for Agility and Speed

by Deborah Friou

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HARP EXERCISES
for Agility and Speed

by Deborah Friou

8/30 (41

for non-pedal and pedal harp

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Cover art by Linda Friou
Printed by Delta Lithograph, California, USA

All rights of arrangements reserved. Any copying of any portion of the contents of this
book without the consent of the publishers may be an infringement of copyright.

© 1989 by Deborah Friou

Woods Music and Books Publishing
P.O. Box 29521, Los Angeles, CA 90029 U.S.A.

ISBN 0-936661-04-6
 INTRODUCTION
This book was designed to help harp players develop and maintain strength, suppleness, and agility in
the fingers and hands. It is intended for use by players of all levels. The repetition of patterns common to
the harp should enable the player to perform with greater ease and confidence.

A few pieces of music have been included where additional practice of the skills involved seemed help-
ful. The exercises are arranged ina rough sequential order, however, you will proabably wish to skip around
in the book. The pieces, exercises and etudes are in the key of C tuning with only one exception which re-
quires one sharp.

Beginners should be sure to start out playing one hand at a time in the exercises which combine two
staves.

Relaxation is very important. Pause between exercises, shake the hands out, especially when playing
the more complex scales and four-finger patterns. Remember that you’re striving to increase agility as well
as strength and speed. Also be sure to keep your playing at an even tempo. Play at a speed at which it is
possible to maintain this.

Exercises are great for warming up, varying your practice, and moving your playing to a new plateau.
We hope you get much good use from this book.

CONTENTS

TWO NOTE CHORDS ROLLED CHORDS

SGNES bt alas 6 pip-h cio poche > Ob O GBS < 1 lihxee hinen G@hords gaan ec 53-55
Exercises With Two Note Chords ....... 2-4 “The Trees They Do Grow High” ....... 56
Gombining IntervalSste-ns uel mab Meme 5-6 Homumbmn eer Chords mau. cs-neheecme. Seer)
LWA ET BOCK Seater), Gato asurtitrasicacokateas 7 Mwy nem Ceinoe. — i me cee Mats on spake a 60
“LonaGUSLE LIEE BRON MONeS sydeBsOUNs) Gamedwar ota 8 Playing Chords and Single Notes ....... 61
Rolling Chords and Double Notes ....... 61
TWO RINGER EXPRGCISES ime: mci sneer 9-10
SLIDES
TLIREE GINGER EXERCISES) veyes seen JI-IS ‘Thumb Slidess passin, 16 tn isd el ah ley 62
Fourth Bingeroligess =. ca... cro Myce <a cee 63
TRIADS AND INVERSIONS SlIdes With CHOTGdS ecasusen pacers leaastee cout 63
WithiOneibland 2h eons ease ences ce 16 Exercises With Slid@si iis 2 sm 4-0 a) oe 64-65
Key of C Major Triads- TwoHands ...... 17
Descending [riadss se eee ee 18 CROSS-OVERS AND CROSS-UNDERS
EXETGisesn With rlads an aaa cele aey er nenen 10-22: Preparationinyacanwcom ain td sass covery a pecs 66
|
BHAYGCyr) helen Ged oua. pat wan BSc tbauaat Ohee 23-24 One Oclavelscalestinn a ami arioge nes.)ene 67-72
Exercises for Crossing Under ......... 73
FOURFINGEREXERGISES ie.u-n-hemem
onsen ii 25-30 Bxercises, ton Crossing Ovetarwsasre-cn eisuaa 73
Scales With the Third Finger Crossing .... . 74
PLAYING WITHOUT THETHUMB ........ oil EXECNGLEC Ca LCS matte mecikom. iemienneree atey saa He 75-78
Scales With the Second Finger Crossing .... 79
A-2 UPAR ERIN S Sitoieccsigsede
remewr ionciam rte tele 32 Exercises With Cross-Overs and Unders . 80-81
CTOSS-OVEWATPCE IOS weare siete) ony ime 82
FOUR FINGER ARPEGGIOS
Arper ris inithelkey Ot. C 7 meee 33-34 ILEUMteReems Sashes Senn eke S “GLa OMaREW S 83-84
Descending Arpeggios............. 35-36
ArpeggiosinA Minor .....5-.....- 37-38 FINGER INDEPENDENGE ais cas stonsie 85-88
ATER PIOIEXETCISES joacsnirieideNego
i> st emen 39-46
More Arpeggio Exercises ........... 47-50 THEME ANDIVARIATIONS =. ....354.; 89-93
Overlapping Arpeggios: = =. -- - - s - 51-52
 I. TWO NOTE CHORDS
Both fingers should sound together and be of equal strength.

