Practicing Autoharp at Home

At Let's Play Music, we recognize that your child is developmentally ready and excited for some fabulous musicianship training even though her young fingers don't have the dexterity she needs to practice those skills at the keyboard just yet. The autoharp gives us a beautiful way to grant her that learning experience while letting the fingers have just a little more time to mature and grow.

All first-year students enjoy playing the autoharp in class and a few lucky ones can also practice at home.  For the rest of us, here are some tips for the WHY and HOW of practicing autoharp skills at home without a harp!

Why Practice Autoharp?

Playing the autoharp in class gives students the chance to learn a multitude of skills simultaneously.  

A student coordinates both hands while playing the harp.

They read and interpret the chord map, push the correct button with one hand, and strum with the other hand.  

They establish  a steady beat then try to incorporate chord changes without losing it.  

They sing the melody, practicing their ability to harmonize with the accompaniment they create, and match pitch to the instrument.  

Each child's ability to hear chords and cadences and identify them will improve.  

When it comes time to play piano, these students will be prepared to have their eyes reading and hands working.  

They'll keep that beat and know how to time motions to play on the beat.  

They'll be listening to themselves and self-correcting.  

As they compose their own songs and accompaniments in year 2 and 3, their ear-training for chords will lead to success.

In light of all the learning going on, would you be delighted to practice all of those skills and have it be almost as effective as using a real harp?  

Use Your Book
Your child will make great strides in these skills simply by pointing to the chord changes in her book as she hears them on the CD, or by pressing the chord triangles as if they are buttons and strumming the floor, table or bumpy spine of the book.  Don't make the mistake of under-valuing this simple, elegant tool that's already at your fingertips!  

Option: Download an App 

If you have an iPad or an iPhone at home, consider autoharp apps that you can download to practice playing your Let's Play Music songs.  "Musical Autoharp" by Thumb Wizards is $0.99. 

Another fun option is to play autoharp ONLINE HERE. The letters on your computer keyboard correspond to the buttons, so you can strum by pressing keys or using the mouse to push buttons.  For example, letters E R T corresponds to the F C and G chords.  You could put Blue, Red, and Yellow stickers on E R T and your child is set to play.

Follow the chord maps in the back of your child's Red and Blue semester practice books- you're all set! 

Where to Put Stickers
If you use the app, it does not have the colors of the chords, so  you may be left wondering what chords to play. If you look carefully, each button on the autoharp has a letter, as well as the word major or minor after it.  
There are two keys that our Let's Play Music harp songs are performed in: C or F.  We perform songs in whichever key ensures the melody falls within a comfortable range for children to sing. 

Red, Blue, and Yellow chords will be identified as I, IV, and V chords in the Orange semester. In the key of C, the scale degrees are: C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6, B=7.  Yes, you will be quizzed on this in Orange semester!

You can put Red, Yellow, and Blue stickers on your real harp, or your computer keyboard, but for the iPad app I found it easiest to have sticky notes on the edge pointing at the button (you can't put stickers right on the button.)

The key of C Major

Red chord (the I chord) = C Major        Put a RED sticker on C.

Blue chord (the V chord) = F Major       Put a BLUE sticker on F. 
Yellow chord (the IV chord) = G Major    Put a YELLOW sticker on G.

pg 55 Primary Chords Song, 
pg 57 Chords in Pieces, 
blog post 5 Fat Turkeys, 
and Blue Semester: pg 51 On top of Spaghetti
pg 54 Bill Grogan's Goat 

Here is a photo of my ipad, ready to be played in the KEY OF C  by my 4-year-old.  I used  post-it-notes to indicate the chord colors, and attached them around the edges of the screen.

The key of F Major

Red chord (the I chord) =F Major      Put a RED sticker on F.

Blue chord (the V chord) =Bb Major    Put a BLUE sticker on Bb (B flat)
Yellow chord (the IV chord) =C Major   Put a YELLOW sticker on C.

pg 56 Barnyard Boogie
pg 58 Ain't it Great to Be Crazy?

and from the  Blue Semester: pg 53 El Gallo

Here are the post-it-notes set up for the Key of F.

Make Your Own Autoharp: Easy 

It's quick and easy to go low-tech! One option is to print out a photo of the auto-harp push-buttons.  Now your child will have something to touch while reading the map and singing along. Done!

Make an Awesome Autoharp

I can already see the gears turning in the minds of artsy-crafty parents.  Why not make a full-on homemade autoharp!?

1. Start with a full photo of an autoharp.  Print it out in color (either 8x11 or 11x17).  I email files to my neighborhood office store and they print things for a small fee.

2. Mount it on some foam-core or cardboard or plywood to keep it sturdy.

3. Optional: Do you want to Mod-Podge over the image to protect it forever? 

4. If desired, add texture to the "strings" of the harp.  We used Elmer's glue and ran a bead of glue along each string image.  When it dried it left a ridge on each string that my daughter can feel as she glides her fingers across.  You could lay down a length of fishing line or fine string into the glue as well, to get the texture.  

