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World Harp Techniques
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Contents
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
WHAT IS WORLD HARP? ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
HOW I GOT INTO WORLD HARP TECHNIQUES ............................................................................................................................. 4
WHO THIS TREASURY IS FOR .............................................................................................................................................................. 4
HOW TO USE THESE TECHNIQUES .................................................................................................................................................... 5
THE TECHNIQUES ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER 1: AFRICAN HARP TECHNIQUES ........................................................................................................... 7
TECHNIQUE 1: STRUMMING ................................................................................................................................................................ 8
BASIC STRUM: .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
BLOCKED STRUM: ................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
‘‘KORA KUTA’’: ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
RHYTHMIC PLAYING: ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11
STRUMMING PARTICULAR CHORDS: ............................................................................................................................................. 12
TECHNIQUE 2: ACCESSORIES ............................................................................................................................................................ 13
TECHNIQUE 3: STRING STOPPING ................................................................................................................................................... 15
CHAPTER 2: MIDDLE EASTERN HARP TECHNIQUES .......................................................................................... 20
TECHNIQUE 1: TONALITY ................................................................................................................................................................... 21
TECHNIQUE 2: TEXTURE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24
SIDENOTE ON IMPROVISATION: ...................................................................................................................................................... 24
TECHNIQUE 3: RHYTHM ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25
CHAPTER 3: INDIAN HARP TECHNIQUES ............................................................................................................ 26
TECHNIQUE 1: RAGAS/THATS (SCALES/MODES) AND MODULATION ............................................................................... 27
TECHNIQUE 2: TALA/TAALA (RHYTHM, CYCLES) ....................................................................................................................... 28
TECHNIQUE 3: FORM ........................................................................................................................................................................... 31
CHAPTER 4: ASIAN HARP TECHNIQUES .............................................................................................................. 33
TECHNIQUE 1: PENTATONIC TUNING ............................................................................................................................................ 35
World Harp Techniques
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TECHNIQUE 2: NOTE BENDING ........................................................................................................................................................ 36
HOW TO NOTE-BEND: FINGER VIBRATO: ...................................................................................................................................... 36
HOW TO NOTE-BEND: LEVER VIBRATO: ........................................................................................................................................ 37
HOW TO NOTE-BEND: PEDAL VIBRATO: ....................................................................................................................................... 38
HOW TO NOTE-BEND: DEVICES: ...................................................................................................................................................... 38
TECHNIQUE 3: ADVANCED USE OF PLECTRA .............................................................................................................................. 40
TECHNIQUE 4: HETEROPHONY & ORNAMENTATION ............................................................................................................... 40
SIDE-NOTE ON PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH: ............................................................................................................................. 41
CHAPTER 5: CELTIC/EARLY EUROPEAN HARP TECHNIQUES ............................................................................ 42
TECHNIQUE 1: DEVELOPED MONOPHONY --- MOVING TOWARD POLYPHONY .............................................................. 43
TECHNIQUE 2: DEVELOPED MONOPHONY & ORNAMENTATION ........................................................................................ 44
TECHNIQUE 3: CROSS-TUNINGS, CHROMATICS, AND REALLY, QUARTER-TONES? ........................................................ 47
TECHNIQUE 4: FORMS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 47
JIG .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
HORNPIPE ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
REEL........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
SLIP JIG ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
FREE RHYTHM ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 49
CHAPTER 6: LATIN AMERICAN HARP TECHNIQUES ........................................................................................... 50
TECHNIQUE 1: POSITIONING AT THE HARP & EFFECTS............................................................................................................ 51
TECHNIQUE 2: RHYTHM ..................................................................................................................................................................... 60
TANGO/HABANERA/MILONGA ........................................................................................................................................................ 60
CHAPTER 7: THE TECHNIQUES INDEXED BY TYPE & CONCLUSION ................................................................. 62
A WORD ON CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITION FOR HARP ..................................................................................................... 63
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ............................................................................................................................................ 66
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Technique 1: Strumming Let’s start with strumming, as it’s such a fun and easy effect. Strumming isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of harp, but consider this - the Arabic word for harp is “kithara.” Say that out loud and realize that the harp is the ancestor of the guitar! So we harpists were strumming first, actually.
How to strum:
Basic strum: Block random strings with your Left Hand (LH), strum straight across them with your Right Hand (RH):
This creates a very rhythmic, guitar-like sound.
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The most well-known technique in kora playing is the ostinato, also known as the kumbengo. The kumbengo lasts most of the song and is often very rhythmic. Here’s an example of a kumbengo:
Let’s talk about adding melody now. The kumbengo and melody often occupy the same range. This creates a polyrhythmic, three-dimensional sound. Here is an example of a typical kumbengo with melodic accompaniment:
As you can see, there could be some debate about where the downbeat is (I’m using Western notation here, which forces a downbeat, but a listener might feel the RH part as the downbeat, which is also reasonable!) In kora music there is a different concept of meter. It is a more fluid matter, and the downbeat can shift.
Advanced tip: experiment with varying the LH kumbengo chord notes, and add more RH embellishment.
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Technique 3: Rhythm Middle Eastern rhythms are instantly recognizable, hypnotic and driving.
For the characteristic “dum”/lower/bass sound, use lower notes on your harp
For the “tek”/higher/treble sound, use higher notes on your harp
You can of course incorporate many of the rhythmic techniques (such as strumming) that we learned in Chapter 1: African Harp Techniques into these Arabic rhythms.
5ths are ideal when playing these rhythms. 5ths are powerful yet harmonically neutral. They’re also known as power chords in Western music. For example, in “Baladi,” probably the most common Arabic rhythm, use a lower LH E 5th for the beginning two 8th notes, followed by a higher RH E 5th for the answering two 16th notes + 8th note (non-music-readers, don’t worry, you can see and hear these demoed on the videos!):