Everything you ever wanted to know about how to play the Blues on your PEDAL or LEVER HARP! Beginner to intermediate level. Five new tunes, blues history, improvisation, wonderful and clever illustrations, hands on training, the four special scales! Everything you ever wanted to know about how to play the Blues on your PEDAL or LEVER HARP!

The Four Special Scales used by blues players
How to improvise your own solo
Special exercises to "see" the Blues Strings
Lots of blues licks to use in your improv
How to comp using shuffle, syncopation, riffs
Learn the secret BLUES TUNING

From Carol Robbins, jazz harpist with many TV credits: "Congratulations on a book that is creative, well researched, and beautifully illustrated"

From Louise Trotter, "A book on blues for harpists is long overdue, since the subject has been sorely neglected. I. Mac Perry has given us a practical workbook to appeal to classical and pop harpists alike. A valuable contribution."

ISBN 9781619114319. First Lessons Folk Harp is designed for the beginner harp student who has no prior music training. In this book they will learn to read music notation, count rhythm, implement important fingering techniques, organize practice, tune a harp, play common bass patterns and make a decision about which kind of harp to play. Tips are included to help students get the most out of practicing. The songs serve as examples of harp basics, allowing the student to learn while playingvibrant melodies instead of repetitive or trite exercises. This book features traditional Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Canadian, American and Renaissance music. These songs will transport and delight audiences with their simplicity and profound clarity. They invite us to ancient landscapes steeped in mystery, and to experience the traditions of harping throughout the ages.This book presents two new note reading methods based on logical, predictable music patterns that employ cutting edge techniques. They were developed to move studentsbeyond reading notes as single isolated symbols. The rhythm table compares thedifferent note values and rests to each other and visually shows how they are related through counting out rhythm increments. Helpful photos define how important hand positions are on the harp. These are an immense resource for students, allowing them to avoid tension in their hands and prevent injury. Accompanying online audio allows them to play along as they learn.

ISBN 9781619118331.

Folk Harp for the Young Beginner is designed for beginning harpists with no prior musical experience. The book presents two new methods for reading notation built around recognizing common musical patterns over traditional single note reading. Each group of songs has fun, engaging exercises that will build the studentas coordination and confidence. The material draws from timeless melodies from classical, Renaissance, Celtic, English, old-time and traditional folk repertoire.Topics covered in this method include: aC/ How to tune the harp aC/ Reading music notation and counting rhythm, including two methods for reading ledger lines aC/ Recognizing basic fingering and bass patterns aC/ Changing keys with sharping levers aC/ Using brackets to help see note patterns aC/ Chord inversions Additional resources include rhythm practice and workout pages to test your musical knowledge. Helpful reference photos can also be found inside. Includes access to online audio.