Harp Lessons

Laura Hoffman specializes in teaching students of all ages from beginners to beginning professionals. Several of her students have gone on to pursue music degrees in harp and hold positions in community orchestras. Harp lessons with Laura are enjoyable and thorough, including complete training in technique, classical harp repertoire and theory on both lever and/or pedal harp.

Laura makes it easy for beginners to see if the harp is a good fit for them by offering an hour long introductory “tour of the harp”. Month-to-month harp rentals are available for students taking weekly lessons from Laura. Rentals range from $50 to $130 a month depending on the model. Lessons cost $50 an hour.

Laura answers some of the frequently asked questions about harp lessons:

What do I need to know about taking harp lessons?

“There are many things to consider when you make the decision to play the harp. Most people know right away that any effort to study a musical instrument requires a serious investment of time and money. The harp is no exception. And yes, you do need to get a harp or at least rent one and drive it to your house in a vehicle that it will fit in. I know that sounds funny but I’ve been asked that question more than once! Which brings up the next basic question.”

What is the type of harp I want to play?

“Yes, there are all kinds of harps ranging from lap harps to orchestra harps, lever harps, pedal harps, electric harps, acoustic harps, wire-strung harps and double-strung harps… It can become very confusing and most often it depends on what type of music you hope to be able to play someday. If you enjoy folk music with a Celtic flare then you might want to consider playing a Celtic harp, a wire-strung harp or a double-strung harp. If you want to learn to play the type of harp seen in an orchestra then you will want to play the classical harp otherwise known as an acoustic, double-action pedal harp. This doesn’t mean you have to start on a full size pedal harp. You can start by playing a lever harp that is smaller in size and does not have pedals but it’s important that the string spacing and string tension is the same as the type of instrument you eventually want to end up playing so that proper technique is developed right from the beginning. Even if you just want to learn to play the harp so you can play in church I recommend that a classical pedal harp be the goal. My reason is that at some point you may want to graduate beyond levers that help you change the keys by making sharps and actually have a harp that has pedals which allow you to play in other keys much easier than the levers allow. It is important to realize that you don’t want to learn classical technique on a Celtic harp, nor do you want to learn Celtic technique on a classical harp. The Folk harps, otherwise known as Celtic or Irish harps along with electric harps are very different instruments even though they are all harps and they look similar.”

What should I do first, once I’ve decided to play the harp?

“The very first thing to do is to find a good harp teacher. To start your search you can inquire through your local orchestra, university or community college music department, or you can look at www.harpmall.com. Once you’ve found a harpist in your general vicinity you can then check with the Teacher’s Directory of the American Harp Society or the Studio Teacher’s Directory of the American String Teacher’s Association to see if the person is listed. If they are not I recommend contacting the president of the nearest Chapter of the American Harp Society to see if the name you are inquiring about is known to other harpists in the area.”

How much should a harp cost?

“A good quality lever harp will generally cost $3,000 to $6,000 while a ¾ pedal harp will generally cost between $6,000 and $12,000 and a full size pedal harp will cost between $12,000 and $30,000Anything below these ranges might be suspect and anything above these ranges would be completely ornamental costs such as gold leaf or custom carving. Upon hearing this it is most likely that the ambitious woodworker in your family will insist on building you a harp or ordering a kit harp. Although you may not want to stifle their creativity you will still need to purchase a harp that is well made by a manufacturer with a good reputation in harp building.”

How much should harp lessons cost?

“This all depends on where you live and if the lessons are being provided to you in your home or not (which is very unlikely and not recommended). In general a qualified harp teacher will charge anywhere from $40 to $100 per hour. A master teacher may charge even more.”

Can I take lessons every other week?

