“Boredom Blues” Story – Jenny [Member Spotlight]

From Boredom to the Blues

When Jenny first joined Hip Harp Academy, she didn’t think she’d ever play — let alone sing — the blues. But that changed with a spark of inspiration from the “Laundry Blues” module.

“I knew NOTHING about playing or singing the blues and had NEVER recorded myself playing or singing before I started,” Jenny said. “The videos in the module, the PDFs, and the chat were all instrumental.”

That spark turned into Boredom Blues — Jenny’s own blues in A for the harp, complete with an intro, three choruses, a walking bassline, and an ending. It’s both a study and a celebration — of rhythm, courage, and letting go of perfection.

Finding Freedom in the Blues

Like many harpists in the Academy, Jenny discovered that playing the blues isn’t about flawless notes — it’s about freedom.

“The freedom to play with my harp that I got from the course has been so huge for me and has helped me build confidence. Learning to keep going through mistakes and to forget about sheet music has been very liberating.”

Singing while playing rhythmically was a new and sometimes tricky experience — but it taught her something powerful: that confidence grows in motion.

And even though she describes herself as a “slow player,” Jenny found herself sharing her music more openly than ever before.

A License to Play

Jenny’s biggest Aha came during the Somerset Conference, when DHC led the “Cats and Dogs Giggle Game.”

“I literally teared up when DHC gave us a license to play anything,” Jenny shared. “That was the first time any teacher has told me just to play — and it was so fun!”

That simple moment — of permission, laughter, and freedom — became a turning point. It’s what now fuels her courage to play with friends and experiment freely on her harp, even if she’s “just playing the big letters.”

Watch Jenny’s video below, where she turned boredom into blues.

Jenny also generously shared her notes for her “Boredom Blues” video. See the photo below for reference.

What This Means for You

• If you know nothing about playing or singing the blues…
• If you want to sing while playing rhythmically…
• If you also want an affirmation to play…

Hip Harp Academy is where you discover that playing the blues isn’t about flawless notes — it’s about freedom.

You learn to share your music more openly than ever before. You see that the simple moments could fuel your courage to play in front of others and improvise with freedom.

What story wants to be told through your harp?

Harpists Who Dare

Ready to liberate yourself from the notes on the page?