While I can’t guarantee that my email server and yours will always play nice together, here are 3 things you can do ot help make sure you get my emails.

1. Add me  – info@HipHarp.com – to your address book. This saves my email address as a contact in your email system and makes it less likely it’ll mark my messages as spam. You should be able to do that from any of the emails you do get.
2. If you see a button or link that says “confirm your email address” in an email I send, click it to confirm your address.
3. “White-list” the email address info@hipharp.com  – here are the white-listing instructions

You don’t have to wait to get started! The BONUS CLASS “Creating Conducive Conditions” is available as soon as you sign up.

• Watch the Bonus Class here: “Creating Conducive Conditions” BONUS TRAINING
• Share your takeaways in the “Creative Conducive Conditions” TAKEAWAYS THREAD (in the “Harpists Who DARE” Facebook Group.

WELCOME TO DAY 1! Congratulations to Debby Couch for winning Day 1

Add your answers to the challenge AS A COMMENT on the DAY 1 POSTING THREAD in the Harpists Who DARE Facebook group. (If you absolutely can’t use Facebook, you can share your answers with this form, but please only use this method if you have no access to Facebook)

Once you finish watching the video below…

A. Spend at least 10 minutes exploring what you learned in the video with your instrument – make sure to focus on staying at your personal level of technical ability and focus on fluency – not complexity – always remembering that music is about CONNECTION not PERFECTION

B. Go to our Facebook group: “Harpists who DARE” and look for the thread marked DAY 1 at the link above and post your answers to the following 3 Questions as a comment on that thread.

POST by MONDAY OCTOBER 07 at MIDNIGHT PST to be eligible for the DAY 1 PRIZE. But if you miss the deadline, post anyway, because posting all 5 days will give you the chance to win the Grand Prize (also … it’s fun, and inspires others!)

1. What helped you remember the power progression?
2. What do you need to keep your eyes on as you play the power progression?
3. What were your biggest takeaways from today’s training?

• BONUS: If you want to really challenge yourself (and earn extra points, which are each worth a gazillion dollars in the International Space Station canteen) create a short video of you playing what you learned (15-30 seconds) and share it with your post.
• SUPER-BONUS: Give love to other challenge participants.
• ARE YOU A CHALLENGE ALUMNI? If this is your 2nd (or 3rd!) time on this challenge – TAKE IT TO NEXT LEVEL!  Here are some possibilities for creativity. Choose the one you like the best – or try them all!
  • MODULATE!  Play the power progression in the key of C … and then MODULATE to the key of F or G. Can you come up with a new sentence to help you remember the Power Progression in that key? Share it!
  • SING WHILE YOU PLAY! Come up with some kind of song to sing along with the progression. Or MAKE UP A STORY you could tell while playing the Power Progression – try adding a new RHYTHM to progression. Record it with your harp and share it!
  • WANT A SUPER BIG CHALLENGE? APPLY A DIFFERENT LEFT-HAND PATTERN from a different progression! This sheet of Left Hand patterns also use the 2, 5, 1 & 6 chords …. but in a different order! See if you can ignore the order on the page and apply the pattern to the Challenge Progression! Then share your results and how you figured it out.

Training Video:  https://youtu.be/tomiwmL47TU

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE Training Video:
If you’ve taken this challenge already once or twice, try adding this technique this time to take the progression to a new level.  https://youtu.be/hdPCjQ5AJXQ

WELCOME TO DAY 2! Congratulations to Marta Arcas for winning Day 2

Add your answers to the challenge AS A COMMENT on the DAY 2 Posting Thread in the Harpists Who DARE Facebook group. (If you absolutely can’t use Facebook, you can share your answers with this form, but please only use this method if you have no access to Facebook)

Once you finish watching the video below…

A. Spend at least 10 minutes exploring what you learned in the video with your instrument – make sure to focus on staying at your personal level of technical ability and focus on fluency – not complexity – always remembering that music is about CONNECTION not PERFECTION

B. Go to our Facebook group: “Harpists who DARE” and look for the thread marked DAY 2 at the link above and post your answers to the following 3 Questions as a comment on that thread.

POST by TUESDAY OCTOBER 8 at MIDNIGHT PST to be eligible for the DAY 2 PRIZE. But if you miss the deadline, post anyway, because posting all 5 days will give you the chance to win the Grand Prize (also … it’s fun, and inspires others!)

