Posture, physical pain

[Markus Faller]

Are you sitting correctly on your chair? If you always turn your body a little to the left when playing, there will be tension on your right side. Try to sit completely symmetrically. Also turn the harp a little so that you can see the strings better and you are not forced to lean to the left. I hope this will help you. Here are some further hints:

Christy-Lyn made a video about that topic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qARN9vzwtSc

or you can read this:

https://www.myharpsdelight.com/harp-posture/

[Aoi Inoue]

Thank you so much. I could be turning my body a little too left. I have watched the video, I suppose it’s important to watch it repeatedly to remind myself.

[Paulette]

Hello Aoi!

I’m a mid-beginner harpist and took lessons with a classical harpist for the first year. She often watched my hands and posture and I learned a lot. I have a couple of items to check:

1. The pain in your wrist may also be coming from your fingers being too tight meaning once you pluck the string, your fingers do not relax. She taught me to make sure I move my fingers and warm them up before I start, even do a few light stretches. If your hands are cold, warm them up under the tap!

2. Be aware of how you swipe your fingers. Firm hold of the strings yet once you swipe into your palm, they relax completely. I did many repetitions to make sure this was happening. Also, take time to practice that before you play. Christy-Lyn has a video on this. I just cannot seem to find it right now.

Hope this helps! It helped me. ~Paulette

[Aoi Inoue]

Thank you so much! I wasn’t being careful enough with the tips you mentioned I think. I’ll try to keep that in mind! Actually it was my waist that is having an issue with pain, so if you have any advice for that as well, I’d appreciate if you could let me know. Again, thank you anyways!

[Victoria Johnson]

It’s difficult to tell what specifically is causing issues for you without seeing your wrist and arm movement on the harp. Canadian harpist and teacher Josh Layne has some very helpful videos in his YouTube series “Harp Tuesday”; you may find this video on wrist and arm movement helpful: https://youtu.be/RTDegn92EUY

[Aoi Inoue]

Thank you so much!

[Learning the Harp Official]

Hey Aoi, If you find after these super helpful tips that the pain is continuing – you can always meet with a Harp Ergonomist like Susan Vaughan for a consultation. Here is a link to her website: http://www.susanvaughanconsultingllc.com/
xx Nicole, LTH Team Member