“When people find out the price of private lessons they often start looking for ways to cut the cost by suggesting that they only want a lesson every other week. Sometimes harpists prefer this type of schedule, especially if they are busy and not primarily studio-orientated teachers. I recommend that a beginner always start with weekly lessons for at least the first couple of years. It’s important that good technique is firmly established right from the start. Two weeks of improper practicing is harder to fix than one week of improper practicing. Children always need weekly lessons or at least weekly coaching by an adult if their teacher lives so far away that a weekly lesson is prohibitive. But if a good teacher is available for weekly lessons then the best is yours to enjoy and a weekly lesson will help you attain mastery of your instrument and achieve your goals in a normal amount of time.”

How old should a child be when he/she starts harp lesson?

“Most children up to the age of 5 learn through play, so performance driven teaching, intense practice and prolonged focus on technique is not appropriate unless the child is unusual. I recommend that children participate in a music development class such as Kindermusik until they are either 6-years-old or begging to play the harp. Even then it is still important to find a teacher who incorporates a lot of humor, play and the element of surprise in their teaching style. If you have found such a teacher then you may possibly start a child as young as 4 ½ or 5 depending on the student.”

Must a harp student study the piano for a couple of years before taking harp lessons?

“It is helpful if all instrumentalists have a basic keyboard background. A lot of harpists feel that a beginning student harpist needs to learn basic note reading and theory on the piano before tackling the mechanics of good hand position and tone production on the harp (which must be taught from the beginning no matter the age). This is why many people recommend two years of piano training before taking the first harp lesson. I don’t think it is necessary to stall a child’s dream to play the harp by two years. A good teacher can incorporate all aspects of music training with the harp as the first instrument. A child who is proficient on the piano will sometimes be frustrated by having to move slowly on the harp and pay attention to the details of technique. So in some respects it might be better to start at the harp and not the piano.”

Can I learn to play the harp by taking a harp therapy course?

“If you are just starting out at the harp there is still only one surefire way to effectively learn to play the harp. Taking a course in harp therapy does not make you a harpist. Good technical training in repertoire that is suitable to the harp with consistent practice and public performance is the formula to learn the harp.”

How do I go about buying a harp?

“I recommend that a person rent a harp at the beginning just to make sure they have an appreciation for what is involved and enough interest to sustain the above formula. Usually 3-6 months is enough time to determine that. A professional harp teacher will usually have a source for renting harps or provide rentals through their studio. When the decision is made to purchase a harp, your teacher will want to assist you in your selection of a harp so be sure to include her/him in the decision making.”

Is it risky to buy a used harp?

“You and your future harp should have a chance to meet in person before you buy so if you know of a used harp in your area that you can visit and have a chance to play then you might have a good opportunity. Buying a harp on E-Bay or from someone on the other side of the country can be problematic and sometimes more costly than buying a new harp with a warranty, a fresh regulation and new strings. I always add those costs to the seller’s asking price to determine whether the used harp is a bargain or a headache. The advantage of buying a used harp that has been well played is having a harp that is broken in. However some harpists prefer to develop the tone of their instrument themselves. Remember that a good teacher will want to help you with your selection of a harp so be sure to ask/his or her advice before purchasing. Most importantly, there are technical problems that can arise within the structure of the harp, which may not be noticeable unless the harp is examined closely by a professional harp technician . It’s a good idea to pay a technician to take a look at the harp you are interested in. If the harp has been well cared for and regulated every year, as it should, then you can just contact the last person who regulated it to seek their (hopefully) candid advice.”

Are there any hidden costs in playing a harp?

“Yes, there are some unexpected costs in playing the harp. My advice is to budget at least $1000 extra when purchasing a harp. This is necessary for the accessories used to transport and play the instrument such as: transport cover, stool, stand, replacement strings, chromatic tuner, metronome, harp dolly and vehicle big enough to transport the harp and all the equipment! I always alert people to these extras right from the first conversation about learning to play the harp because they are necessities that are expensive.”

What if I have physical limitations?

“Though I don’t specialize in this area, I have taught students with mild arthritis, limited peripheral vision, and learning challenges and I am aware of harps that are constructed for persons that are bed bound. Ask around and see if you can find a teacher who is able to adjust to your needs and make your dream to play the harp come true!”

Upon the harp will I praise thee, O God.