1. The 3 roles in music are: [fill in the blank]
2. What else could you use this technique for, in addition to practicing the power progression?
3. What are your biggest takeaways from Day 2?

• BONUS: If you want to really challenge yourself (and earn extra points, now worth 5 gazillion dollars on Vogsphere) create a short video of you playing what you learned (15-30 seconds) and share it with your post.
• SUPER-BONUS: Give love to other challenge participants.
• ARE YOU A CHALLENGE ALUMNI? If this is your 2nd (or 3rd!) time on this challenge – TAKE IT TO NEXT LEVEL!  Here are some possibilities for creativity. Choose the one you like the best – or try them all!
  • MODULATE!  Play the power progression in the key of C … and then MODULATE to the key of F or G. Can you come up with a new sentence to help you remember the Power Progression in that key? Share it!
  • SING WHILE YOU PLAY! Come up with some kind of song to sing along with the progression. Or MAKE UP A STORY you could tell while playing the Power Progression – try adding a new RHYTHM to progression. Record it with your harp and share it!
  • WANT A SUPER BIG CHALLENGE? APPLY A DIFFERENT LEFT-HAND PATTERN from a different progression! This sheet of Left Hand patterns also use the 2, 5, 1 & 6 chords …. but in a different order! See if you can ignore the order on the page and apply the pattern to the Challenge Progression! Then share your results and how you figured it out.

Training Video:  https://youtu.be/X-wFzfXNnfw

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE Training Video:
If you’ve taken this challenge already once or twice, try adding this technique this time to take the progression to a new level.
https://youtu.be/qjjL6Jf7LVs

In this advanced training we will further expand the arpeggio pattern we learned yesterday by coming back down and then back up again. This will make each arpeggio twice as long.

What we’re doing, in this series of videos, is building up the “Arpeggio Pattern” from the Advanced Modulating Warmups for Lever Harp, which is built on the same 2-5-1-6 2-5-1-1 pattern that the 5-Day Improv Challenge Adventure is built on.

To get a copy of the Advanced Modulating Warmups for Lever Harp, go here:
https://www.hipharp.com/buy and look for that title.

In this video, I also show you how to learn the HAND movements first, before adding the FINGER movements. By breaking down the pattern, and engaging with it step-by-step, you can learn it faster and more deeply – so we’re breaking it down in different ways thru these videos.

Yesterday you learned to adapt the patter to play with 3-finger chords, and even 2-finger chords, and how to rhythmicize the pattern or use different combinations of fingers to play it. You can apply the same concepts to today’s video, though today I chose to focus on how to ground in the hand-over-hand pattern.

Have fun with this and make sure to share what you discover.

WELCOME TO DAY 3! Congratulations to Joke Verdoold for winning Day 3

Add your answers to the challenge AS A COMMENT on the DAY 3 Posting Thread in the Harpists Who DARE Facebook group. (If you absolutely can’t use Facebook, you can share your answers with this Google form, but please only use this method if you have no access to Facebook)

Once you finish watching the video below…

A. Spend at least 10 minutes exploring what you learned in the video with your instrument – make sure to focus on staying at your personal level of technical ability and focus on fluency – not complexity – always remembering that music is about CONNECTION not PERFECTION

B. Go to our Facebook group: “Harpists who DARE” and look for the thread marked DAY 3 at the link above and post your answers to the following 3 Questions as a comment on that thread.

POST by WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 at MIDNIGHT PST to be eligible for the DAY 3 PRIZE. But if you miss the deadline, post anyway, because posting all 5 days will give you the chance to win the Grand Prize (also … it’s fun, and inspires others!)

1. What are 3 different ways you could create 3 roles with 2 hands?
2. If you play only a bassline and a melody line, what does that create?
3. What are your biggest takeaways from Day 3?

BONUS: If you want to really challenge yourself (and earn extra points, worth a fortune in the Andromeda Galaxy) create a short video of you playing what you learned (15-30 seconds) and share it with your post.

SUPER-BONUS: Give love to other challenge participants.

ARE YOU A CHALLENGE ALUMNI? If this is your 2nd (or 3rd!) time on this challenge – TAKE IT TO NEXT LEVEL!  Here are some possibilities for creativity. Choose the one you like the best – or try them all!