5. Add real stickers to the appropriate chord buttons. (read on for help finding the chords)

Teacher Emy LeFevre cut plastic sheets into harp shape (this would also work with wood) and machined grooves to give texture for strings and buttons. Wow!

Buy An Autoharp
If all that crafty talk made your head spin, you might be interested in simply buying an autoharp.  The great news is that your family will be a huge hit around the campfire, on long road trips, at the family-reunion talent show, and during TV-free week.  

LOOK FOR an autoharp with at least 21 chords.  15 chords can get you through your Let's Play Music experience, but you'll wish you had more when you start to play with your own fake book of favorite songs.  If you see diatonic vs. chromatic harps, choose the chromatic; it has strings representing every note, like both the black and white keys on the piano.
Used harps can be excellent, and a good buy as low as $100, especially if they come with a recommended case for keeping the harp safe.  Ebay is the most common place to find a used harp and Oscar Schmidt is the most common maker of harps at our level, costing $250-$600 or more new. 
You'll also need to pick up a digital tuner and a tool for tuning your strings if it was not included.

AVOID a harp  that can't hold a tuning or that has pins that seem very loose, which might be expensive to replace.   
If a string is missing or broken, however, you can probably replace it inexpensively. If the harp is not holding tune for more than a few weeks, you may need to replace all strings (we recommend you do one at a time or take it to a shop to have it done.) If you buy a used harp and find that it needs the felt replaced, that is another job you can reasonably do at home with an ordered kit.

 
- Gina Weibel, MS
Let's Play Music Teacher

Parent Involvement is Key

Let's Play Music has something different from any private piano lesson or even any group piano class: parents are part of the class every other week (every month in year two.)

We establish music as a venue for parents to play with, love, and bond with their child.  A child who perceives music study in this positive light flourishes!

Why? The Research

A recent thesis examined the value of parental involvement during music class. Some excellent reasons for attending music class with your child were quantified:

86% of young students benefit from parental encouragement in music-making during class. They are willing to get involved when you show them how. 

Parent involvement during music class helped students feel more competent.

Parent involvement during music class fostered a strong bond between parent and child. They began to communicate and relate to each other in a more meaningful way as a result of shared music class participation.

Parent involvement coupled with a musical home environment improved music retention, plans to pursue music, music achievement, and music aptitude. They learn more because you reinforce it!

Participation in music classes enhanced the musical home environment.

Who Can Persevere?  

An additional survey published in 1996 by Jane Davidson showed that musical achievement is closely linked to high levels of parental involvement. Davidson and her colleagues found that parental involvement is the crucial factor determining whether a child persists with music lessons or gives up.

Davidson also showed that the highest-achieving children were ones who received the most support from their parents, up to the age of eleven. 

Thereafter, children are increasingly driven by an intrinsic motivation to practice regularly by themselves. Davidson goes so far as to suggest that high levels of musical achievement are likely to be unattainable without a positive emotional atmosphere and the support of parents. 

The most crucial determinant is not a parent’s musical literacy, but the time commitment they are willing to make. Successful learning, after all, is a group effort involving parents, teachers and the student.

In Class

At Let's Play Music we've designed parent-day classes specifically to foster parent-child interactions and boost the benefits of your attendance. You're not just here to watch!

Wondering what you can do to get the most from time in class?


Be an example of musical enjoyment. Modeling enthusiastic participation and respect, because you're being watched and copied! Be the best student in the class and sing along.

Connect with your child.  Look into her eyes, smile, give frequent hugs, rock her on your lap. Show her that this is an event you enjoy attending.

Endorse the spirit of playfulness. Laugh at appropriate times, get a little silly, play the games and make faces during the puppet show.  Skip, dance, be silly!

Encourage listening. Train your child to listen to the teacher's instructions by refusing to repeat them to your child (otherwise you'll train her to ignore the teacher and wait for you to interpret each instruction! oops!). Turn off your phone to show that you are fully present and you expect your child to be fully present, too.  Don't chat with other parents to teach your child that she should stay focused, too.

Give encouragement. Accompanying a group of singers can be scary. When your child plays the harp, echoes Ed, or plays a piano solo, give her a big smile and hug at the end.  Use non-verbal ways to give praise and encouragement for trying new things.  Reward effort, not just results!

Enjoy being with him. Your child's first experience with music will delight him because he sees your delight in being with him.  He will sing when he sees that you enjoy singing, that you enjoy hearing him sing.  This factor will do more for motivating him to make music than all the theory he learns in class!

Parents' Commitment

Your child will rely heavily on your nurturing and shared enjoyment to motivate him to study music for several years.  Research showed that until age 11 it is parental drive that usually keeps students in music lessons.  Around then, students discover their own joy in creating music, and blossom into a lifetime love of music.