Scales Fingers should pluck into palm.

Octaves

©1989 byJ Deborah Friou

Exercises With Two Note Chords
Practice hands separately first.

:
Sixths Second finger should hang down rather than curling up.
 Combining Intervals

re a
Right Hand

116%
zi 3 2 ‘iFe

Left Hand
~O 22
 Twll Yn Ei Boch

Welsh

©1989 by Deborah Friou

 Annie Laurie
Scottish

©1989 by Deborah Friou

 Il. TWO FINGER EXERCISES
Replace firmly to avoid buzzing. Practice hands separately first.

©1989 by Deborah Friou

ll
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 II. THREE FINGER EXERCISES
Place 3 fingers together. Keep thumb pointing up.

©1989 by Deborah Friou

r r

Practice hands separately first.

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 IV. TRIADS AND INVERSIONS
Place 3 fingers together.

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=
pte et
—4—___________———"_2
G
ok aoe ea a oe

SS

© 1989 by Deborah Friou 16

 Key of C Major Triads and Inversions Two Hands
Fingers should close in a relaxed fashion into the hand.
Descending Triads

Left Hand
Exercises with Triads and Inversions
Practice hands separately first.
if
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REE
tT ti

——_ —_ ——_
HY 1
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| ‘ll ian its 1
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ih ih +H
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ah
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th
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ALT
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 EE
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Bae FSS Ea)
1, ee SE a es Lae
So ae ee [ee a |

Hands Cross Over

ll
Listen for a smooth transition between the two hands.
Etude

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 V. FOUR FINGER EXCERCISES

© 1989 by Deborah Friou

Practice hands separately first.

ea
28
VI.LPLAYING WITHOUT THE THUMB
pay
’S
__#N
Tee

© 1989 by Deborah Friou

 VII. 4-2-1 PATTERNS
Right Hand

Left Hand

© 1989 by Deborah Friou 32

 VHI.FOUR FINGER APPEGGIOS
Close fingers into palm.

Arpeggios in the Key of C Major

© 1989 by Deborah Friou 33

Descending Arpeggios

=i
 Arpeggios in the Key of A Minor

of)
ft Arpeggio Exercises
Right Hand

I
i

3y.
Left Hand
 Right Hand

ae et SS =a Se ——— | [so eae a SS Se

a SeSesa ea ae Ree ee ed ee i (ee ee ee ee Ss eed a ee eS
) ae 0 Eee ae EE a ee i 2 ee eee a Ee Se Sa See sea EA
ee een ee (eed | A WES Ee Ee ee ee a
0) See re EE (a T_T
ee an ee" See See

4]
Left Hand
Right Hand

43
 ee a Ee Ne
LS

SY
Left Hand

414
 Right Hand

Vv.
MSy eee es soe oe cal aes
More Arpeggio Exercises

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47
AK)
 = Saas
——— ee en a es
Et 7S pa eSaes
PE eS as a

—_——_— a = 2 _—— ee = ———' ——

a | SS |
RE BE ee, EE ne a ee ae SS Se a ee as
2? Ean es
’ Ce Eee ee ee a ee 2 aa

| DIS TEA ATED EEE

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a -__

ps] = es pea
ee RS TE eee Ee Je Gee ees
a ES ee I ee ee ee Sey ee ae a ae
es (SS eS Ee ES en ee a ee) Bes Qe og sa

50
 Overlapping Arpeggios Right Hand

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 Overlapping Arpeggios Left Hand
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 IX. ROLLED CHORDS
Notes in parentheses should be placed.
Practice for evenness and speed. Three Finger Chords The finger will then remain on the string.

a” Ese tS
ae PS IT Bey 22S BS r
p
aaa di
i" ea”

Chords of three or more notes will be rolled.

