First Harp Book – Bety Paret | Harp Sheet Music for Beginners | Folk and Classical Harp Songbook | Learn to Play Harp with Easy Exercises and Songs | Music Teacher Resource Paperback – March 1, 1987

I have taught harp lessons for years. I always start my students with this First Harp Book when starting. It has fun practices and simple songs that make learning fun. I love this book and highly recommend this book for beginning harp students.

Can’t go wrong with Betty Paret - tried and true! I’ve tried many different authors/composers over the years, and I keep coming back to this book.

Betty Paret's "First Harp Book" was recommended to me by my harp teacher as a way to build basic skills for myself. (I am an experienced adult pianist-turned-harpist.) Not only are the exercises just what I needed, but the songs are nicely arranged, with much beauty and elegance. Playing these songs in a recital or as background music makes the book versatile in its value. An adult student derives much from this thoughtful approach to teaching harp. I like the book and find myself drawn to the material within. A shame that this book is apparently out of print. If you can find one, grab it!

This book is a book of graded exercised and pieces for the harp. It starts with exercises for 1 finger and builds to advanced exercises and pieces. This book is not a method book, and says so on the preface on page 3.The exercises and pieces from pages 3-16 have the lowest note of C3, or C below middle C. Most 26-string, and 22-string harps, can handle that.But on pages 17-37, most (but not all) of the pieces have notes below that, going down to C2, or two octaves below middle C. Most 36-string harps, and some 34-string harps, can handle that.But two or three pieces go even lower than that, down to G1 - the G below C2.Most of the pieces are in the key of C, but a few have one to three sharps (C, F, G), and a few have one or two flats (B-flat, E-flat).The book looks very helpful to practice. The exercises and pieces are grouped this way:-One-finger exercises-Two-finger exercises-Three-finger exercises-Four-finger exercises-Interval exercises-Three-finger chord exercises-Four-finger chord exercisesThere are about 5-8 pieces in each grouping.I haven't used it yet because I just got it. My harp does not go low enough for those lowest notes, so I will either skip those pieces, or modify them a bit.The book really deserves 5 stars. I gave it 4 because I think so many people have lever harps and won't be able to play all these pieces as written.

Ordered this book as a beginner with my new harp teacher. So far, I have enjoyed the music in it and the notes are big enough so read from a music stand by my harp. Love it!

Best beginner book out there. Really gets you started coordinating right and left hand. Beginning excersices are perfect for reaching the next level. If you do this whole book, you'll be a good harpist. However, this is not a book on method. Before using this book one should know the proper fingering positions and how to pluck the strings. I learned those basics in a few lessons from a concert harpist. It also helps that I've been a musician for years.

For a harpist's first book, this is a letdown. It dives right into the music, without identifying the note, or where to find it on the harp.The music is ok, but not very popular.Not for a beginner.

The book my instructor has me work from every lesson. Great for beginners and possibly for those self learning.