Big Adventures Small Harps 1A

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Copyright © 2016 Anne Crosby Gaudet

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Level 1A Content
Unit 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
• Open and closed hand
• Playing with finger 2
• Note name review
• Quarter, half and whole notes
Unit 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
• Placing 2 fingers
• Brackets
• Stepping up and down
• 4/4 rhythm review
Unit 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
• Skipping up and down
• 3/4 time signature
• Dotted half note
• Rest values
Unit 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
• Intervals of 2nd and 3rd
• Solid and broken intervals
• Eighth notes
• Ledger lines
Unit 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
• 3-note groups
• Linking groups
• Dotted quarter and eighth notes
Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Single User License 3 Permission to print one copy
Lesson Notes
1
Technique
Welcome to Big Adventures Small Harps! In the first chapter you will review how to read notes
and basic rhythm. But let’s begin at the harp with your hand position and posture. Take your
time learning to open and close the hand properly. Be patient and know that this sets the stage
for beautiful tone and good control.
Open Hand Position
Pretend you are reaching out to shake someone’s

hand. This is the open hand shape for playing the
harp. Notice how the fingers are gently curved and the
thumb is pointed up.
Closed Hand Position
Now close your fingers like you are going to give a fist
bump. Keep your fingers relaxed so the nails don’t
curl under.
• Feet flat
• Tall back
As you sit at the harp, imagine you are a beautiful tree. • Shoulders relaxed
Your feet are the roots, firmly planted. Your back is the
• Float the elbows
trunk, straight and tall. Your arms are the branches,
moving gently in the wind. Your fingers are the leaves. • Breathe
Remember to check your posture. Feeling relaxed and
natural will help you play your best.

Warm-Ups
The music alphabet has 7 letters. We use these letters to
name our strings. C is red and F is blue.
Use color pencils to trace the C and F strings with the

correct colors.
Open your hand like you are getting ready for a hand shake, is your thumb up? Let’s start with
right hand finger 2 on C. Pluck the string and close your hand position. Remember the fist
bump? Relax your hand. Beautiful!
Let’s do it again. Place your finger 2 on C, close fully when you pluck the string. Relax. Then
open your hand and replace on the next string, D. Keep going!
Close, relax, open, place
Play and name these notes with right hand finger 2. Say, “close relax open place” as you pluck
each string. You may want to print the letter names under every note.
Play and name these notes with left hand finger 2. If your harp has 26 strings the lowest note
you can play is the C in space 2.

Notes and Patterns
Name and play these notes using right hand finger 2.
Practice “close relax open place” on every note. You Name and play
may want to circle the Cs with red and the Fs with these notes
blue.

Rhythm Reading
quarter note 1 beat
half note 2 beats Let’s review

some rhythm
basics
whole note 4 beats
time signature
The top number bar line

double bar line
shows the number Divides the music
of beats in each The end
into equal measures
measure
full measure counting

measure or bar
Count the beats as you tap
The distance between the
rhythms or play music
bar lines, this rhythm is
three measures long

Rhythm Challenge
Practice tapping and counting these rhythms. You could tap the soundboard or tap your lap.
Challenge yourself by using a metronome at different speeds.
Slow Medium Fast

60 88 120

Quiet Morning
In this piece, all notes are written in the treble clef. Notes with stems pointing down are for the
left hand, and notes with up stems are played with the right hand.

Try to feel the mood of Daydreams
the piece as you play.
Slow and dreamy

Theory
Treble Clef Note Review
Name the following treble clef notes:
Bass Clef Note Review

Name the following bass clef notes:

Lesson Notes
2
Stepping Patterns
Use fingers 2 and 1 to The bracket tells you to

play stepping patterns. place your fingers on both
strings as a group.
Practice this warm-up with your right hand and then with your left hand. Play slowly so you can
focus on closing and opening your hand. Remember to replace both fingers as a group.
open - replace open - replace open - replace
… continue the pattern down to C
… continue the pattern up to C

Leap and Land Study
Brackets and Brackets and
fingering below the fingering above
notes will indicate the notes indicate
left hand. right hand.
This study challenges the left hand to cross quickly above the right hand. Train your left hand to
leap and land on the two-note group before the right hand plays. This will be easier to master if
you practice very slowly.
nd
& la
& land p
ap
lea
le
LH
LH
This is a repeat sign.

