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First Harp Book – Bety Paret The First Harp Book by Bety Paret offers a comprehensive introduction to playing the harp, designed for beginners of all ages. This 40-page collection provides carefully graded material to help students develop foundational skills through a variety of easy-to-follow exercises and well-known melodies. With sections covering one-finger exercises, two-finger patterns, interval training, and three-finger chords, learners will build technique and confidence from the very first page. Ideal for Students, Teachers, and Harp Enthusiasts Perfect for private lessons, classroom instruction, or independent study, this softcover songbook serves as an excellent music teacher resource and a thoughtful gift for pianists expanding their instrument repertoire. Students will enjoy exploring songs from diverse cultures and folk traditions, alongside original works by the editor. The progressive exercises ensure a smooth learning curve, making it suitable for both young learners and adult beginners. Build Technique with Engaging Exercises and Songs Throughout the book, learners are guided through practical exercises that enhance finger coordination, note reading, and rhythm recognition. Most pieces are arranged to be accessible while maintaining musical integrity, allowing students to experience the joy of playing familiar tunes early on. Songs Included All Through the Night * Alphabet Song * Andante in C Major (“Surprise”) * Au Jardin D'amour * Barbara Allen * The Blue Bells of Scotland * Bohemian Dance * Bohemian Song * Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes * En Roulant Ma Boule * Flowers in the Valley * The Foggy Dew * French Song * German Dance * Hymn for Thanksgiving * I Gave My Love a Cherry * Judge's Dance * The Keel Row * Lavender's Blue * Long, Long Ago * Night Song * O'Carolan's Welcome * Old French Air * Pussy Cat * Rondo * Shepherds' Cradle Song * Star Dance * Sur le Pont D'Avignon * Swedish Folk-Song * Waltz (Schubert) * and more. Review: Great book for beginner harpists - Can’t go wrong with Betty Paret - tried and true! I’ve tried many different authors/composers over the years, and I keep coming back to this book. Review: I teach harp lessons and this is one I always recommend!! - I have taught harp lessons for years. I always start my students with this First Harp Book when starting. It has fun practices and simple songs that make learning fun. I love this book and highly recommend this book for beginning harp students.
| Best Sellers Rank | #84,790 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1 in Harp Songbooks #19 in Folk & Traditional Songbooks #494 in Music Instruction & Study (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 290 Reviews |
M**P
Great book for beginner harpists
Can’t go wrong with Betty Paret - tried and true! I’ve tried many different authors/composers over the years, and I keep coming back to this book.
N**R
I teach harp lessons and this is one I always recommend!!
I have taught harp lessons for years. I always start my students with this First Harp Book when starting. It has fun practices and simple songs that make learning fun. I love this book and highly recommend this book for beginning harp students.
C**A
recommended
This harp book was recommended by my teacher and I think it’s really great and helpful for learning. The explanations are clear and the exercises are well structured for building skills. It’s especially good for beginners who already know a little, but maybe not complete beginner-beginners. Overall, a really useful practice book!
I**E
What you need to know
This book is a book of graded exercised and pieces for the harp. It starts with exercises for 1 finger and builds to advanced exercises and pieces. This book is not a method book, and says so on the preface on page 3. The exercises and pieces from pages 3-16 have the lowest note of C3, or C below middle C. Most 26-string, and 22-string harps, can handle that. But on pages 17-37, most (but not all) of the pieces have notes below that, going down to C2, or two octaves below middle C. Most 36-string harps, and some 34-string harps, can handle that. But two or three pieces go even lower than that, down to G1 - the G below C2. Most of the pieces are in the key of C, but a few have one to three sharps (C, F, G), and a few have one or two flats (B-flat, E-flat). The book looks very helpful to practice. The exercises and pieces are grouped this way: -One-finger exercises -Two-finger exercises -Three-finger exercises -Four-finger exercises -Interval exercises -Three-finger chord exercises -Four-finger chord exercises There are about 5-8 pieces in each grouping. I haven't used it yet because I just got it. My harp does not go low enough for those lowest notes, so I will either skip those pieces, or modify them a bit. The book really deserves 5 stars. I gave it 4 because I think so many people have lever harps and won't be able to play all these pieces as written.
J**R
Great content presented in easy to follow steps.
I loved this book. I am an adult teaching myself and it was easy to follow and had me playing actual songs in just a few pages.
S**H
Adult harp student values First Harp Book!
Betty Paret's "First Harp Book" was recommended to me by my harp teacher as a way to build basic skills for myself. (I am an experienced adult pianist-turned-harpist.) Not only are the exercises just what I needed, but the songs are nicely arranged, with much beauty and elegance. Playing these songs in a recital or as background music makes the book versatile in its value. An adult student derives much from this thoughtful approach to teaching harp. I like the book and find myself drawn to the material within. A shame that this book is apparently out of print. If you can find one, grab it!
A**8
I don't recommend this for beginners.
For a harpist's first book, this is a letdown. It dives right into the music, without identifying the note, or where to find it on the harp. The music is ok, but not very popular. Not for a beginner.
A**R
Best beginner book out there
Best beginner book out there. Really gets you started coordinating right and left hand. Beginning excersices are perfect for reaching the next level. If you do this whole book, you'll be a good harpist. However, this is not a book on method. Before using this book one should know the proper fingering positions and how to pluck the strings. I learned those basics in a few lessons from a concert harpist. It also helps that I've been a musician for years.
J**N
Harp
Fabulous!!
C**Y
Simple
Simple to use
V**N
Bien
Bien proteger. Recu en super bien condition
S**S
Muy util
Este libro es muy bueno para prinicipiantes en el harpa. Se enfoca mas en dar fuerza a cada dedo. Seria mas facil si ya lees música y lo escribieron con este propósito. Si eres pianista será más facil. Con canciones bonitas
P**O
お勧めテキスト
値段も手頃、内容も良さそうです。
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