Harp Effect Technique Workshop Pierre Bensusan
THE HARP EFFECT TECHNIQUE The "harp effect" refers to an arpeggiated or cross-picking fingering. It consists in distributing, as much as possible, the notes of a melody over the different strings, and holding the successive fingerings in order to prolong the resonance of each of the strings, thus creating cascades of slurred notes. The ideal situation is to find a harmonious balance in the choice of fretted notes and open strings, to use well the "liaison" in fretted fingerings, in order to make them flow even more. While certain fingerings are painful for the hand, due to their stretch -- especially in DADGAD -- the pain can be overcome by practicing the fingerings in order to limber up, adapt, and relax the muscles, tendons, and articulations. Please, do not "burn" your tendons, alternate the work in tension during a short time with relaxation periods, go back to tension for a little longer and then relax again, and so forth. If difficulty persists, the fingers can "jump" from one note to the other, while maintaining the effect of a melody that is "plucked apart". In many instances, the left hand is used on the neck, and its alternately ascending and descending movement is logical and fluid. Once that has been learned, it is executed in a single gesture that is coordinated with the right hand, whose action is "geared down". The fingers, passing from one string to the next, are more mobile and rapid, while the left hand, even at speed, is more economical in its movement along the fret board. The logic of these fingerings helps the player acquire the needed ease and agility more quickly, even during fast passages. This creates "hammering" and polyphony through resonances, in the manner of harps and keyboard instruments. In this study, the bass line is an ascending and descending D minor scale, finishing on a C major chord. Make sure to hold the bass notes during their full rhythmic value as written in the score. For the left hand fingers, 1 is index, 2: major, 3: ring, 4: little finger, 5: thumb. In regards with the sequence of the right hand fingers, make sure to not double two consecutive notes with the same finger, but always privilege the logical sequence: thumb, index, major and ring. Try also to roll down your thumb on two or more bass strings, especially if you are playing your sequence on 5 strings with adjacent basses, whereas you will use the 4 fingers sequence when playing on 4 strings, etc. I hope this study will be an incentive to create more options for yourself when developing a new arrangement or composition, and of course, it this technique works in standard tuning as in any tuning. ENJOY! Pierre Bensusan
