Harp Lesson

[cdybedahl]

I've just been to my first-ever harp lesson. After some looking a few weeks ago, I finally found Ismahni, a professional harpist who takes private students. So today I went to the Royal College of Music to see her.

Visually, she's almost exactly my opposite. I'm a tallish bloke with long, blonde hair, pale skin and all-black clothes. She's a not-tall woman with not-so-long black hair, darkish skin and all-white clothes. She's also nice, friendly and as far as I can tell a competent teacher. As well as, obviously, a very good harp player. I got answers to my questions, some practice and exercises to do at home (after doing them a few times there, so I know how to do them right).

And now I want to go home and practice. I still like my harp, even though the big-ass concert harp at the College sounded considerably more impressive. One might think that it costing about 25 times as much makes a difference, or something.

Comments

[cdybedahl.livejournal.com]

While it does have a richer sound to it, most of the difference is that the concert harp can play many more notes. My harp plays 27 different notes, one per string. The concert harp can play 329 (47 strings times seven pedals).

Actually, hearing that harp mostly makes me wonder what the really expensive ones sound like. One like mine costs US$295 (plus tax and shipping and stuff). The concert one I got to use today costs about US$12k. The most expensive one in the paper catalog included when I bought mine is US$200k. I'd really like to hear what that one sounds like.