How the autoharp makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the autoharp belongs to the board zithers: strings are stretched across a flat board or box – the family of the piano, harpsichord and hammered dulcimer.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
An autoharp is a string instrument in the zither family. Its distinctive structural feature is a set of bars, each with damping pads that mute the strings not belonging to a specified chord. A chord is played by pressing the corresponding bar against the strings with one hand while strumming them with the other.
Other board zithers
Frequently asked questions
What does an autoharp sound like?
As one of the board zithers, its sound comes from the way strings are stretched across a flat board or box.
What type of instrument is the autoharp?
It is classified as board zithers (Hornbostel–Sachs 314.122-5).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q370915 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Autoharp – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Windywendy – CC BY-SA 3.0