I think that's the reason many people don't consider autoharp a serious instrument...they first encountered them in school, perhaps, where they maybe were tuned once a year! 😜
When I was in 4 grade in the 70's our music teacher in school had us all learn to play this. Well, she tried anyway. I haven't really seen this instrument again until now, accidentally stumbling across RUclips videos of people playing it. Thank you so much for the easy beautiful lesson and allowing many people to realize they can play an instrument without having to be a trained and "talented" performer/ musician. I'm sure you yourself can play very complicated and beautiful songs on this, but the easier songs that you played give hope to many that music is in reach of everyone. THANK YOU!.
Thank You for this video!!! It was short, I now understand the instrument I got, and I can now at least play one song!!! All the other autoharp tutorials are too long and confusing. Thank you for simplifying it!
Random question but what are those photos (?) in the background. They look great! Just sent this video to someone I think should write with an autoharp. Thanks 🙏
Sorry to take sooo long to see your question, but those "photos" are my mother's paintings: one a watercolor of a vase with dried leaves, and the dark one was a night-scape of the view from our upper floor window in LA. :-)
I got one from goodwill. Brand new and everything. But because it’s too easy to play it also has limited sound and application range so it’s not fun for me.
Most autoharps come with minor chords, as well as 7ths...but the other thing to keep in mind is that you can make any chord you want (assuming you have the strings for the notes) by simply putting new felt on the chord bar and cutting the felt out for the chord you desire. So for instance I gave up some of my 7ths to get a Dsus4 and a Gsus4. Some luthier autoharps are constructed so you can swap out chord bars easily, to add any chord bars needed for a particular song
Sorry to take so long replying; I’d forgotten about this video! This was my dad’s 1969 Oscar Schmidt EBH, originally chromatic, which I converted to a D/G diatonic (and it sounds MUCH better!). “Diatonic” means I can only play in the keys of D or G, but many of the strings are doubled, so there is more volume and resonance. I particularly like the sound of this model; I find them on eBay or Craigslist sometimes. You have to be careful buying old Oscars because when the company changed hands the quality dropped precipitously. To identify this model, I look for the trapezoidal box around the logo, and the white plastic “piano key” insert that’s screwed to the wood down at the base of the instrument (you can see them in the video). The chord bars will look different than the video because I took these chordbars off an Evoharp; the original ones are black anodized aluminum with rectangular white buttons. If you buy off eBay, be sure to get photos demonstrating that the top soundboard isn’t caving in or cracking, and that the laminations on the side aren’t separating; don’t worry about broken strings as they should probably be replaced anyway, and be sure to LOOSEN ALL THE STRINGS WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE INSTRUMENT and let it acclimate to your humidity for a while before tightening everything up-or if the wood swells a lot more than it did at its former home, the increased tension may cave in the soundboard. P.S: there’s a “Autoharp” group on Facebook, and an online forum called “Cyberpluckers”, which are great places to ask questions and connect with other players.
It’s good to experiment with different types of picks to find your favorite. Since I sing, I prefer plastic picks for their mellower sound, but metal picks give a brighter tone. One great thing about going to autoharp gatherings is that you can experiment with all kinds of picks ;-) Currently I’m using a Zookies L-20 on my thumb, Fred Kelly Freedom Delrin picks on my index and middle, and a Planet Wave small pick on my ring finger because it’s too small for the Freedoms. I like the Freedoms because they surround the finger, and more points of contact mean they’re less likely to go flying off at inopportune moments. D’aigle’s Autoharp Marketplace is a good site to find a variety of picks to try.
rachelois1 : sorry about the late reply. Many autoharpers primarily use the middle three left fingers (index, middle, ring), saving the thumb and pinkie for occasional long reaches the other fingers can’t make. So you could easily develop a style that minimized left thumb use (you *will* need your right thumb, though, for strumming). Also, I’ll now put on my pharmacist hat and say we’ve been having great results with our arthritis patients using CMO (cetyl myristoleate), which is a joint lubricant rather than an anti-inflammatory like NSAIDs (Motrin, Aleve, etc.). It’s non-prescription and inexpensive; it works better if you minimize use of NSAIDs, and it won’t eventually degenerate the joint like NSAIDs do. There are some brands where the quality is iffy, so we suggest sticking to Natrol’s Cetyl Pure or EHP’s Myristin at first.
It's refreshing how well you keep it in proper tune.
I think that's the reason many people don't consider autoharp a serious instrument...they first encountered them in school, perhaps, where they maybe were tuned once a year! 😜
@@barbaradace7952 Yes. Good point.
I bet you'll get a nice comment from John Sebastian of "The Lovin' Spoonful" I'm sure he's seen your videos.
I had a used autoharp years ago and I would experiment using different jazz tunings. The results were very cool and surprising.
Looking forward to seeing you again at CAG 2024
I love the sound of that harp, Barbara.
When I was in 4 grade in the 70's our music teacher in school had us all learn to play this. Well, she tried anyway. I haven't really seen this instrument again until now, accidentally stumbling across RUclips videos of people playing it. Thank you so much for the easy beautiful lesson and allowing many people to realize they can play an instrument without having to be a trained and "talented" performer/ musician. I'm sure you yourself can play very complicated and beautiful songs on this, but the easier songs that you played give hope to many that music is in reach of everyone. THANK YOU!.
