Strings Buzzing Like Bees: My Harp Journey
May Flowers mini series: a story on answering a quiet calling, the hum of new beginnings, the sting of starting something new, and the sweetness found in learning to play the harp as an adult
I didn’t grow up playing the harp.
I didn’t grow up seeing harps.
But in 2024, something shifted.
I had just moved to Nashville—new city, new job, and for the first time in a long time, a little more room to breathe.
I was working full-time, sure, but I wasn’t juggling three side hustles just to stay afloat.
I had evenings. I had weekends. I had… free time.
So I started exploring.
I wandered into bookstores, local cafés, random open mic nights and one weekend, I found myself inside the Nashville Symphony.
The music was beautiful, but it was that harp that got me. Grand. Golden. Ethereal.
And I couldn’t get it out of my head.
So I did what any curious dreamer does: I Googled.
“How much does a harp cost?”
First word: Daaaang.
Even the student ones weren’t cheap! but I was still determined and I kept digging.
Google, tell me about these lesson prices, instrument rentals, what it takes to learn. I was low-key spiraling. Was I being ridiculous? Too late in life? Too broke for this?
But I couldn’t shake the feeling.
My new co-workers could not go a shift without me mentioning new facts I was learning about the harp. FaceTime conversations with friends went from them checking in on me to screen sharing harps for sale and picking out the best looking affordable options.
I was enamored and I had to get close to one.
I reached out to a local harp teacher for an intro session. I walk into her home studio and there were so many big beautiful harps. Some gold. Some brown. Some with angels on it. Some with a modern feel.
The best part? The intro lesson was $30.
We sat down, talked about my goals (and my budget), and I told her I was brand new—like, don’t even know how to read music brand new.
She didn’t laugh. She smiled.
And she gave me an assignment:
“If you’re serious, spend the next two months learning how to read music on the piano (since there’s more resources and learning material for piano vs harp). If you can do that, come back in the summer and we’ll start harp lessons.”
Let me tell you—reading music is a whole different language.
I was decoding treble clefs and time signatures like a student cramming for finals.
But it was the bass notes that nearly did me in.
I went on Facebook Marketplace and found a $5 keyboard that came with a stand and chair. I’d sit at my little beginner keyboard with YouTube tutorials, using simply piano and flashcards, muttering things like, “Why is middle C never in the middle??”
But I showed up. My desire to play the harp expect intensifying.
Slowly, my eyes started recognizing notes (Thank you NoteRush). My fingers began to move with more intention.
It was humbling, but it was also empowering.
Because I wasn’t just learning piano.
I was proving to myself that I could commit to something outside of obligation. That I can start something new. That it wasn’t too late. That I could still be taught.
trying to perfect “Ode to Joy” on the piano
In June 2024, I plucked my first harp string.
It buzzed against my skin, soft but full of promise.
And just like that, I felt the little girl in me appear. Smiling and dreaming.
Learning harp as an adult hasn’t been easy.
It’s awkward. It’s heavy (literally—my neighbor was confused and asked me about it when she saw me on her ring cam bringing it down the stairs).
And it’s unlike anything else I’ve ever done.
But it’s become mine.
My pure joy.
My pause in a world that runs too fast.
Here’s What I’ve Learned Along the Way:
✨ You will feel like a giant baby—and that’s okay.
Your fingers will fumble. Your back will ache. You’ll forget what you just practiced 5 minutes ago. It’s normal. Be gentle.
✨ It’s more physical than people think.
This instrument isn’t just elegant—it’s a workout. From posture to calluses, it will stretch your body as much as your mind.
🔑 The right teacher makes all the difference.
Dr. Sarah didn’t just teach me how to play—she taught me how to believe in my process. She cheered me on, even when I forgot every note in a scale. She amazing and if you’re in the Nashville area, I highly recommend her.
✨ Your progress will be beautifully messy.
Some days you’ll feel like it’s all coming together and I am a harpesian (a nickname my friend made). Other days, a potato. Keep going anyway.
✨ It becomes more than music.
The harp has become a prayer, a meditation, a reminder to slow down and listen to what my soul is saying. It’s truly become my happy place.
✨ You’ll learn more about yourself than you expected.
You’ll rediscover your patience. Your resilience. Your capacity for joy.
If you’ve ever dreamed of picking up something new, especially something that feels wildly out of reach, I hope this is your sign.
You don’t have to be a 10 years old in a conservatory.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You just need the courage to begin.
And if the harp happens to be calling your name too… I’ll save you a seat.
Reflection
💛 I know I’m not the only late bloomer out here! what’s something you’ve learned (or are learning) as an adult that surprised you? Let’s share and cheer each other on.
Because it’s never too late to fall in love with something new.