Practicing Harp Happiness

Memorizing your music isn’t essential, but developing your memorization skills IS.

Memorization isn’t just for people who want to play without music. It’s also a proven practice technique that creates critical connections between what you play and what you hear which translate into faster learning and longer retention. Even if you can’t remember what you had for breakfast you can learn to memorize - if you use the only method which really works! 

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: 

• Cracking the Nutcracker Code webinar
• My Harp Mastery
• No More Memorization Mistakes Blog post
• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]

Maybe the piece is too hard for you. You could soldier on or you could put it away for later. Which choice do you make?

Neither choice is satisfying. Instead of battling on or conceding defeat, you could choose to fix the problem. Asking the right questions will show you what you need to do to eliminate the obstacles so you can play the piece confidently and with pride. In this episode I will share six key questions and the all-important answers.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Waltz of the Flowers Cadenza Challenge
• Are Your Fingers Failing You? 10 Quick Fixes blog post
• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]

Too much music and not enough time? Here’s the solution you’ve been waiting for.

While this holiday season may not have as many performances as other years, preparing all your music is still a mammoth task. You know the secret is in organizing it properly, but somehow every year you’ve indeed up scrambling to get it all done.

On this podcast episodeI reveal my method for reviewing old pieces and learning new ones in a simple, stress-free way.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Waltz of the Flowers Cadenza Challenge
• Five Steps to Build Your Repertoire blog post
• 30 Days to Done course
• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]

If you ask a professional harpist how she plans her practice, she probably won’t be able to tell you. 

But ask her what she does every day and she’ll tell you her favorite routine, what she does first and what is the most important part of her practice. Pros learn how to practice efficiently and how to get consistent results from their practice. If you’ve ever wondered if you’re missing something in your practice, this episode is for you.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: 

• Two-Step Chord Theory for Harpists webinar
• Spark Journal
• 10 Ways to Cut Your Practice Time in Half blog post
• Harpmastery.com

Case Study: A 90 Day Goal In Action

On this show, I present a case study of a student whose 90 Day Goal was to improve her skill in playing hands together. You’ll see the plan come together as I walk you through each step of the goal setting process from idea to action. You’ll also learn how to adapt this plan for a different skill or change it for your personal learning style, along with critical safeguards to put in place to ensure your success.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Two-Step Chord Theory for Harpists webinar
• Spark Journal
• Why Being a Better Harpist Isn't Good Enough blog post
• Harpmastery.com

Have you spent weeks or months practicing your piece and it still isn’t ready to play? You have fallen into the Practice Gap!

The Practice Gap is the divide between making your music better and making it music. If you’re taking longer than four weeks to finish a piece, you’re in serious danger of being stuck on the wrong side. Revamp your practice system so you never have to worry about getting tired of your piece before you can actually play it.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: 

• Work with one of our Certified Coaches. Register today!
• Get involved in the show! Email me a question, comment or topic at [email protected]
• Practicing Differently: 4 Steps to Faster Learning blog post 
• Harpmastery.com

Confidence isn’t something you're born with; it’s something you build. It’s gradually formed from experience. It’s bolstered with successes and sharpened with failures. If lack of confidence is holding you back, you have the whole thing backwards.

In this episode of the show, I’ll share some of my own struggles with self-confidence and the experiences which helped me grow and get stronger. I’ve also helped many students feel more confident in their harp playing and I will show you how you can follow those same steps on your own.

You will discover:

• The hidden dangers of the “comfort zone.”
• That it’s not really a lack of confidence that is holding you back.
• How you can feel more confident when you can’t see any reason why you should.
• The two most powerful words for building your confidence.

Are you feeling more confident already?

There’s no need to worry. I’m right beside you. Let’s do this!

Links to...

I used to worry about getting the hiccups while playing a concert. Fortunately, those hiccups never happened. But I have had plenty of musical hiccups and maybe you have too. It’s time to make our music flow.

Musical flow, or continuity,  can be hard to achieve, if you don’t know how. In this episode, I reveal what you must do to create continuity as well as what you must not do.  If you have struggled making your music sound seamless, expressive and effortless, this is the podcast episode for you. 

You will learn:

• The three “must have” elements of flow.
• Practice tweaks to instantly create more continuity in your playing.
• My four step system that you can use to incorporate more flow from the very first day you start learning a piece.

If you'd like to go a little deeper, my 30 Days to Done course shows you exactly how to use those four steps to take a piece of music from bumpy start to seamless finish, in - you guessed it! - 30 Days. The link...

Do you have nothing to play except a drawerful of half-baked pieces?

You’ve practiced hard to learn your piece. Now what do you do with it, especially if you aren’t planning to perform it? Keep practicing, and if so, for how long? Put it away?

If you’ve ever wondered how to tell if your piece is really done or what to do with it when it is, you are not alone.

Starting a piece is the easy part. Your energy level is high and you’re ready to dig in. Then the going gets tougher as you drill the notes and the fingering. Finally, the piece begins to turn into music. This is when you discover that you have no clue what to do with it now. 

On this week’s podcast episode, I reveal not only how to decide when your piece is finished, but also the four “finish line” options which allow you to polish your piece for performance, or put it away with pride and a couple of things in between. 

Having a clear plan for your piece is key to your...

 Every harpist wants to play well for her teacher. Somehow, though, we always find ourselves explaining that we played so much better at home.

I know; I’ve been there too. But over my years of teaching I have gathered some insights from the other side - the teacher side - that will help you understand what your lesson really should be about, the right way to prepare, and how to save  yourself from “lesson meltdown.”

On this week’s podcast episode, I not only reveal what your teacher really expects of you, but I also give you my top strategies for:

• Staying focused not frazzled.
• Creating the “inspiration mindset.”
• Understanding what and how to practice when you get home.

Plus, when you listen, you’ll learn about a new course to help you strengthen your technique so those finger fumbles won’t get in your way.

Join me as I walk you through the strategies you need to make every lesson a great lesson. 

Links to things I...