Harp Column Blogs: Carl SwansonArchive

There have been several posts recently about technique, and this is a subject that is dear to my heart.  It is also one of my pet peeves in this country(the USA). I get really tired of seeing students(at all levels)playing pieces that they are technically unprepared for.  I also get frustrated seeing students who study with the same teacher for years and make NO progress.  I'm serious.  NONE!  I'm tired of teachers who simply throw harder and harder pieces at students, and expect them to improve.  The afore mentioned things happen from the beginner level right through university.  So let's see...  What is the problem.

Let me start with a short definition of what I am talking about.  Technique is the accumulated skills needed to play the instrument. But what are those skills?  Simply being able to hit all of the notes in a piece is not enough.  Do you use all 8 fingers in the same way, and get the same tone from each one?  Or does each finger articulate in a different way, and even articulate in several different ways, depending on the passage being played?  Can you play a variety of dynamics with each finger?  Can you play two or more dynamic levels simultaniously in either hand? Can you place in sequence?  That means placing only one finger at a time ahead of the one playing, rather than placing blocks of notes at one time.  Can you muffle individual notes with individual fingers?  Can you muffle individual notes as you are playing?  Can you play 16th note scales over 4 octaves at 126 to the quarter note? Can you play a scale at that speed up and down 4 octaves 4 times in a row without tensing up and tiring?  Can you close your eyes and play chords in all of their positions up and down three octaves without looking?  These are some of the most basic skills  needed to play much of the standard repertoire, and yet time and again I see students working on the Handel Concerto or the Mozart who are completely lacking in these skills.

As you can see, I make no mention of method.  Whatever method you use, the end result should be the complete mastery of these skills listed above.

The curious thing is that, in the end, technique should be a non-issue, and invisible.  Your audience should really be unaware of your technique.  They should simply hear you playing beautiful music.  And for you the harpist, your technique should be so firm and automatic that you don't think about it.  All of your attention should be on making music rather than just trying to hit the notes.  But to get to that point takes a lot of work.  And how do you develope these skills?  Ah, that's a subject for another blog!  Gosh, I feel better already!  Bye!!!