I have just posted four videos on YouTube, something that I have been going to do for ages. Part of what was stopping me was the question of how to actually go about making them. I had had a few attempts with the stock standard editing programme that came with my computer but it just seemed to have a mind of its own. But I often have that problem with computers- either I break down or they do. Or quite frequently both.

As part of my travels around the web I had come across the programme Animoto that seemed to promise great things including being ‘shockingly easy to use’. Just my cup of tea. Having now made 6 videos with this programme I can see both good and bad points to it.

It is certainly is easy. The programming equivalent of point and click. And some of the options are great. I’m particularly proud of the ‘Roads go ever, ever on’ video with the gorgeous graphics and photographs courtesy of Animoto. If I was being fussy I would probably say that it would be good to have a few more video styles to choose from, and perhaps a wider range of photographs- there are lots of flowers and shots of Paris and Las Vegas. I haven’t investigated the range of music available for use with the site so can’t comment on that.

The major issue I came across is probably related to its ease of use- namely a lack of control in the editing process. While it is great that Animoto will ‘intuitively’ read your video and music and pace things accordingly, it was hard to gain exactly the outcome I would have liked. You can ask for repeated remixes of the video to be made, each one coming with different timings and effects, but if you like the first bit of mix 1 and the second bit of mix 3 then there is nothing you can do to put the two together. Except keep asking for remixes in the hope that it might come up with the goods.

And with no preview button this means a full video production for each remix. And this can take time to do. Especially if your computer is like mine and not what you would call up to date. So I would hit the remix button, go away and do something else for 15 minutes and then come back to check on the progress. And then do it all again. And again. Eight times all up for ‘Roads go ever, ever on’. It took all day.

And while it is great that Animoto emails you when it’s ready, there is no option to turn this off so my mailbox has become full to overflowing with notification emails about completed videos.

Just to continue my rant, the really annoying thing about this programme is that you cannot make the music fit the images or the images fit the music. The video plays until one or the other runs out and there is not much you can do about it.

For the first two movements of ‘Mists of Islay’ I had carefully chosen the images I wanted. I didn’t want to add more or it would spoil the consistency of the visuals. I couldn’t extend the time the photos are on screen except with a short ‘highlight’. And so this means that Animoto won’t play the full sound track. No more photos? Right, that’s the end then…

So my apologies for the fade out but short of including every photo of the harp I have ever taken I couldn’t get the full sound track to play. And I couldn’t find any suitably ‘misty’ photos in the Animoto collection.

So would I use it again? Well, I do like the video effects and as I said I am particularly taken with ‘Roads go ever, ever on’ even if it took an alarmingly long time to get the video to end at a suitable point of the music (editing goes ever, ever on…). For a basic video it would really be ‘shockingly easy’. But something that combines these facets with a bit more creative control would be my idea of a good programme.

Check out the 'Videos' page on the website or visit http://www.youtube.com/user/melbourneharpmusic?feature=mhee

Played a thought provoking gig this week- a book launch for the Institute of Public Administration. The book in question was entitled ‘Portraits of Women in Public Service’ and features a raft of high achieving women. Likewise the launch was peppered with well-known women such as Christine Nixon and Elizabeth Proust.

And so I found myself thinking about inspiring women of the harp world. Who is it who encourages me in my music making? And here are a few stand out examples:

Marie Antoinette

Remembered by history for all the wrong reasons, but her support of the harp and her personal dedication to playing were crucial in saving the instrument from oblivion.

Henriette Renie

A woman in a man’s world. She was absolutely focused on her music making, and fought to have her art recognised at a time when her gender and religion could have so easily marked the end of her career before it ever really began. Love her music- such a joy to play.

Catrin Finch

Met her while studying in Wales and was just blown away by her musicianship and friendly, open stage presence.

Deborah Henson-Conant

I could never do what she does, but someone who is just so out there is exactly what the harp world needs. (Plus she’s kind enough to follow me on Twitter!)

Given that the majority of harpists are and have been women, narrowing down the list can be tricky. Have I left out someone I shouldn’t?

If you were into the recent Royal Wedding, or even if you weren’t for that matter, details of Catherine and William’s Big Day still make for interesting reading. And never more so than when you yourself are planning a wedding. Anyone’s wedding becomes that much more interesting when you can compare it with you own, particularly if you think yours comes out on top!

