Autoharp

The Autoharp is a zither -like musical instrument. It is used since the late 19th century, mainly in the USA in the bluegrass, folk and country music. The name Autoharp is a registered trademark since 1927.

The inventor

The inventor of the autoharp is not secure. Initially it was thought Charles F. Zimmermann as author, since he had applied for a similar instrument in the U.S. patent in 1882. In contrast to what is now known as Autoharp instrument that was developed by Zimmermann, however, a kind of zither double butterfly-shaped, in which the strings were a different mood in each of the two sides of the instrument.

Today's conventional Autoharps go back to a development of the German Karl August Gütter from Mark Neukirchen, who built a by himself as " folk harp " designated instrument at about the same time and filed about 1883 in England for a patent. It is certain that after Charles Zimmermann had met the instrument with a visit to Germany, he entered Gütters invention in the United States patent, very popular there made ​​under the name " Autoharp " and successful sales.

Functioning and performance technique

The strings of the autoharp are, similar to a guitar, struck with a plectrum, plucked or struck with the fingers. The free hand operated using a keyboard or a staggered button mechanism, a system of Filzpuffern. The button caption is as follows by default:

Eb Bb F C G D A

F7 C7 G7 D7 A7 E7 B7

And means major (top row, the player left), minor ( marked " m" for minor, bottom row) and dominant seventh (middle row and Bb7 ). When a chord is played all the strings are muted, except those that are required for the chord. The autoharp has according to type up to 36 strings and a range of two to four octaves. In contrast to the past zither autoharp is played upright or reassigned. It is considered easy to learn instrument.

Famous musicians

The autoharp became famous from the late 1920s through the legendary Carter Family. Especially Sara Carter played both as a lead melody instrument, as well as accompaniment excellent, but the remaining members of the family such as "Mother" Maybelle Carter and June Carter, wife of Johnny Cash, the autoharp sat in often. Bill Clifton is another well known in Europe as country musician who helped to popularity from the 1960s, the autoharp. In the 1970s, Steve Hackett played among others on the Genesis album Wind & Wuthering the instrument. John Sebastian of the band The Lovin ' Spoonful put the autoharp in often. Recent examples of the use of the Autoharp in pop music are the English musicians Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes ) and PJ Harvey.