When I was very young I had an autoharp. To me, it was pure magic. You strummed the open strings and there was a blur of sound, like a cold wind. But when you pushed down one of the buttons and strummed, suddenly the sound “made sense” and became something musical. The different buttons produced sounds that were light, bright, dark or gloomy. I didn’t know that these feelings were called major and minor chords till many years later. Had I been given this information before I was ready, I am certain that the wonder, which played a crucial part in sustaining my interest, would have been diminished.

Most people who come for a Music House session have never seen an autoharp. Some have a vague recollection of Mrs. Music Teacher sitting in front of an elementary school music class, strumming accompaniments to songs, but few have actually put their hands on an autoharp. A missed opportunity, because this instrument is one of the most accessible, satisfying, musically fascinating to explore.

The autoharp offers a wonderful introduction to chords, harmony and the family of stringed instruments. A luxurious strum of the strings produces a beautiful, gratifying sound right away. Unlike the guitar, which requires contorting one’s hand into various positions in order to play chords, chords on the autoharp are produced by pushing down a button while strumming, making it a logical first step en route to learning guitar. It is possible to quickly learn how to harmonize a tune and accompany yourself or others. It offers an understanding of major, minor and seventh chords and chord families. I love to invite an autoharp explorer to compare the three D chords, major, minor and seventh, and try to describe what she heard. Many a Music Houser spends time going back and forth between the autoharp and piano, comparing and discovering how chords work on each instrument. The autoharp also fascinates the more scientific-minded: How does the pressing of a button magically transform the sound, and what causes each button to produce a different sound? What happens when more than one button is pressed at the same time?  How are chords formed and what are their components?  What happens if you strum the strings and then push down a button as an afterthought? The autoharp’s ability to both provoke and satisfy musical curiosity makes it a centerpiece— hub of musical activity.