it sounds ok

I had a blast at Limetree thanks to a brilliant sound engineer. I cannot say how many times I have been on stage and the sound has been terrible - even after I have asked them to use a certain mic and told them the exact settings... I am the last to know as I am quite deaf - I only know if it sounds right by the reaction of the audience... A classic comment from Burnley the other week as my husband Dave tried to help the engineers, after they had blown up the pick-up in the harp and were frantically trying to stick mics into the harp as I was playing on the main stage - 'but we can't make it sound like a harp' - NO!!! - that is the whole point actually! They got it right for the last tune ...

I took my inspiration from a medieval poem about the storytellers who played harp after battles - their strings 'shook the floor'. The resonance builds up as you play and on single strung harps you can 'damp' it with either hand - not so on the multi-strung harp as you have separate strings for each hand. The trick is to have longer strings with a wonderful 'bass' tone and to damp as you play.

As I write I am about to go on the radio yet again - Radio Leeds 3-4 pm Bank Holiday Monday - The Making of the Symphony for Yorkshire. I am hoping that they are able to fit in some of my music that originally impressed Benjamin Till so much - I am adding this just after listening to it - and thank you Benjamin Till and Ian Clayton ... as my step daughter, Olivia, used to say 'you can't grumble at that' !!!

Oh yes, I nearly forgot to say - I am booked at Limetree 'every year' now!