It’s always great to see what others do, and potentially borrow/replicate what has gone before. This is one of the major benefits of attending a Wedding Expo (and a bit of a side benefit to going to a friend’s Big Day!)

With a Royal Wedding of course only some things can be borrowed. Closing down the streets of London is not really that feasible for the average bridal couple. But what about adding a bit of lace to the dress, or maybe, just maybe, hiring a harp?

Yes, Royal Harpist Claire Jones played for the couple’s reception at Buckingham Palace, a detail of the big day universally referred to in the harping world as ‘the wedding gig of the century’.

What has really sparked interest has been the way in which the harp was used. According to an interview with Claire Jones in ‘Harp Column’ magazine the harp had a dual purpose. It was used not just for background entertainment but was placed on a small stage with chairs around it for guests to sit and listen if they wished

(The former) Kate Middleton had put together quite a list of requests including Handel’s Prelude and Toccata, and his Harp Concerto, as well as works by Tchaikovsky, Parish-Alvars and CPE Bach. Definitely not your commonplace wedding repertoire, but the choices of a remarkably well informed bride.

So if you’re looking for some music with a difference, something that will add that really special visual and musical touch, no need to book the choir of Westminster Abbey. Nothing will say ‘class’ to your guests quite like a harp!

This weekend of weddings has been a fine reminder of the importance of wet weather backups! With record amounts of rainfall and stormy conditions prevalent any outdoor events were pretty much doomed.

Whenever an outdoor function is planned it is always imagined with the background of perfect weather conditions. And when that happens it is great. But we all know what Melbourne’s weather can be like...

Weekends such as this one are always difficult especially for a bride and groom loath to let go their often long-held dream of an outdoor wedding. But when the unfortunate reality is storm clouds rather than the fluffy white kind the hard decision has to be faced.

While no one wants to see a bridal couple disappointed with any aspect of their wedding ,no bridal couple wants to have the wedding which is remembered for everyone getting soaked! So the moral of the weekend- have a wet weather option and don’t be afraid to use it!

The harp and I actually got to be in a play last week, treading the boards at the La Mama theatre in Carlton. My previous experiences of productions has largely involved squeezing into an orchestral pit and being told what to do, which turned out to be completely the wrong preparation for this particular occasion.

I had been approached a few months back by director Catherine Hill to be part of an adaption of ‘The Beckoning Fair One’, a labour of love for herself and writer Abe Pogos. Based on the classic ghost story by Oliver Onions the adaption required a harp to represent the ghost with the traditional Welsh melody ‘The Beckoning Fair One’.  “No problems” said I, assuming wrongly that I would just turn up, play ‘The Beckoning Fair One’ and then settle back to enjoy the show.

As adaptors Catherine and Abe have far more imagination than I could ever muster. They actually wrote the part for the harp/harpist in the same way they would any other character in the play and presented me with a list of truly fantastical requirements. All of a sudden I wasn’t just playing the dots on the page but coming up with sounds to represent a dripping tap, the passing of time, ghostly knocks and bumps, and best of all the sound of the ghost brushing her hair (hands dragged up the soundboard for those who may be interested).

I even got to make a cameo appearance on centre stage, sneaking into position with my smallest lap harp to play the main melody and frighten the leading actor out of his wits. This was the closest I came to acting- reacting to the actor as he recoiled in horror at the sight of me. As I am quite used to people recoiling in horror at the sight of me I did not find this part particularly challenging.

The production was presented under the auspices of the La Mama Explorations series, a kind of off-Broadway try out. The hope is now that the play will go into full production somewhere in the near future, so keep your eye out for the ghostly Beckoning Fair One...

It's a busy time at Melbourne Harp Music at the moment! I have received official approval to register the name as a business (up until now it was an ensemble name) but it only after a tussle with the logic of a computer. I had tried to register it on line- as you do- but was rejected as it was too similar to Melbourne Bridal Hairup... Fortunately the nice people in charge of the system were more reasonable!

Congratulations as well to all my students who performed at the recent Student Concert! It was great that everyone had a go and that we all got to enjoy such a wide variety of music and playing styles. There has been some great progress made this year- just remember to keep your thumbs up!

More later on the oft-postponed solo CD as well as the Miscellany Ensemble CD- both works in progress!