2021-03-21 What are you practicing this week?

[Judiann]

Here’s my practice list for this week.

Warmup: Christy-Lyn’s Sailing on a Lake.

Exercises: Grossi pg 9 ex 17, and pg 10 ex 19, with metronome.

Learning: The Gentle Maiden, Crodh Chailein (Colin’s Cattle).

Memorizing: My Little Welsh Home, Anne Crosby Gaudet’s Whirling Leaves.

Bonus technique: Last week I concentrated on the angle of my left wrist, which helped to place my left thumb higher. This week I want to develop more expression when I play, especially for the pieces I’m memorizing.

How is your practice list shaping up for this week?

[Suzannah Shadle]

I am going to try to smooth out Sally Gardens and get through part B of Moon River.

I will check out that link you put up as I don’t have a teacher and am working on technique as I learn it in bits and pieces. I am working now on remembering to place with the thumb high.

[Kathy Reimer]

I’m working on Perfect. So pretty!

[Helga]

I will do exactly the same.

[Victoria Johnson]

I am working on Handel’s Chaconne from Suite in D minor (transcribed for lever harp by Josh Layne) and Kim Robertson’s Glenlivet. I have a feeling I am going to be on the Chaconne for at least a couple more weeks and the Glenlivet probably a few months. 😅

[AnnJeannette Mead]

Hmm a few things come to mind. This week I’m hoping to learn more about music theory, I get the basics but the whole circle of 5ths and major vs. minor vs. “diminished” triads thing for chords is a bit confusing.

I’m hoping to complete the Greensleaves video course I started, and do more focused practice on a particularly embellished/ornamented verson of Yankee Doodle my harp teacher gave me with hands together. There’s some percussion on the soundboard I need to learn, some strumming guitar style and the end, and I’ll try chuncking and metronome practice with that song because there’s lot going on with the left hand for me. I’m new to playing with hands together and there’s some opposite direction movement so I’m taking it slow.

And another goal as always, to maintain my memorization and confidence in current repertoire songs. Also had a local harp circle this weekend and looking forward to the first member meeting on the 25th!

[Katharina Kleidosty]

I’m working on “Feed the birds” arranged by Sylvia Woods, and “Melissa” by Marcel Grandjany. I’m taking a break from Christy-Lyn’s courses until the site is running more smoothly.

[Libby Hitchcock]

Im a little late here but I love the accountability this thread creates!

My week has been memorizing Amazing Grace with rolled chords and May It Be. Practing Red is the Rose. Technique is focusing on pulling my wrist back and not dropping at the end of a phrase. I’ve focused on all of the above and would like to spend some time reviewing theory/chords as I have no musical experience prior.

[Judiann]

@libbyhitch You’re one step ahead of me. Maybe the tip-off was the date in the thread’s title 😉. Some other forums have weekly threads, and I’m testing the idea here. If members are interested and participate, we can keep up with new weekly posts. If not, no problem.

You picked up on the accountability aspect. In next week’s thread, members can decide whether they want to mention how well they did with their goals for this week. That’s completely optional. Many of us spend hours each week practicing alone, and I thought it might be fun to have a bunch of practice buddies. We’ll see how it goes. I also like the idea that this type of thread is an easy place for newcomers to jump in and join us.

You’re not too late — this thread runs for an entire week. For that matter, I might be posting here next July to say I finally learned The Gentle Maiden. 😄

[Libby Hitchcock]

@judiann.maddigan I love the idea of a weekly “practice” thread. Not only does it help hold us accountable, we can see how others practice. I started playing only 4 months ago and have no music experience, therefor seeing how others prioritize or focus is so interesting to me. I am also the type that does need the accountability side when working on things. I am doing weekly zoom lessons, so that does help keep me moving, but making connections here and being able to discuss what is holding me back, moving me forward, or anything else is a wonderful idea. Count me in if this topic continues.

[Judiann]

@libbyhitch I’m glad you’re interested 😀. You’ve made several good points, including the idea of being able to discuss what’s working and what isn’t. What these weekly practice threads are missing so far is the discussion that you mentioned, and I think that’s because they are too formal. They would be better as weekly check-in threads where a group of us can chat back and forth about how our practices have been going. I’ll try a different approach this coming weekend and see how it goes.

[nightthunder]

I’m going to work on learning the low bass notes and the high C octave. I’ll try to polish up This is my Father’s World and practice some more in Bk #2 Playing the harp Beautifully.