• • MODULATE!  Play the power progression in the key of C … and then MODULATE to the key of F or G. Can you come up with a new sentence to help you remember the Power Progression in that key? Share it!
  • SING WHILE YOU PLAY! Come up with some kind of song to sing along with the progression. Or MAKE UP A STORY you could tell while playing the Power Progression – try adding a new RHYTHM to progression. Record it with your harp and share it!
  • WANT A SUPER BIG CHALLENGE? APPLY A DIFFERENT LEFT-HAND PATTERN from a different progression! This sheet of Left Hand patterns also use the 2, 5, 1 & 6 chords …. but in a different order! See if you can ignore the order on the page and apply the pattern to the Challenge Progression! Then share your results and how you figured it out.

TRAINING VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/SZLUbWyJQls 

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE Training Video:
If you’ve taken this challenge already once or twice, try adding this technique this time to take the progression to a new level.
https://youtu.be/IBzhwS8gD0g

In this advanced training, we will create the final CMaj7 chord as an ascending series of arpeggiated inversions.

What we’re doing, in this series of videos, is building up the “Arpeggio Pattern” from the Advanced Modulating Warmups for Lever Harp, which is built on the same 2-5-1-6 2-5-1-1 pattern that the 5-Day Improv Challenge Adventure is built on.

To get a copy of the Advanced Modulating Warmups for Lever Harp, go here:
https://www.hipharp.com/buy and look for that title.

In this video I’ll show you how to create the INVERSION SHAPES first before adding the FINGER movements. By breaking down the pattern, and engaging with it step-by-step, you can learn it faster and more deeply – so we’re breaking it down in different ways thru these videos.

What’s important in this lesson is that you’re learning a technique and using it to end a progression of chords – it’s not important to do it exactly the way I’m showing you. So, once you get the ‘idea’ of what I’m showing you, see if you can figure out a way to do it that works even better for your brain or your hands.

Have fun – play around with it and see what you discover about it and about yourself.

WELCOME TO DAY 4! Congratulations to Sue Johnston for winning Day 4

Add your answers to the challenge AS A COMMENT on the DAY 4 Posting Thread in the Harpists Who DARE Facebook group. (If you absolutely can’t use Facebook, you can share your answers with this form, but please only use this method if you have no access to Facebook)

Once you finish watching the video below…

A. Spend at least 10 minutes exploring what you learned in the video with your instrument – make sure to focus on staying at your personal level of technical ability and focus on fluency – not complexity – always remembering that music is about CONNECTION not PERFECTION

B. Go to our Facebook group: “Harpists who DARE” and look for the thread marked DAY 4 at the link above and post your answers to the following 3 Questions as a comment on that thread.

POST by THURSDAY OCTOBER 10 at MIDNIGHT PST to be eligible for the DAY 4 PRIZE. But if you miss the deadline, post anyway, because posting all 5 days will give you the chance to win the Grand Prize (also … it’s fun, and inspires others!)

1. Why is it called Fencepost Noodling?
2. What are two ways to connect musical fenceposts to create a sense of melody?
3. What are your biggest takeaways from Day 4?

BONUS: If you want to really challenge yourself (and earn extra points, worth 7 pots of premium honey in the 100 Acre Wood) create a short video of you playing what you learned (15-30 seconds) and share it with your post.

SUPER-BONUS: Give love to other challenge participants.

ARE YOU A CHALLENGE ALUMNI? If this is your 2nd (or 3rd!) time on this challenge – TAKE IT TO NEXT LEVEL!  Here are some possibilities for creativity. Choose the one you like the best – or try them all!

• • MODULATE!  Play the power progression in the key of C … and then MODULATE to the key of F or G. Can you come up with a new sentence to help you remember the Power Progression in that key? Share it!
  • SING WHILE YOU PLAY! Come up with some kind of song to sing along with the progression. Or MAKE UP A STORY you could tell while playing the Power Progression – try adding a new RHYTHM to progression. Record it with your harp and share it!
  • WANT A SUPER BIG CHALLENGE? APPLY A DIFFERENT LEFT-HAND PATTERN from a different progression! This sheet of Left Hand patterns also use the 2, 5, 1 & 6 chords …. but in a different order! See if you can ignore the order on the page and apply the pattern to the Challenge Progression! Then share your results and how you figured it out.