Right Hand Close fingers into palm.

Left Hand

© 1989 by Deborah Friou 53

Rolled Chords Wit h Two Hands
Listen for a smooth transition between the two hands.

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ee
me
io
ep

SS

EESeS ~~
7 a
a eeee

OS MY 2 ey ee 7 7!
2) SS (SS Cs ee 2
nf aaa » { U
AE eR

54
 The Trees They Do Grow H igh
English

©1989 by Deborah Friou

 Four F inger Chords
Notes in parentheses should be placed. The finger will then remain on the string.

Right Hand

Left Hand
Notes in parentheses should be placed.
The finger will then remain on the string. 4 F inger Chords-Two Hands Close fingers into palm.

ass p= =e 8 VSSa
 m= = a ae ee
I

UN
ANN

59
 Mwynen Ce iriog
°

Welsh

©1989 by Deborah Friou 60

 Playing Chords and Single Notes

Sins
SENN

Rolling Chords and Double Notes

 X. SLIDES
Isolate the thumb to execute a slide. Thumb Slides
Practice hands separately first.

© 1989 by Deborah Friou

Fourth F inger Sl ides

Slides With Chords

Exerc ises Wi th Sl ides
65
XI.CROSS-OVERS and CROSS-UNDERS
Practice hands separately first. Preparation for Cross Overs
Sw

Preparation for Cross Unders

© 1989 by Deborah Friou 66

One Octave Scales
68
69
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Practice right hand separately first.

Hh
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ith
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lik
LSi
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71
 Practice left hand separately first.

aL
OS

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3
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oe. =a we
Exercises for Crossing Under the Fourth Finger

| b| off eo,
| | [| | | | | " ligt
.
a,
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1 i H |'
.@F i/4@

Exercises for Crossing Over the Thumb

— a | | \| | —
|

73
 Scales With the Th ird Finger Crossing

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se

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la
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(aN
ENS CS
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Din maa
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4

DS So Sa
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AM Bil in =f JCra mY] aISas
Bl = 3 |eeee

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nS a eee
BF
SS Sa Bes ES eS ee 4

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ll

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ras
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Extended Scales
Practice hands separately first.
 More Scales

Right Hand
|
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Te
Left Hand
Scales with the Second Finger Crossing

:ile
Exercises W ith Cross Overs and Unders

Mm Samos
eS SS
 oyeee eee ee OFbo ya

| I I| | i H t
h Sy
i | | | fl i |a
h| : | i haha
Bimini
Saas
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way Gi

1 Te. DW PS Sosa aeaoas

a

81
Cross-Over Arpeggios

82
 XII. JUMPS
The following exercises should be done with each of the four fingers 7 one at a time.

petite

© 1989 by Deborah Friou

NY
cy
 XIITI.FINGER INDEPENDENCE
Noteseee
in parenthes should beP placed.
2 Strengthening Individual Fingers
The gee:will then remain on the string.

an LS pe Sara Eo
Qe: 21 Rae Re ee OS Sar
Bes J ma ET Se Bt 7, Be Ree Say Sea
ea ee IS i MSS Ee I

(2 eS ed 0 ee BE ee
2 ee Ss ae es
qi) —Ja}-o J +e} feiss Pie | |

2 ee ee Es) Bw" A
OM ae ee ee SC a
no Sa ed Beea ee
BOE ial bal io Bees

© 1989 by Deborah Friou 85

86
88
 XIV. THEME AND VARIATIONS

© 1989 by Deborah Friou

Vat: 3
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 Other Books By

DEBORAH FRIOU

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1D
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CO

ISBN 0-936661-04-6