Back Up the Band

Back up jigs and reels on your harp
with rhythm and harmony that support the tune

Part of the Lead Sheet Landmarks series

A live Zoom workshop for harpists who want to play with fiddlers, flute players,
and other musicians, whether you're playing with friends or heading to your local session.
Bring your harp. Come play. All Harps Invited.

LIVE on Zoom

Saturday, October 10

1:00 PM CT · 11:00 AM PT · 2:00 PM ET · 7:00 PM UK

Time zones can vary — double-check your local time at worldtimebuddy.com.

$37 registration

Bring your harp... we'll use it.

Replay included (no pressure, no panic).

All Harps Invited. Absolutely.

Ready? Go ahead and grab your spot below.

Contact

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Payment Methods

Secure checkout • Replay included

When the fiddler starts a reel, what does the harp do?

You know your chords. But when the tune takes off, you're not quite sure what your harp should be doing.

Do you play the melody too? Play some chords? What gives a reel its drive, or a jig its bounce? And how do you add enough without getting in the way?

When someone else has the tune, your harp has another job.

Think piano, guitar, or accordion: you're part of the rhythm section. You're there to keep the beat going and support the melody with rhythm and harmony.

And your harp can do that job too.

You don't need to play every note of the tune. You need to find the big beats, anchor the harmony, and build your accompaniment around them.

Start simple. Add more when it fits.

Because once you know how to find the beat and build around it, you have a process you can use with jigs, reels, and other dance tunes.

What you'll explore in this workshop

  • How to find the big beats that give jigs and reels their distinctive feel

  • How to use both hands to build rhythmic accompaniment that supports the tune

  • How to start simple, then add more rhythmic interest while keeping the beat going

How the workshop works

This is a live Zoom workshop. Bring your harp and come ready to play. You'll hear each idea, try it on your own harp, and play along with your microphone muted.

Workshop materials will be sent the day before the event, so you can follow along & add info as we go.

We'll finish with a live bonus Q&A for everyone attending live. This Q&A portion is not included in the replay.

A replay is included for all registrants, so you can revisit the ideas afterward.

If you register after materials are sent on October 9, you'll receive the replay and workshop resources after the event.

Ready to back up the band?

If any of these sound familiar...

  • You'd love to play with fiddlers or join a session, but you're not sure what your harp should be doing when someone else has the tune.

  • You know your chords, but you're not sure how to turn them into rhythmic accompaniment for a jig or reel.

  • You want to support the melody players and keep the beat going with accompaniment that works for your harp.

You're in exactly the right place.

This workshop isn't about learning to play every tune fast or coming up with fancy accompaniment.

It's about learning how to find the beat and build around it, with a process you can adapt to your harp, your hands, and the music.

Because you don't have to carry the melody to be part of the music.

You can be the rhythm section.

Grab your spot and come play.

Still thinking about it?

Join my harp list and I’ll keep you posted about this workshop
(and other harp goodness).

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