This post is from a series that shares the “Final BEGINNING Projects” from my winter 2015 “Blues HarpStyle” online course for harp players. students created short videos based on what they learned in the course, and answered 5 questions about what they got from the challenge of this project.

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INGE SAYS …

First of all: thanks DHC for all the input and providing tons of ideas to play with in all lessons: I feel like there are so many ways and options to play the blues on the harp and I am just at the start of it.
Thanks to all fellow students in the course for their support and input and their enrichment in ways/ directions to take!

Thanks to all fellow students in the course for their support and input Share on X

Inge’s Answers to my Five Questions …

1.  Give a short description of what it took for you to get to the place of being able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally

First of all, I could have never done this without the courses of DHC, both “HipHarp Toolkit” and “Blues HarpStyle!” During the last weeks, I’ve started to learn to play the blues and I’m amazed by how fast just a couple of weeks of course can bring you to “take your first steps” and enter the world of blues. However, it still took me a lot of effort and a bit of a different mindset to do something relatively “simplistic” that sounds beautiful on its own.

2.  What freedoms and blocks in yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I think the most difficult to get into the blues is to let go of all the ideas and complexity that the harp can bring and go to a style where the beat and feel are as important as what you play.

3. What challenges did you meet to connect with your own freedom of expression in this project?

I was surprised how automatic I found ways to connect to the style. I spend most time trying to get familiar to the swing feel, which is of course a very important element in this style.

I was surprised how automatic I found ways to connect to the style. Share on X

4. What were your personal “Ahas”?

One important thing I noticed is how easy it is to build up a blues with just 12 bars, plus how easy it is to recognize such pattern once you played it!

5. Is there anything else you’d like to tell people who are watching your video?

It was difficult to publish this video as I’ve being ill the last days, which made it difficult to sing optimally. Still I hope you enjoy!

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A NOTE TO THE READER FROM DHC

Hey, thanks for reading this example of what it’s like to go thru a course with me! Did you have A-ha’s or revelations watching the video & reading the answers she wrote? Add your comments below. Please – no critiques – just share what you learned from someone courageously sharing a project that’s the BEGINNING of a lifelong learning journey.

Check out the beginning of a lifelong #harp learning journey Share on X

Want to do some courageous learning yourself? Click here to register for my next Free Online Training and check out my next online course especially for harp players.