Big Book of Exercises for Harp by Isabelle Frouvelle

This book has been designed as a companion to harpists, be it at the very first stage of playing, moving on from Play the Harp with Charlie the Kitten, or at a more advanced level. It provides numerous exercises, clear and easy to memorize, which cover every technical aspect of harp playing, i.e. position, placing, focus on the thumbs, suppleness, pressure, evenness, jumps, chords, agility, strengthening, stamina, accuracy, rhythm, pedals, scales and arpeggios in all keys, visual and hearing instincts needed for improvisation, control of all registers...

Exercises are laid out in 24 thematic chapters, and sorted, in terms of difficulty. Almost every single chapter can be started at a beginner`s level, then put aside, and reintroduced later on when some progress has been made.

Teachers have the option to map out their technical guidance, picking out exercises here and there, according to what needs to be learned, reinforced, worked on as a preparation for an upcoming piece, or straightened out (e.g. a temporary weakness).

"I wrote this book after years of teaching and compiled afterthoughts, workshops and classes with the Masters. All exercises have been tested by numerous students, carefully processed, and improved many a time over the years... I hope you will enjoy playing with it."

Isabelle FROUVELLE

CONTENTS

BASICS

• Chapter 1 One Finger Exercises
• Chapter 2 Intervals
• Chapter 3 Three Finger Exercises
• Chapter 4 Four Finger Exercises
• Chapter 5 Scales
• Chapter 6 Three Finger Arpeggios
• Chapter 7 Finger Independence
• Chapter 8 Chords
• Chapter 9 Hands Crossing
• Chapter 10 Thumb and Fourth Finger Slides
• Chapter 11 Cross-Fingering

AGILITY - STRENGTHENING

• Chapter 12 Hands Crossing on Four Finger Arpeggios
• Chapter 13 Thumb Agility
• Chapter 14 Four Finger Drills
• Chapter 15 Cross-Over/Under on Three Finger Arpeggios
• Chapter 16 Large/Small Stretches
• Chapter 17 Cross-Fingering on Linked Arpeggios

HARPISTIC EFFECTS

• Chapter 18 Muffled Sounds
• Chapter 19 Harmonics
• Chapter 20 Glissandos
• Chapter 21 Ornaments
• Chapter 22 Pedals

MORE

• Chapter 23 Keys - Scales and Arpeggios
• Chapter 24 Rhythms