A Video Valentine using “You Are My Sunshine” and a Vamp
Start with Harps Tuned in C

[HTL-59-210128  – HARP TIME LIVE #59 – Thu. Jan. 28, 2021

In which we learn to create a video valenine that uses the tune “You Are My Sunshine” and a vamp.  

Comments from This Session of Harp Time Live

Always wanted to learn this.” (Nancy C)

SOooo… much fun. What a marvelous lesson and a beautiful time with you!” (Gail & Mary)   

So many cool ideas for this song and others!!! “ (Maria Wilson)

Great Exercise for playing by ear! I figured out the melody by singing and then added the chords as you said them” (Vera Stern)

“I liked doing the jazz waltz in the bass with this tune.“ (Cherie Mafey)

I’m collecting these vamp ideas, can be used for so many things” (Charlene Elderkin)

I wonder what it is about this that makes it so emotive?! The music? The eye contact? The speaking? (A combo of these) .. the intent!” (Anne Horton)

An excellent way to embellish a very simple and beloved song – thank you so much.” (Sheila Jaffe)

Here’s how to take what you learn in this session much further:

Join  “Hip Harp Academy”  …
or check out the “Sing & Play Harp” immersion course – that’s where you’ll find more about playing the 3-Chord Patterns we used in this session.


Please add your own insights, revelations, and takeaways below in the comments, even if someone else already said the same thing!  Just say it in your own way or say it again the way they did.

  • To start the replay, just look for the little arrow in the lower left-hand corner of the videos.
  • To watch in full-screen look in the lower RH corner of the video for the ‘four expanding arrows’ icon.
  • Note that you can speed up or slow down the video with the speed controls.
The Chat Feed (click to open)

16:32:12 From Stefanie Bieber : Germans are not allowed to travel to Somerset :o(

16:33:02 From Kathy DeAngelo : https://www.somersetharpfest.com/index.shtml

16:33:28 From Stefanie Bieber : OH! It is online?

16:34:04 From Kathy DeAngelo : Completely online this year

16:38:10 From cherie Mafey : A love song!

16:38:36 From Harpie 2 : vamp

16:38:37 From Stefanie Bieber : Vamp

16:38:37 From Dilys : Can you talk about your Love Songs on Facebook?

16:38:40 From Stacie Link : vamp

16:38:40 From Joke Verdoold : A vamp

16:38:43 From Lynne Lapidus : vamp

16:38:46 From Maria Wilson : valentines sound fun

16:38:58 From Midge : yes….Video 💝 Valentines

16:39:01 From Sheila Jaffe : vamp

16:39:01 From Stefanie Bieber : Valentine Vamp Lovesong

16:39:04 From Dilys : Just what it is all about. I saw the first 13 on Facebook.

16:39:07 From Anna Malgorzata : what’s vamp???

16:39:21 From Tovelah : I really liked your You are my sunshine

16:39:35 From Stefanie Bieber : These guys with the peculiar teeth ar vamps ;o)

16:40:55 From Kathy DeAngelo : You Are My Sunshine–known the world over! Just don’t sing the 2nd or 3rd verses!

16:41:39 From Stefanie Bieber : Now you have an acho

16:41:42 From Stefanie Bieber : echo

16:42:07 From Stefanie Bieber : Echo gone again

16:44:46 From Tara : => C chord RH: G-C-E with 3-2-1

16:46:16 From Tara : => F chord RH: A-C-F (finger 2 stays put!)

16:48:30 From Joke Verdoold : Words for this verse?

16:49:33 From Tara : You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.  You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you.  Please don’t take my sunshine away.

16:52:22 From Tara : => G chord RH: G-B-D (finger 3 stays on G from C chord)

16:53:53 From Kathy DeAngelo : Walk down to the relative minor in the 3rd line for drama…

16:53:53 From Helen Rifas : Have to go – I’ll be back later!  😊

16:57:31 From Veronica White : You flatted the 7th to make a passing chord…

16:58:54 From Elizabeth Feliciano : Can you briefly describe the flatted B once more please?

16:59:45 From Stefanie Bieber : Turn down the B to Bb in the second bar of C

17:00:18 From Veronica White : like you’re playing the 5 chord in F

17:00:22 From Tara : Option: turn last time you play C chord before F chord into C7 by adding Bb.