This is a double bar line. It means repeat the music.
It means the end. It means repeat the music.

Notes and Patterns
Remember to place both fingers on the strings as a group.
Practice hint: go through the flashes silently by placing your Stepping

fingers on each group and giving the strings a little squeeze. up or down?

Rhythm Reading
• This is a time signature

• It’s called “four four time”
• There are four quarter note beats in every measure
• This is another time signature

• It’s called “three four time”
• There are three quarter note beats in every measure
Add the full measure counting and bar lines to divide the following rhythms correctly.

Rhythm Challenge
This activity may challenge your coordination! Play the left hand bass notes on your harp and
tap the right hand rhythm on the sound board or your lap.

Misty Shores
Peacefully

Summer Breeze
Slowly
The end.
Back to the
beginning

Theory
Draw the note that is up a step from the given note. Name both notes.
F G
Draw the note that is down a step from the given note. Name both notes.
F E

Lesson Notes
3
Skipping Patterns
Skips can move

from space note to
space note…
… or from line
note to line note.
Practice this warm-up with your right hand and then with your left hand. Play slowly so you can
focus on closing and opening your hand. Remember to replace both fingers as a group.
… continue the pattern down to C
… continue the pattern up to C

Leap and Land Study
This study challenges your hands to change positions quickly. Try to “leap and land” each group
before the opposite hand plays. Practice slowly to master this technique.
land
p&
ea
l
LH
The Bounce and Hover

Place right hand 2 and 1 on F and A. Give the strings a little squeeze.
You are going to play and close finger 2 (F) without letting your thumb come off the string. Now
try letting finger 2 bounce off the palm of your hand and hover over the F string so it’s ready to
play again. That’s a bounce and hover. Soon you will be linking groups.
place bounce & hover bounce & hover bounce & hover
I’m hovering!

Notes and Patterns
Try these practice steps (HOP):
1. Hover your closed hand over the correct strings.

Skipping
2. Open and Place your two fingers as a group.
up or down?

Rhythm & Counting
Notes Rests
quarter
1 beat
half
2 beats
dotted half
3 beats
whole
4 beats
This is a whole measure rest.

It’s worth the value of a whole measure.
?
So it gets 3 or 4 beats,
depending on the time signature.
Tap and count this rhythm.

Rhythm Challenge
Tap and count these rhythms with right hand and left hand together.
RH
LH

Wind Chimes
Swaying

Bicycle Ride
Rolling along

ritardando
a tempo
ritardando
a tempo
ritardando return to the
get slower original speed

Theory
Draw the note that is up a skip from the given note. Name both notes.
F A
Draw the note that is down a skip from the given note. Name both notes.
F D

Lesson Notes
4
Intervals
An interval is the distance

between two notes or two strings.
An interval of a 2nd An interval of a 3rd
is the same as a step. is the same as a skip.
These are broken intervals.

Play one note at a time.
These are solid intervals.

Play both notes at the same time.
Play this exercise to practice solid intervals. Remember to fully close and relax your hand, then
hover, open and place (HOP) on the next interval. Try your left hand too.

Interval Study
When the hand changes position, remember to place both fingers as a group. Placing early will
help you feel relaxed and the music will flow more smoothly.
The Bounce and Hover

Place right hand 2 and 1 on F and A.
You are going to play and close your thumb (A) without letting your finger 2 come off the string.
Now let the thumb bounce back and hover over the A string so it’s ready to play again. That’s a
bounce and hover. You are almost ready to link groups!
I’m hovering! place bounce & hover bounce & hover bounce & hover

Notes and Patterns
Try these practice steps (HOP):
3rd?
1. Hover your closed hand over the correct strings.
2. Open and Place your two fingers as a group. 2nd?

