An autoharp is a string instrument that belongs to the zither family. A special part of the autoharp is a set of bars, each with soft pads that stop other strings from making sound when a certain chord is played. To play a chord, you press the bar with one hand and strum the strings with the other hand.
History
The word "autoharp" was first used in a U.S. patent, number 257808, filed by Charles F. Zimmermann on December 10, 1881, and approved on May 9, 1882. This was the first patent for a zither with a system that stops certain strings from ringing to help create chords. The instrument shown in the patent had a trapezoidal shape, and its damping system touched the strings from the side. Zimmermann later added bars that could be moved up and down in two more advanced models. One of these models was shown at the 1884–1885 World Cotton Centennial and received a "Certificate of First Degree of Merit."
On May 20, 1884, Hermann Lindemann and Karl August Gütter filed a German patent, number 29930, for a "Device for damping individual strings on string instruments" (Einrichtung zum Dämpfen einzelner Saiten bei Saiteninstrumente). It was approved on January 5, 1885, and described a system that produced the same effect as Zimmermann’s but used a different mechanism. The shape of the instrument was between the original symmetrical form and a smaller wing-like shape. Some believe Gütter made similar instruments before Zimmermann’s 1881 patent, but this has not been proven with dated evidence. The German patent only claimed the damping system and did not mention the shape of the instrument. A British patent application, number 1884:8888, submitted on September 4, 1884, suggested the device could also be used on a piano.
Nine months were given to make major changes to a patent’s initial description before a final version was needed. The original date of the application remained the same even if the final version was very different. Grob and Gütter changed their claims completely in a final version submitted on March 11, 1885. They removed any mention of the piano and replaced the damping system from the German patent with the same type of bars Zimmermann used in his 1884 model. They also added a second method for creating chords by attaching small picks to bars that moved sideways, similar to Zimmermann’s 1881 patent.
The shapes of the instruments shown in the March 1885 drawings were the same as each other and as Zimmermann’s smaller autoharps. This was likely not a coincidence, but it is unclear who first used this shape. The shape was not claimed as an innovation in the patents. If the damping bars are considered the most important feature of an autoharp, the shape might not matter. However, the wing-like shape is often used to mark the beginning of the modern autoharp. It is widely believed Zimmermann started making smaller autoharps by 1885, though the exact date is unknown. Gütter’s version was first described in the final version of his British patent, dated March 11, 1885. Some argue Gütter had priority because the patent’s original date was 1884, but it is also possible he copied the shape from the same source that inspired his revised bar design.
On January 17, 1893, Charles F. Zimmermann registered U.S. trademark number 22,339 for the word "Autoharp." He claimed he had used it in his business since the patent was approved and as a trademark in international trade, especially with England. A stylized version of the word was registered as a trademark in 1926. Today, the word "Autoharp" is claimed as a trademark by the U.S. Music Corporation, which owns the Oscar Schmidt Inc. division that makes autoharps. However, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registration only covers a stylized version of the word and has expired. In a legal case with George Orthey, it was decided that Oscar Schmidt could only claim ownership of the design, as the word "Autoharp" has become a common term.
Construction
The body of the autoharp is made of wood. The soundboard usually has a sound hole similar to a guitar, and the top part may be made of solid wood or layers of wood glued together. A pin-block, which is made of several layers of wood, is attached to the top and slanted edges. This pin-block holds tuning pins that look like those on pianos and concert zithers.
On the side opposite the pin-block, there are either metal pins or a grooved metal plate. These parts hold the lower ends of the strings. Above the strings, on the lower part of the top, are chord bars. These bars are made of plastic, wood, or metal and have felt or foam pads on the side facing the strings. The chord bars are attached to springs and can be pressed down using buttons on their tops. The buttons are labeled with the names of the chords they produce when the bar is pressed and the strings are strummed. The back of the instrument usually has three wooden, plastic, or rubber "feet" that help support the instrument when it is placed upside down on a table for playing.
The strings run parallel to the top, between the mounting plate and the tuning pins, and pass under the chord bar assembly. Most modern autoharps have 36 strings, though some have up to 47 or 48 strings (such as the Orthey Autoharps No. 136, which are tuned to G and D major). The strings are arranged in a partially chromatic order, but this is sometimes changed to a diatonic or fully chromatic scale. Standard models have 12, 15, or 21 chord bars, which allow players to use major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. These are arranged based on historical or systematic reasons. Special models also exist, such as diatonic one-, two-, or three-key models, models with fewer or more chords, and a reverse-strung model called the 43-string, 28-chord Chromaharp Caroler.
The range of the autoharp depends on the number of strings and their tuning. A typical 36-string chromatic autoharp in standard tuning has a range of three and a half octaves, from F2 to C6. However, the instrument is not fully chromatic across this range, as 44 strings would be needed for full chromatic coverage. The exact tuning of a 36-string autoharp has gaps in the lowest octave, which are used mainly for bass notes in diatonic music, and also lacks a G♯3 in the tenor octave. The fully chromatic part of the range begins at A3 (the A below middle C).