I have had a few parents say to me, "I'm not sure if I should register Billy for class.  I really understand the benefits of music, and I really want us to enjoy music, but I don't know if he is ready to commit. He's so young! How can he decide?"  

I tell this Mom I've heard enough to know that Billy is perfect for my class. 99% of the time it is the parent's excitement, attitude, and dedication that will determine Billy's success.  I don't think I ever met a 4 or 5-year-old who could comprehend the commitment of a 3-year program. They can't remember anything that lasted 3 years!

You can maximize results at home when you:

Tailor practicing to your child. We know children come with unique personalities.  In our post on Child Whispering, I share how different personalities might enjoy practicing differently. You know your child best.

Maintain the spirit of fun. We value play as part of the learning process. Provide an environment where it's okay to make mistakes and learn from them. It's okay to be imperfect and learn at your own pace. Creating music is a fun, lighthearted, and happy activity.

Do it together. Sing along with the CD and your child. Take turns playing the bells. Play a duet at the piano.  Learn along with your child as he learns new skills. He will love music because he'll know it as something that strengthens your relationship.

Maintain your commitment. If Billy sees that you've lost interest in helping him practice, turning on music, getting out puppet shows, and attending class, there's a good chance his practice habits will waver, too. Students have their own personalities and some enjoy practice more than others, but they universally need some level of support from parents.

Enjoy spending special time with your little musician, and check out other blog posts written to help you find fun ways to play and practice music.

-Gina Weibel, M.S.
Let's Play Music Teacher

Back-to-School Piano Refresher

Let's Play Music classes are starting up soon!  If your child has already completed year two (Yellow Arrows), a few weeks of brush-up practice can really help your youngster get back in the groove for the upcoming purple semester.

The Student Helps Decide

Just as we suggest for the school-year, chat with your child about practicing and have him be part of the decision-making.  Which days will we be in town to practice?  What time of day will we practice?  How many days will we practice (perhaps 5/week).  Make a chart to keep track of each week.  Your child might want to draw a simple 5 shapes to color in, or you might want to make a table or use any variety of printable charts.

Why are We Doing This?

Talk up the joys of returning to class.  "You learned so many great things last year, I really want your fingers to remember what they could do, so you can learn some new fun things!"

Be understanding of your child's feelings.  "Remember how last year it took a while to learn the chords, and was really tricky.  It might feel tricky at first because we haven't practiced for a few weeks, but I'm so excited for you to have fun playing these songs again."

Help him remember his favorite things from class. "I remember how much fun you had playing this song last Spring.  Let's practice it a few times so it can be fun again.  Your teacher is going to be so surprised to see that you're even better at this than you were last Spring!"

Design Your Practice

Even without a weekly assignment from your teacher, you can put together a nice practice routine with these guidelines.  Once you decide what you'll work on (let your child have some input as to what he thinks needs work), write it out on his chart so your he knows the assignment.  Choose one item from each category each week. 

• Warm up each day with a review of the Red, Yellow, and Blue chords.  Use "Primary Cadence"; choose block, marching, or broken style.  Or play the "Primary Chords Song".  Or practice shifting between 2 chords (red, blue, red, blue, red).  If each hand is perfect, move to hands together.

• Work on technique, focusing on curved bubble-fingers and individual finger control.  Play "The Caterpillar Song", "Do Re Mi" (remember the pops?), "Bug Scale", or "Scale in and Out"

• Polish up some repertoire with chording.  Although some of these songs are written for right hand, your child should try it with left hand instead, or both hands if each is perfect.  Use "Love Somebody", "Lullaby and Goodnight", "Tingalayo", or "When the Saints Go Marching In." Several Green Songbook songs would be fun, too.

• Polish up some repertoire with two hands.  Remember to start by playing only one hand (Mom, you get to play the other hand for a nice duet.)  Then get back into playing hands together.  Use "I'm an Indian", "How to Skip", "Practice Everyday" or "Hickory Dickory Dock."

• Learn something new. Be adventurous! Try learning the melody with right hand to Green songbook songs like "Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Firetruck", "Halloween is coming",  "Johnny's Hammers", or Yellow Songbook songs like "Love Somebody." Although the notes are printed small, your child (with a little bit of help) can figure out the melodies to almost all of our songs, remembering to take it slow and look at steps, skips, and intervals.  Mom, you can play the accompaniment for a duet, and if your child learns the right hand really well, learn both hands to WOW your teacher!

Be There. Have Fun

Now that you have a practice chart and a list of things to work on, be there with your child as he gets back into the practicing groove.  Cheer for all the bits he remembers well, and take it slow on the bits he has forgotten.  Focus on having fun (sing! be silly! be surprised! play your duet! play along with the CD!) and remember that a few giggles with your child will buy mounds more success than approaching the new semester with tears or fears.  See you soon!

-Gina Weibel, MS
Let's Play Music Teacher