weather or due to advanced wear and tear.  The strings on my harps break on occasion but not very frequently, because I make an effort to replace them regularly and before they get to the breaking point to keep the harp sounding its best.

Do harpists keep a spare set of strings?  Yes I keep and travel to gigs with a full set of spare strings for emergency string replacement.  Harp students may want to keep a skeleton set of spare strings, as a full set can be costly.  Also keep in mind that many of the higher octave strings come in double lengths.  After you replace a string in the higher octaves, you may have enough left-over string to replace that string again; thus you can add to your spare set of strings by saving these double lengths.  Also keep in mind that in the age of internet ordering and fast shipping it is easy to order, purchase, and replace strings within days.  If you have time to wait a day or two, it is better to replace a broken string with a new string from the manufacturer because it will sound better than one that has been sitting in your string bag for who knows how long.

What is a skeleton set of spare strings?  A "skeleton" set of strings a set made up of 4 strings per octave rather than 7 strings per octave.  A skeleton set consists of the colored C's and F's for each octave, as well as the D string and the A string.  The D string can be used to replace a D or an E string, and the A string can be used to replace a G, A, or B string.  Harpists can keep skeleton set of strings only for those octaves with nylon or gut strings.  It is not a good idea to use a skeleton set for replacing wire strings because wire strings exhort much more stress the harp than the smaller nylon and gut strings.  It is best to replace broken wire strings with the exact wire string that is needed; fortunately wire strings break less frequently than other types of strings.

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Music Classes & Piano Lessons FAQ

Do I need a piano at home to take piano lessons?    It is ideal if you do have a piano at home, but you can start lessons by using an electric keyboard to practice on. Most of my students rent or buy small electric keyboards to practice on at home. I recommend a keyboard that has regular sized keys and a touch sensitive response. A touch sensitive keyboard means if you press a key harder it will play louder and if you press a key softer it will play quieter.

How long does it take to learn an instrument?   There is no set answer of how long it takes to learn an instrument. With regular practice, a basic level of playing can be accomplished in a few months. Most of our students take lessons on a long term basis because they want to constantly improve and they find the lessons enjoyable.

I don't have any musical background or ability. Can I still help my child practice?    Yes. Even if you don't have a musical background, you can ask your child's teacher for advice on how to help your child practice. By simply monitoring that they are doing exercises a certain number of times per day, you will help your child to progress. Many parents occasionally sit in on their child's music lesson to get an idea of the proper way a song should sound or how the student should be positioned.

My child is not a music prodigy. Is Lessons just for gifted students?   NO! Most of my students are of average ability. My program is designed to maximize each student's potential regardless of talent.

I am an adult and wish to take lessons for the first time. Is your piano lessons just for children?  No. I can help adults start with any level.. My sistem set up to help each adult enjoy the fun of music education. Emphasis is placed on music for recreation, not performance. Studies show that music slows aging and has many health benefits.

Other FAQ

How do you pronounce your first name?  Elena is pronounced E - LE- NA

What does the term "Pedagogy" mean?  Perhaps the most literal definition is the science of teaching.  Other good definitions include the study of the methods and activities of teaching, as well as the art or profession of teaching.  In music the term pedagogy is also commonly used in reference to the methods of teaching music to students in a one-to-one setting (rather than teaching music in a classroom setting).

What does the term "Gig" mean?  Gig is an all-purpose term used to describe any event where a musician is hired to perform.

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