Training Video:  https://youtu.be/SNiyNXfiMpU 

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE Training Video:
If you’ve taken this challenge already once or twice, try adding this technique this time to take the progression to a new level.
https://youtu.be/t5Fx9EhRVPM

Day 4: Completing the Opening Arpeggio:

Today in the ADVANCED training of the Power Progression, we learned how to play the final section of the long opening arpeggio and seamlessly bridge it to the ascending arpeggiated inversions. I also gave you a sneak peek at how we’ll be using this complex warm-up to modulate between keys.

If you want to see a WRITTEN version of this warmup, along with all the modulations and two other great modulating warmups, go to:
https://www.hipharp.com/buy and look for “Advanced Modulating Warmups for Lever Harp”

As always, you can apply the techniques you learned in the first video to strengthen your fingers through playing it in rhythms or changing up the order you play your fingers in.

And as always, you can still get a great warmup if you simplify the pattern or even just play it the way you learned it in Day 1!

 You can attend the 2024 “5-Day HARP IMPROV Challenge Adventure” Q&A Sessions 2 ways:

• Via Zoom: Register at the link at the top of this page under “Live Challenge Events”
• Via Facebook Live: Just go to the “Harpists Who Dare” Facebook group and it ‘should’ appear (but you know about my personal technical challenges with apps like that, right?)

FOR THE REPLAY: Scroll down to the “Replays” section on this page

WELCOME TO DAY 5! Congratulations to Lynne Lapidus for winning Day 5

Add your answers to the challenge AS A COMMENT on the DAY 5 Posting Thread in the Harpists Who DARE Facebook group. (If you absolutely can’t use Facebook, you can share your answers with this form, but please only use this method if you have no access to Facebook)

Once you finish watching the video below…

A. Spend at least 10 minutes exploring what you learned in the video with your instrument – make sure to focus on staying at your personal level of technical ability and focus on fluency – not complexity – always remembering that music is about CONNECTION not PERFECTION

B. Go to our Facebook group: “Harpists who DARE” and look for the thread marked DAY 5 at the link above and post your answers to the following 3 Questions as a comment on that thread.

POST by FRIDAY OCTOBER 11 at MIDNIGHT PST to be eligible for the DAY 5 PRIZE. But if you miss the deadline, post anyway, because posting all 5 days will give you the chance to win the Grand Prize (also … it’s fun, and inspires others!)

1. What are the 5 parts of the basic arrangement form?
2. When you play, which should you do:
   A. Make sure you get it absolutely right. Stop to fix anything that sounds wrong.
   B. Don’t stop, no matter what. Even if every single note sounds wrong, play through the form of the arrangement as if every note was golden
3. What are your biggest takeaways from Day 5?

BONUS: If you want to really challenge yourself (and earn wooden gold doubloons worth a fortune in Atlantis!) create a short video of you playing the arrangement I outlined, using “Ode to Joy” or any other very short tune. Keep the video short, preferably under 90 seconds – and share it with your post.

SUPER-BONUS: Give love to other challenge participants and what they’ve shared

ARE YOU A CHALLENGE ALUMNI? If this is your 2nd (or 3rd!) time on this challenge – TAKE IT TO NEXT LEVEL!  Here are some possibilities for creativity. Choose the one you like the best – or try them all!

• • MODULATE!  Play the power progression in the key of C … and then MODULATE to the key of F or G. Can you come up with a new sentence to help you remember the Power Progression in that key? Share it!
  • SING WHILE YOU PLAY! Come up with some kind of song to sing along with the progression. Or MAKE UP A STORY you could tell while playing the Power Progression – try adding a new RHYTHM to progression. Record it with your harp and share it!
  • WANT A SUPER BIG CHALLENGE? APPLY A DIFFERENT LEFT-HAND PATTERN from a different progression!
    This sheet of Left Hand patterns also use the 2, 5, 1 & 6 chords …. but in a different order! See if you can ignore the order on the page and apply the pattern to the Challenge Progression! Then share your results and how you figured it out.

Get ready to learn what happens next and DOWNLOAD the HANDOUT!

