The Harp
67The little harps little brother the "AUTO-HARP"
The auto harp is a flat box type of music instrument with strings strung from the base and are fastened to a slanting side edge so having a different wire/string length.
The absolute top side of the instrument leaves the wires all at the same length, so to get around this different thickness’s of wire are used.
The wires which are commonly known as strings and are fastened at the base. There are bars that lays above the strings from left to right or at 90 degrees to the strings. As a bar is pressed it lays on a number of strings to delete/mute the sound on all strings except those need for the chord requested. The string themselves are strum like playing a guitar with the other hand.
This Instrument was first invented in 1882 by a German immigrant to Philadelphia. His name was Charles F. Zimmermann.
The version we have today by was brought to us by Karl August Gütter of Markneukirchen in the east of Germany near to the Czech Republic boarder.
The name of this instrument was first called the “Volkszither” and got it's name of what we know today as the “Auto Harp” in 1926 when it was registered as a trademark, although it is not a harp. It is a chorded zither which is recorded as a “Flat string musical instrument”.
The sound from this instrument has been used in many different types of music from Blue Grass to Led Zeppelin's heavy music, from Janis Joplin to Loving Spoonful and Genesis but was also used by one family known throughout the US for their musical prowess and also America's famous country singer the man in black “Mr. Johnny Cash”, I'm talking about the “Carter Family”.
All these people have used "Auto Harp" in their work.
Maybelle Carter
© Copyright. J.White. December 2011 (Ghaelach)
After signing onto Hubpages you'll hear the music in the words from our wonderful writers.
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Hi Fiddleman.
Yes you are so right, unfortunately that doesn't apply to me. I wrote this hub in reply to a Q&A and must say i'm very impressed after seeing skilled players on you tube.
Thanks for dropping by.
Take careFiddle man and have a nice day.
LOL Ghaelach
Great Job! Voted up! lily
Hi Lily.
Just getting ready for an hour of TV.
Glad you like what i found. I was surprised myself, the Auto Harp is a beautiful instrument but needs skilled hands.
Take care Lily and until tomorrow.
LOL Ghaelach
Ghaelach: What an informative and interesting presentation on the history, functioning and applicability of the auto harp! What a wonderful, warm performance by Maybelle!
Thank you for sharing, etc.,
Derdriu
Morning Derdriu.
It's a wonderful instrument. I learned a lot by my research on the auto harp. The sound is beautiful.
Take care and have a nice day.
LOL Ghaelach
Mother Maybelle is a queen! I really enjoyed reading this hub about an instrument that is so rare to see in today's society. Thank you so much for writing this informative, interesting and engaging hub, Ghaelach. Voted up, etc.
Hi Brittany.
This hub was in responce to a Q. and i must admit i was pleasently surprise with the research. It has a wonderful sound and i must say there are a lot of skilled hands that give us wonderful music on you tube.
Take care Brittany and have a nice day,
LOL Ghaelach
I have an auto harp in my possession, but have never heard the sound of it. Someone gave it to my son, who showed no interest in the strange looking instrument. Thanks for sharing your research on it, and for letting me hear Maybelle Carter's rendition.
...oh my goodness I absolutely adore this hub being the unofficial master musicologist here (in these parts of Hubland) .....I love the sound of the auto harp and how people seem to play it so lovingly - let me post this to my Facebook page with a direct link back here - you're popular at FB now because of me - lol - and I'm glad you included a Carter family video - I would say that you know and love your music very well too!
lake erie time ontario canada 3:00am night off from work and still up with the full moon over the lake
Hi Epi.
Thanks for the wonderful comments.
It's nice being famous.
My music tastes are wide, but folk and country are my real love. There is an instrument that i love which has a sound that would make anyone that is sad, melancholy, depressed, or whatever, it would make them relax and have a feeling of being free and happy. I'll let you know the name in another hub.
Take care Epi and have a nice start to the weekend.
LOL Ghaelach
What a great sound, I wonder if Zimmermann is an ancestor of that other great zimmerman (Bob Dylan?)
Well done Ghaelech for putting the music back into the mix.
Give it a little vote up everyone needs a little music.
Hi Mike.
You never no stranger things have happened.
Thanks for dropping by.
Take care.
LOL Ghaelach
Learned to play the Auto-harp/Zither in elementary school. Every child got an opportunity to play the instrument to accompany the patriotic song we sang after the Pledge of Allegiance. Wonderful hub
Hi Tirelesstravelar.
Thanks for halting your journey and reading this hub on the Auto Harp.
A friend of mine Lilyfly asked me a Q about the Auto harp which i could not answer, so i did my reseach and got an almighty shock as to the sound that came from it.
A beautiful instrument.
Take care.
LOL Ghaelach
Hi Ghaelach,
First off, warm hugs from me! ^_^ I love this instrument! I have touched it before, tried to play it, the sound was marvelous! You hub is very well written and I too like the video. Vote up, useful, and beautiful!
Chanroth
Good afternoon Chanroth.
I've never had such a beautiful start to comments before thank you so much(a little red in my face), and when ever we meet in cyber space i'll give you your hugs back only they'll last ten min's longer.
It is a wonderful instrument and in the hands of an expert sounds amazing.
Thanks for the votes, take care and have a nice day.
LOL Ghaelach
Wow! I would love to have one. I have been fantasizing about singing along with an instrument. I always wanted to learn how to play the harp though I think it's pretty hard to master... Oh well, I still have to try.
Thank you for sharing this. I really liked it. :D
Morning Nurse.
I take it your profession is medical and your hobby is in music and you want to be an instrument playing singer on the world stage with Robbie Williams. LOL.(joking)
The Auto Harp is a beautiful instrument and the sound is magical. You seem young enough so get learning.
Take care.
LOL Ghaelach
Very interesting and I have to admit that I knew nothing on the Auto Harp.
So thank you for sharing this great hub and a vote up up and away due here.
Take care my friend and enjoy your day.
Eddy.
Hi Eddy.
Thanks for stopping by.
It is a wonderful instrument and the sound that comes out of it is so beautiful.
Take care Eddy and have a nice day.
LOL Ghaelach
Fiddleman Level 5 Commenter 5 months ago
A beautiful instrument in the hands of a skilled player.