Laurie Riley and Michael MacBean - Preventing and Correcting Chronic Harp-Related Injury

In 1994, Laurie Riley and Michael MacBean released the third edition of their terrific book, &Quot;Preventing and Correcting Chronic Harp-Related Injury&Quot;. We think it is one of the few books every harper and harpist should own. It is available directly from Laurie Riley and is a bargain at $7. Below, we have excerpted sections of the &Quot;Introduction&Quot; so that you can have a better idea of the information contained in the book.

Introduction: Chronic injury has reached epidemic proportions among harpers and harpists. Many instrumentalists suffer from chronic pain, and the harp, due to some common aspects of its use, has been blamed for such conditions as tendinitis, pinched nerves, stiffness, and numerous related injuries.

Please note that I said &Quot;due to common aspects of its use.&Quot; That is an important phrase. It is not the harp itself which causes injury, but the way in which the player uses it. Like any tool, it is how we use it that renders it injurious.

Many of us do not realize that the pain we feel indicates true injury. We think it comes with the territory, and that pain is the price we pay for making beautiful music. This does not have to be true. It is entirely possible to play the harp for a lifetime and remain pain-free. But if we do not learn and follow the steps to prevent pain and injury, and if we do not listen to what our bodies tell us, we can develop problems which can be serious enough to keep us from being able to play at all.

Many of us have been carefully taught specific techniques for playing which, over time, may have contributed to injury. We have worked hard to perfect those techniques, have been lectured on why we must use them, and have developed a big investment in having those techniques be right. But the truth, hard as it may be to hear, is that there is more than one correct way to hold to harp and use the arms, hands, and fingers. What may be right for one person may injure another.

Each individual has a different body height and shape and different size hands. Among harps, there are myriad sizes, weights, and shapes. Therefore, the individual combinations of harp and body are countless. Each individual must find his or her best technique.

Laurie and Michael then go on to address each area of the body which is involved in harp playing as well as a variety of body positions and subjects. They even include information on how to properly carry a harp without causing back or shoulder injury! If you would like a copy of this book, you can contact Laurie via E-mail at harp@whidbey.com.

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