If you want to see how far you can take an autoharp, take a look at some of Karen Mueller’s videos...she makes those fingers FLY! ;-)
Such a clear and beautiful voice!
Thank You for this video!!! It was short, I now understand the instrument I got, and I can now at least play one song!!! All the other autoharp tutorials are too long and confusing. Thank you for simplifying it!
You have a beautiful voice and thank you for such a clear explanation.
You're very good, and you have a lovely voice.
This lady is the sweetest
Barbara, You have a nice voice and the harp sounds great! Thank You for the lesson of setting the fingers.
You are a great singer, Barbara.
Damn Barbara, love the voice! ✨
You are a wonderful human being!
I love this, I’m thinking of buying one and learning how to play it
I would love to hear how your autoharp would sound through an amplifier!
beautiful!
Wow, your voice is exquisite!
Gorgeous!
Thanks so much...Great Voice!💞
I really want to buy an autoharp! Please make more videos!!!
Wonderful lesson! Thank you 🙏
Thank you!!!!
What a cool instrument!
This is so beautifully simple. I needed it. Thanks
Thank you
This is so good!!!! I love it!
Would you consider adding beginner lessons to RUclips for the autoharp?
Random question but what are those photos (?) in the background. They look great! Just sent this video to someone I think should write with an autoharp. Thanks 🙏
Sorry to take sooo long to see your question, but those "photos" are my mother's paintings: one a watercolor of a vase with dried leaves, and the dark one was a night-scape of the view from our upper floor window in LA. :-)
Very very good video nice job
I got one from goodwill. Brand new and everything. But because it’s too easy to play it also has limited sound and application range so it’s not fun for me.
Are minor chords available on autoharp?
Most autoharps come with minor chords, as well as 7ths...but the other thing to keep in mind is that you can make any chord you want (assuming you have the strings for the notes) by simply putting new felt on the chord bar and cutting the felt out for the chord you desire. So for instance I gave up some of my 7ths to get a Dsus4 and a Gsus4. Some luthier autoharps are constructed so you can swap out chord bars easily, to add any chord bars needed for a particular song
Your harp sounds so good!! What is the brand and model?
Luthier? Which luthier? Just beautiful!
Sorry to take so long replying; I’d forgotten about this video! This was my dad’s 1969 Oscar Schmidt EBH, originally chromatic, which I converted to a D/G diatonic (and it sounds MUCH better!). “Diatonic” means I can only play in the keys of D or G, but many of the strings are doubled, so there is more volume and resonance. I particularly like the sound of this model; I find them on eBay or Craigslist sometimes. You have to be careful buying old Oscars because when the company changed hands the quality dropped precipitously. To identify this model, I look for the trapezoidal box around the logo, and the white plastic “piano key” insert that’s screwed to the wood down at the base of the instrument (you can see them in the video). The chord bars will look different than the video because I took these chordbars off an Evoharp; the original ones are black anodized aluminum with rectangular white buttons. If you buy off eBay, be sure to get photos demonstrating that the top soundboard isn’t caving in or cracking, and that the laminations on the side aren’t separating; don’t worry about broken strings as they should probably be replaced anyway, and be sure to LOOSEN ALL THE STRINGS WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE INSTRUMENT and let it acclimate to your humidity for a while before tightening everything up-or if the wood swells a lot more than it did at its former home, the increased tension may cave in the soundboard. P.S: there’s a “Autoharp” group on Facebook, and an online forum called “Cyberpluckers”, which are great places to ask questions and connect with other players.
What picks do you use?
What type of pic do you recommend a beginner get? I see a thumb pic I’m wondering if you have finger pics are flat pics?
It’s good to experiment with different types of picks to find your favorite. Since I sing, I prefer plastic picks for their mellower sound, but metal picks give a brighter tone. One great thing about going to autoharp gatherings is that you can experiment with all kinds of picks ;-) Currently I’m using a Zookies L-20 on my thumb, Fred Kelly Freedom Delrin picks on my index and middle, and a Planet Wave small pick on my ring finger because it’s too small for the Freedoms. I like the Freedoms because they surround the finger, and more points of contact mean they’re less likely to go flying off at inopportune moments. D’aigle’s Autoharp Marketplace is a good site to find a variety of picks to try.
I bet that you'll be getting a nice comment from John Sebastian of "The Lovin' Spoonful". I'm sure he's seen your videos.
I cannot play guitar or uke because of thumb arthritis. How hard is the auto harp on the left thumb?
rachelois1 : sorry about the late reply. Many autoharpers primarily use the middle three left fingers (index, middle, ring), saving the thumb and pinkie for occasional long reaches the other fingers can’t make. So you could easily develop a style that minimized left thumb use (you *will* need your right thumb, though, for strumming). Also, I’ll now put on my pharmacist hat and say we’ve been having great results with our arthritis patients using CMO (cetyl myristoleate), which is a joint lubricant rather than an anti-inflammatory like NSAIDs (Motrin, Aleve, etc.). It’s non-prescription and inexpensive; it works better if you minimize use of NSAIDs, and it won’t eventually degenerate the joint like NSAIDs do. There are some brands where the quality is iffy, so we suggest sticking to Natrol’s Cetyl Pure or EHP’s Myristin at first.
!!!!!!