Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Hello everyone - hope I've picked the right place to post this question. I am a new member just looking for other people to chat music to. I've been learning to play the Celtic Harp (clarsach) for around a year now and I'm completely blown away by the experience. I have no plans to perform or join a band, I'm just playing for my own pleasure but, apart from my wonderful tutor, I have no one else to discuss my amazing new hobby with (preferably in the UK but, hey, I'm not proud) - or at least, no-one else who is in a similar position.

So is this the place I'm looking for or is this mainly a place for pros and those looking for other band members? Thank you for any replies! Lyn

Welcome! There's lots of discussions going on here, usually in the 'general' section, and much of it unrelated to music, but you are welcome to join in, start discussions, etc.
Plenty of folks here who work for a living and play music because 'we gotta'.

Wow...Harp...
This is a free for all place I think, not full of pro's.

Is the harp you play a handheld small instrument or
a big one we see in orchestras?

I have to say, Andreas Wollenweider's album
White Winds is a favourite of mine....and I am a Rock guitarist.

I also play BluesHarp...... it's a harmonica, not really a harp at all.

Welcome....

Hi to both of you and thanks for your replies and welcomes. I'm struggling a bit to find my way around the site at the moment so forgive me if I make a mess of everything. Nice to know I won't be completely out of my depth.

My current harp is a 26 string Harpsicle (http://harpsicleharps.com/ - hope it's all right to post that link, btw, I'll delete it if it counts as advertising), which was a great instrument to begin on, but I'm now in the process of having a 34 string Ossian made to my own design and it's one of the most exciting things I've ever done. Both of these are the 'lever' variety (not the big 'concert' type).

I'm in my 50s and have always wanted to play an instrument but never quite got round to it after the usual short guitar/piano stint in my teens. I've taken early retirement for health reasons so at last I have time to learn (and practice) properly and I wish I'd done this years ago. All my friends are very interested but none of them are musicians themselves so it'll be heaven to find a group of people who will happily chat music ad nauseaum without me woryying that I'm boring them to death.

I expect that if you do some searching around in your area you will find other Celtic harpists - I saw/heard a tent full of them at an Irish fest here a few years ago.

They're harder to find here than you might think, Mike. It took me four years to find a tutor! Even now we're very thin on the ground (at least, in the part of England where I live) but I guess that just makes it more fun when I do find one. As you rightly point out, I suspect I might have more success in Ireland.

Welcome . . .

Post what you feel and worry less.
Don't be concerned about if you belong, just be where you want to be.

lyn85968 wrote:They're harder to find here than you might think, Mike. It took me four years to find a tutor! Even now we're very thin on the ground (at least, in the part of England where I live) but I guess that just makes it more fun when I do find one. As you rightly point out, I suspect I might have more success in Ireland.

seems to me you could take over the role of master harpist and give people who discern pro from unpro a good 'what for'... You have ground floor opportunity mate

It's a nice thought. Sadly, I know of only two other local harpers and they're both a lot better than me! Ah well . . .