Training Video:  https://youtu.be/fEbt5P2YOds
Download the HANDOUT:  5-Day Harp IMPROV Challenge Takeaways & Handout

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE Training Video:
If you’ve taken this challenge already once or twice, try adding this technique this time to take the progression to a new level: https://youtu.be/tUZIW3DQV5o

DAY 5-Advanced: The Modulation Part of the Warmup Pattern

[NOTE: TOMORROW I’ll share the full warmup so you can see how it all fits together – Unless I’m able to complete it tonight!]

Today in the ADVANCED training of the Power Progression, we learned how to create the MODULATION section of this warmup.

If you want to see a WRITTEN version of this warmup, along with all the modulations and two other great modulating warmups, go to:
https://www.hipharp.com/buy and look for “Advanced Modulating Warmups for Lever Harp”

Tomorrow I’ll share an overview of the whole warmup. In the meantime, just focus on each part separately and then you’ll see how they all fit together.

As always, you can apply the techniques you learned in the first video to strengthen your fingers through playing it in rhythms or changing up the order you play your fingers in.

And as always, you can still get a great warmup if you simplify the pattern or even just play it the way you learned it in Day 1!

WELCOME TO THE GRAND PRIZE THREAD! Congratulations to Teresa Ullmann for winning the Grand Prize

• Add your answers to the challenge AS A COMMENT on the GRAND PRIZE Posting Thread in the Harpists Who DARE Facebook group. [The posting thread will be linked when this toggle is opened] (If you absolutely can’t use Facebook, you can share your answers with this form, but please only use this method if you have no access to Facebook)
• The Grand Prize will be drawn at MONDAY’s Wrap-up Masterclass & Grand Prize Drawing. Register for that event the top of this page under LIVE Challenge Events (you don’t have to be present to win – you only have to complete all the requirements below)

 Now you have a chance to complete anything you missed and the chance to win the Grand Prize!

—————————————
3-FULL MONTHS of HIP HARP ACADEMY MEMBERSHIP

Total: $876+ Value
—————————————

The DEADLINE to post for the Grand Prize is MONDAY, OCT. 14 at 6 AM EST (which happens to be midnight in Hawaii)

TO QUALIFY for the GRAND PRIZE,  here’s what you need to do: 

(1) Make sure to post all 5 assignments (daily posts) from the challenge in the corresponding daily threads (make sure they are posted in the right place – you can link to the right threads in each section of this page). 

AND… 

(2) Comment on the GRAND PRIZE THREAD in our Facebook Group “Harpists Who DARE” with the answers to the following questions:

1) What are your 3 biggest takeaways from this challenge and how will they impact your playing and creative life?

2) What was your favorite part about working with Deborah in this Challenge? 

3) What’s the most surprising thing you discovered about yourself through this Improv Challenge?

(3) BONUS:  If you want to get ONE EXTRA ENTRY for the drawing (optional) you can:

 Share the challenge on YOUR Facebook profile. In your post, include:

1. The biggest thing you learned
2. What you loved most about the challenge
3. Where people can sign up: https://www.hipharp.com/5dhic-optin

Then share a link to that post in the GRAND PRIZE THREAD (that means you’ll have TWO comment/posts in the GRAND PRIZE THREAD – and TWO chances to win the Grand Prize). (The Deadline is above … in red – and the Grand Prize thread link is at the top of this toggle)

DON’T MISS OUR final LIVE MASTERCLASS & GRAND PRIZE CELEBRATION  on MONDAY, OCT. 14 at 1:30 pm EST,  where I share my biggest lessons, secrets and insights about improvisation, show you YOUR next steps  – and how you can take everything you learned in this challenge apply it to your creative goals and dreams. Hold your place and put it on your calendar – use the link at the top of this Home page.

The Final Advanced Training Video 

Whew! This was much more involved than I’d thought it would be! But I hope it’s helpful in seeing how what you’ve learned in the last few days and how it looks on the page.

 You can attend the 2024″ Structure is Freedom Live Webinar ” and Q&A Sessions in 2 ways:

• Via Zoom: Register at the link at the top of this page under “Live Challenge Events”
• Via Facebook Live: Just go to the “Harpists Who Dare” Facebook group and it ‘should’ appear (but you know about my personal technical challenges with apps like that, right?)

HANDOUT FOR SAT OCT 12, 2024 “STRUCTURE IS FREEDOM” WEBINAR

FOR THE REPLAY: Scroll down to the “Replay” section on this page