Rhythm & Counting
1 quarter note 2 eighth notes 1 quarter rest

1 beat 1 beat 1 beat
Clap and count the following rhythms.

Rhythm Challenge
Play the right hand intervals on your harp and tap the left hand rhythm on the soundboard.
LH

Lavender Fields
Remember these? ritardando slow down gradually
D.C. al Fine repeat from the beginning
Fine the end
Flowing
Middle E

High A

Silver Moon
Calm and quiet
High C

Theory
Did you notice some new notes in your pieces lately? Sometimes we need to extend the staff by
using ledger lines. In the treble clef, High A, B and C need ledger lines. Play these high notes
on your harp.
1. Draw the following ledger line notes above the treble staff.
When the left hand needs to play above Middle C, the notes could be written in the treble clef or
we can use ledger lines in the bass clef. Play these notes with your left hand.
2. Draw the following ledger line notes above the bass staff.

5 Lesson Notes
Placing 3-Note Patterns

Place your fingers on the three strings as a group. Practice each hand slowly and then play
hands together. The comma means to lift and replace your fingers as a group. Each pattern will
continue for eight repetitions.
continue
continue
continue
continue

Linking Groups
Remember the bounce and hover? Practice these warm-ups again.
I’m hovering! place bounce & hover bounce & hover bounce & hover
place bounce & hover bounce & hover bounce & hover
When you have two groups moving in opposite directions you can link them together using your
bounce and hover technique.
up 3rd down 2nd link them together
Carefully practice these steps so you can learn how to link groups. Step #3 is the tricky part:
1. Place 2-1 on C and E

2. Play C (bounce and hover over the D)
3. At the same time, replace D (finger 2) and play E (thumb) We’re linking!
4. Play D (close finger 2)
5. Replace and do it again…

Notes and Patterns
Try these practice steps (HOP): Place three fingers
1. Hover your closed hand over the correct strings. as a group.
2. Open and Place your three fingers as a group.

Rhythm & Counting
dotted quarter note 1 1/2 beats
eighth note 1/2 beat
Practice clapping and counting these mini rhythms. Set a metronome to 60.
Clap and count each line.

Rhythm Challenge
Add the missing bar lines and full measure counting.
Clap the rhythms and count out loud.

The Fairy Garden
Playfully
Repeat
lines 3 and 4

Leprechaun Dance This piece uses only
white strings!
Lively

When you use patterns to make your own music that’s called
improvising.
Explore the sound of the white strings and improvise a song of your
own. Try to keep a steady pulse as you play. The white strings create a
special type of scale called pentatonic.
For a fun project, go back to page 25 and improvise your own song using the Rhythm
Challenge exercise and white strings on the harp.

Theory
Write the name of each note and how many beats it receives.
Name Beats


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SINGLE USER LICENSE

Permission is granted for ONE person to print ONE copy for

Published by Music Discoveries

Copyright © 2016 Anne Crosby Gaudet

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Open Hand Position

Pretend you are reaching out to shake someone’s

Closed Hand Position

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Use color pencils to trace the C and F strings with the

Close, relax, open, place

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

quarter note 1 beat

half note 2 beats Let’s review

whole note 4 beats

The top number bar line

full measure counting

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Slow Medium Fast

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Slow and dreamy

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Bass Clef Note Review

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Use fingers 2 and 1 to The bracket tells you to

open - replace open - replace open - replace

… continue the pattern down to C

open - replace open - replace open - replace

… continue the pattern up to C

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

This is a repeat sign.

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Practice hint: go through the flashes silently by placing your Stepping

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

• This is a time signature

• This is another time signature

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Skips can move

open - replace open - replace open - replace

… continue the pattern down to C

open - replace open - replace open - replace

… continue the pattern up to C

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

The Bounce and Hover

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

1. Hover your closed hand over the correct strings.

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

This is a whole measure rest.

Tap and count this rhythm.

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A

Big Adventures Small Harps - Level 1A