17:08:24 From Midge : help….vamp chords anyone?

17:08:34 From Tara : Vamp: LH G in bass, RH alternates between G chord and F chord..

17:11:37 From Vera Stern : so the bass is G, G,F,G,C?

17:21:20 From Tara : => Video greeting form

17:28:54 From Veronica White : Still have to look

17:29:02 From Nancy C : Get the idea – basically have it.

17:29:09 From cherie Mafey : What was the last bit you were going to show us/

17:29:19 From Beverly Inman-Ebel : Thank you! Enjoyed even though I am out in the mountains without my harp.

17:29:44 From Veronica White : using the Bb

17:30:13 From Charlene : you can flat the b above middle c and not flip it, just use it when you need it

17:30:18 From Anna Malgorzata : Loved adding that 7th to C – but still can’t do it smoothly!

17:30:58 From Charlene : I’m collecting these vamp ideas, can be used for so many things

17:30:58 From Tara : => optional turnaround (for endinf)

17:31:01 From Anne Horton : I wonder what it is about this that makes it so emotive?! The music? The eye contact? The speaking? (A combo of these) .. the intent

17:32:41 From Veronica White : That’s so pretty

17:33:08 From cherie Mafey : Thanks that’s great.

17:33:26 From Melinda Ostrander-Aviles : I used to sing this song to my daughter when she was a baby.       : )

17:34:04 From Harpie 2 : Experiment with sus and 7th cords

17:34:09 From Tara : Me, too, Melinda, with slightly altered words.  My daughter’s name means sunshine, so it seemed very fitting.

17:34:14 From Veronica White : This is so great. My neighbor has a daughter named Sunshine

17:34:28 From Veronica White : I might play it in the hallway

17:34:30 From Melinda Ostrander-Aviles : Tara, your daughter has a beautiful name too!

17:34:48 From Sheila Jaffe : excellent way to embellish a very simple and beloved song – thank you so much

17:35:09 From Joke Verdoold : Guess, at the end I somewhat got it.

17:35:52 From Teddy : Found if I kept the g as an octave in the vamp bass I could look away more easily.

17:36:15 From Gail : SOooo… much fun. What a marvelous lesson and a beautiful time with you! Thank you for Gail and her sister, Mary.

17:36:38 From Maria Wilson : Yes,  so many cool ideas for this song and others!!!

17:37:00 From Anne Horton : Do you mean that the music is underscoring the speech (my question here is about the meaning of the term “underscoring”?)

17:37:31 From Vera Stern : great xercise for playing by ear! I figured out the melody by singing and then added the chords you said.

17:37:44 From Midge : yes, in sing and play harp. this is so fabulous!

17:38:11 From cherie Mafey : I liked doing the jazz waltz in the bass with this tune

17:38:33 From Melinda Ostrander-Aviles : Welcome newbies!

17:38:40 From DHC : https://www.hipharp.com/blog/40234

17:38:48 From DHC : https://www.hipharp.com/blog/40234

17:39:20 From Anne Horton : Yes .. WELCOME!!!!

17:39:34 From Alise : I am!!! Happy to be here!

17:40:07 From DHC : https://www.hipharp.com/academy/htlwdhc-harp-time-with-dhc-live-main-page/

17:40:11 From Nancy C : Thank you Deborah@@@

17:40:14 From DHC : https://www.hipharp.com/academy/htlwdhc-harp-time-with-dhc-live-main-page/

17:40:15 From DHC : https://www.hipharp.com/academy/htlwdhc-harp-time-with-dhc-live-main-page/

17:40:16 From DHC : https://www.hipharp.com/academy/htlwdhc-harp-time-with-dhc-live-main-page/

17:40:32 From Tara : Thank you!  Always fun!

17:40:37 From Nancy C : Always wanted to learn this :):)

17:40:46 From Joke Verdoold : Thank you Deborah and goodnight everyone

Share your takeaways and 'aha's' below.

What are the principles and concepts in this session? If you had to remember what you learned, or someone said, "Quick! I have to do an improv! What did you learn in this 'Harp Time Live!' session that I can use??" - What would you tell them?