An autoharp is a string instrument in the zither family. It has a special part with bars that have soft pads. These pads stop the strings that are not part of a certain chord from making sound. To play a chord, you press the bar with one hand and use the other hand to strum the strings.
History
The term "autoharp" first appeared in U.S. Patent 257,808, which was filed by Charles F. Zimmermann on December 10, 1881, and approved on May 9, 1882. This was the first patent for a zither, a type of stringed instrument, that included a machine to stop the sound of strings and help create chords. The drawing in the patent showed an instrument shaped like a trapezoid, and the machine that stopped the sound worked by touching 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 displayed 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 applied for a German patent (number 29,930) for a "Device for damping individual strings on string instruments" (Einrichtung zum Dämpfen einzelner Saiten bei Saiteninstrumente). This patent was approved on January 5, 1885, and described a way to stop individual strings, similar to Zimmermann’s invention but with a different mechanical design. The shape of the instrument was between the original symmetrical form and a smaller wing-like shape. Some people believe Gütter had made similar instruments before Zimmermann’s 1881 patent, but this claim has not been proven with clear evidence from that time. The German patent only focused on the damping device and did not mention the shape of the instrument. A later British patent (number 1884:8888), filed on September 4, 1884, claimed the device could also be used on a piano.
In British patent law, nine months were given to make changes to an initial description before a final version was needed. The original date of the application was kept even if the final version changed greatly. 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 device from the German patent with bars that could be moved up and down, similar to those shown in Zimmermann’s 1884 exhibition. They also added a second method for creating chords by attaching small pieces that pluck the strings to the bars, inspired by Zimmermann’s 1881 patent.
The shapes of the two designs in the March 1885 drawings were identical to each other and to Zimmermann’s smaller autoharps. This similarity was likely not accidental, but it is still unclear who first used that shape. The shape itself was not described as an innovation in the patents. If the damping bars are considered the most important feature of an autoharp, the shape of the instrument might not matter. However, many people believe the wing-like shape is important for identifying the modern autoharp. It is generally accepted that Zimmermann started making smaller autoharps by 1885, but the exact date is unknown. Gütter’s version was first described in the final version of his British patent, dated March 11, 1885. Some people argue Gütter had priority because the patent was initially dated 1884, but it is also possible he borrowed the shape from the same source that inspired his revised bar design.
On January 17, 1893, Charles F. Zimmermann received U.S. Trademark No. 22,339 for the word "Autoharp." He applied on December 22, 1892, claiming he had used the term in his business since the patent for the instrument was approved and as a trademark in international trade, especially in 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 "Mark Drawing Code (5) Words, Letters, and/or Numbers in Stylized Form" and has expired. In a legal case with George Orthey, it was decided that Oscar Schmidt could only claim ownership of the graphic design, as the word "Autoharp" has become a common term used by everyone.
Construction
The body of the autoharp is made of wood. The soundboard has a hole similar to a guitar's, and the top may be solid wood or made of layered wood. A pin-block, made of several layers of wood, is located on the top and slanted edges. This pin-block holds the tuning pins, which look like those on pianos and concert zithers.
On the opposite edge of the pin-block, there are either metal pins or a grooved metal plate that holds the lower ends of the strings. Above the strings, on the lower part of the top, are the 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 pressed and the strings are strummed. The back of the instrument usually has three wooden, plastic, or rubber "feet" that support the instrument when it is placed upside down on a table for playing.
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 (like the Orthey Autoharp No. 136, tuned to G and D major). The strings are arranged in a partially chromatic order, which is sometimes changed to fully chromatic or diatonic scales. Standard models have 12, 15, or 21 chord bars, which provide major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. These are arranged for historical or technical reasons. Some special models include diatonic one-, two-, or three-key versions, 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 covers a range of three and a half octaves, from F2 to C6. However, the instrument is not fully chromatic throughout this range because it would require 44 strings. The exact tuning of a 36-string autoharp has gaps in the lowest octave, which is used mainly for bass notes in diatonic music. There is also a missing G♯3 in the tenor octave. The fully chromatic part of the instrument 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 using two strings for each note. Since strings for notes not in the diatonic scale are not needed, the extra space is used for the doubled strings, reducing 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. A three-key harp in the circle of fifths, like a GDA model, 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 layout is 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 poor-quality sound. In the early 1960s, a bar magnetic pickup was designed for the autoharp by Harry DeArmond and made by Rowe Industries. The band Pinkerton's Assorted Colours used the instrument 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 sound.
An example of an older autoharp is a 1930 refinished Oscar Schmidt "Model A." This harp has two DeArmond magnetic pickups (one under the chord bars), a d'Aigle fine-tuning mechanism, and a d'Aigle chord bar assembly. It 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 first played in the same way as a concert zither, with the instrument placed flat on a table. Three feet on the back of the instrument help hold it in this position. The flat edge of the autoharp, below the chord bars, was placed to the player’s right. The left hand pressed chord buttons, while the right hand strummed the strings in the narrow area below the chord bars. Strumming was usually done with a pick made of shell, plastic, or felt. This action played the chord held by the left hand.
Because of this playing style, the autoharp was often seen as a rhythm instrument for creating chord accompaniment. Many people still think of it this way today. However, new techniques have been developed. For example, diatonic players can now play fiddle tunes by using open chords and pressing damper buttons while plucking individual strings. Chromatic players can also perform melodies, chords, and complex rhythms.
In the mid-20th century, performers began holding the autoharp upright, resting it in their laps with the back of the instrument 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 chord buttons but from the opposite side of the instrument. The right hand now strums the area above the chord bars. This change allowed more strings to be played, increasing the instrument’s range of sounds. The Carter Family and other musicians soon adopted this method.
By the early 1970s, some players began using finger-style techniques, plucking individual strings with their right-hand fingers instead of using a pick. Bryan Bowers mastered this method, using all five fingers of his right hand to play bass notes, chords, melodies, and counter-melodies as a soloist. Bowers also helped popularize adding a strap to the autoharp, allowing it to be played while standing.
Notable performers
The American folk musician and skilled autoharp player Kilby Snow won the title of Autoharp Champion of North Carolina at a young age. He created a special playing style called the "drag note," which used his left-handedness to make notes sound smooth. His work has influenced many autoharp players, and he is often considered the first modern autoharp musician.
The American country musician Maybelle Carter helped make the autoharp famous in the late 1940s by using it as the main instrument when performing with her daughters, the Carter Sisters. Her granddaughter, Carlene Carter, plays the autoharp during live performances and on recordings, including the song "Me and the Wildwood Rose." Several songs by the Lovin' Spoonful feature the autoharp played by John Sebastian, such as "Do You Believe in Magic" and "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice." He also played the autoharp in the 1979 song "Just When I Needed You Most" by Randy VanWarmer.
Bryan Bowers created a detailed finger-picking method for playing the autoharp, which is different from the more common strumming technique. He first used this style in bluegrass performances with The Dillards in the 1970s and later included it in his solo music recordings.
British singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae often plays the autoharp. She used it to compose the title song for her 2010 album The Sea.
Norwegian experimental artist Sturle Dagsland frequently performs using an autoharp.
Singer-songwriter Brittain Ashford, a member of the band Prairie Empire, is known for playing the autoharp in her music, including the 2008 song "There, but for You, go I." She also plays the autoharp during performances of Ghost Quartet, a musical piece written by Dave Malloy.
French singer-songwriter Pomme uses the autoharp in songs such as "les oiseaux," "On brulera," "Umbrella," and others.