Get Your Harp Height Just Right (and make harp technique WAY easier...)

You could be doing all the right things with your harp technique, but if you're sitting at the wrong height at your harp, it could be working against you! I'm going to share some guidelines of how to find the right seat height to properly support your harp playing.

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THE HARPS IN THIS VIDEO:

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Chair Recommendations:

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Learning the harp and want to stay inspired? Here are some next steps:

4) LET’S CONNECT!
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* Just so you know, some of the links and promotions I share are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you decide to buy something. Your support is truly appreciated!

[karissathatcher]

My harpmaker built a wooden platform that brought my floor harp to the right height for me. It was built and stained to match my harp and was wide enough to accommodate the base of my harp with an inch or two to spare. He adhered a piece of lovely black leather to the top of the platform as an anti-slip mat. I love it, and I have received compliments on it!

[MonicaHWWT]

Thanks for the reminder, Carrie! I stopped using the dining arm chair, and I've added a small cushion to my dining side chair. Greatly helped my elbow issues on my floor harp!

[LeDrapeauBlanc]

Great video, I would never have thought about seat height playing a factor in playing. Good job!

[chantal]

Hi Carrie, thanks for this tutorial video. Always good to check if my position behind my harp is correct.
Hope your finger heals quickly😊

[SharonCullenArt]

I have spent so much money on seats. I have the very expensive drum stool but couldn’t get low enough at my jolie harp. I bought it fairly early on after listening to people online stating how great it was. Obviously their harps probably sat higher than mine. I also had the piano like stool but that only offered a couple heights and again I had problems because I needed a seat back due to ankylosing spondylitis. And now I just use a dining room chair. It can be an expensive endeavor being Goldilocks looking for the chair that is just right. It is nice if you could go somewhere to test them. I couldn’t as I live in a rural area so I purchased each one.

[kathilisi]

My first harp was a bit too small for me, and I couldn't find a seat that was low enough. We found a wooden box at a local hardware store that was exactly the right height and sturdy enough to support my harp. I now have a bigger harp, but kept the box to store my sheet music in.

[caliburrn]

This was my problem, and I didn't even know it - I'm self-taught and I had issues playing quickly and/or accurately, and sometimes I would be accidentally hitting extra strings. I thought it was just sloppy technique, even after 1.5 years of playing, and I needed to practice harder, or maybe i'm just getting old, but it was actually because I was plucking from the wrong angle, since I was sitting too low. So for all you self-taught harpists, find a teacher and get at least 1 session with them so they can point out things you might be missing!

[harfe]

Thank you for the recap. May I ask how tall you are?

[kerryharpA]

You didn't recommend putting the harp on an overturned cat litter pan?! lolz, c u tomorrow 😄

[戸田春男-et]

Oh, your seat height adjuster is motor-driven, isn't it?