Diatonically-strung single-key autoharps made by modern luthiers are known for their rich sound. This is achieved by doubling the strings for individual notes. Since the strings for notes not in the diatonic scale are not needed, the extra space is used for the doubled strings, which reduces the number of damped strings. Two- and three-key diatonic models use fewer doubled strings to allow playing in two or three keys and to include accidentals in music. A three-key harp in the circle of fifths, such as a GDA, is often called a festival or campfire harp because it can easily accompany fiddles at events or around a campfire.
The standard factory layout for a 12-chord autoharp has chord bars arranged in two rows. For a 15-chord instrument, the chord bars are also in two rows. A 21-chord instrument has chord bars arranged in three rows. Many different chord bar layouts are available, both in new instruments and after customization.
Before the 1960s, the only way to amplify the autoharp was with basic contact microphones, which often produced a weak, tinny sound. In the early 1960s, Harry DeArmond designed a bar magnetic pickup for the instrument, which was later manufactured by Rowe Industries. The band Pinkerton's Assorted Colours used the autoharp on their 1966 single "Mirror, Mirror." In the 1970s, Oscar Schmidt created their own magnetic pickup. The 1979 album The Evil One by Roky Erickson and the Aliens featured the electric autoharp of Bill Miller, which gave the music an unusual, eerie sound.
A 1930 refinished Oscar Schmidt "Model A" autoharp has two DeArmond magnetic pickups (one under the chord bars), a d'Aigle fine-tuning mechanism, and a d'Aigle chord bar assembly. This harp was used in a 1968 recording by Euphoria for MGM Records / Heritage Records.
A synthesized version of the autoharp, called the Omnichord, was introduced in 1981. It is now known as the Q-Chord and is described as a "digital songcard guitar."
Playing technique
The autoharp was originally played like a concert zither, placed flat on a table (it has three feet on the back for this purpose), with the flat edge of the instrument (below the chord bars) positioned to the player’s right. The left hand pressed the chord buttons, while the right hand strummed the strings in the narrow area below the chord bars. Strumming was usually done with a plectrum, similar to a guitar pick, made of shell, plastic, or compressed felt. A single strum would typically play multiple strings, producing the chord held by the left hand.
Because of this playing style, the autoharp was often seen as a rhythm instrument for playing chord accompaniment. Many people still think of it this way today. However, new techniques have been developed, allowing modern players to perform melodies. For example, diatonic players can play fiddle tunes using open-chording methods, pressing damper buttons while plucking individual strings. Chromatic players can also play a variety of melodies, including solos with complex rhythms and chords.
In the mid-20th century, performers began holding the autoharp upright, resting it in their laps with the back of the instrument (which has the "feet") against their chest. Cecil Null of the Grand Ole Opry is credited with first using this style in public performances in the 1950s. In this position, the left hand still presses the chord buttons but from the opposite side of the instrument, and the right hand strums above the chord bars. This method allows the right hand to access more strings, creating a wider range of sounds. It became popular quickly and was later used by members of the Carter Family.
By the early 1970s, some players experimented with finger-style techniques, using individual fingers of the right hand to pluck specific strings instead of using a pick to strum chords. Bryan Bowers mastered this method, developing a technique that used all five fingers of his right hand. This allowed him to play bass notes, chords, melodies, and counter-melodies as a soloist. Bowers was also among the first to add a strap to the autoharp, enabling him to play while standing.
Notable performers
The American folk musician and expert autoharp player Kilby Snow won the title of Autoharp Champion of North Carolina at the age of five. He created the "drag note" playing style, a method that used his left-handedness to produce "slurred" notes. He has influenced many autoharpists and is considered by many to be the first modern autoharp player.
The American country musician Maybelle Carter helped make the autoharp famous in the late 1940s by using it as a lead instrument while performing with her daughters, the Carter Sisters. Carter's granddaughter, Carlene Carter, plays the autoharp during live performances and on recordings of songs such as "Me and the Wildwood Rose." Several songs by the Lovin' Spoonful, including "Do You Believe in Magic" and "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice," feature the autoharp playing of John Sebastian. He also played the instrument in the 1979 Randy VanWarmer hit song "Just When I Needed You Most."
Bryan Bowers developed a complicated finger-picking style for the autoharp (instead of the more common strumming technique). He first introduced this style during bluegrass performances with The Dillards in the 1970s and later used it in several of his solo albums.
British singer and songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae often plays the autoharp. She composed the title track of her 2010 album The Sea using the autoharp.
Norwegian avant-garde artist Sturle Dagsland often performs with an autoharp.
Singer/songwriter Brittain Ashford of the band Prairie Empire is known for using the autoharp in her music, including the 2008 release "There, but for You, go I." She also regularly plays the autoharp during her performances with Ghost Quartet, a four-person song cycle written by Dave Malloy.
French singer/songwriter Pomme uses the autoharp in songs such as "les oiseaux," "On brulera," "Umbrella," and others.