Karl August Gütter of Markneukirchen, Germany, built a model that he called a Volkszither, which was more clearly the prototype of the autoharp in its current form. It is not known if Zimmermann ever produced such instruments commercially. He called a zither-sized instrument using this mechanism an “autoharp.” Unlike later designs, the instrument shown in the patent was symmetrical, and the damping mechanism engaged with the strings laterally instead of from above. Zimmermann, a German immigrant in Philadelphia, was awarded the patent US 257808 in 1882 for a “Harp” fitted with a mechanism that muted strings selectively during play. in 1896–99 (left is a marxophone, right is a dolceola)Ĭharles F.
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Ruth Welcome: Trained at the Juilliard School of Music, she was known for being the only professional zither player in the United States.
Dorothy Carter: Carter was a prominent musician in psychedelic folk music and the medieval music revival movement.Linda McCartney: She was a member of Paul McCartney and Wings and was married to Sir Paul McCartney.Even so, there are a few notable musicians who have played these instruments. Over the years, affordable autoharps and zithers have primarily been used for home entertainment.
Who are some musicians who play these instruments? Strings 30 to 42: These play the contrabass notes.Strings 6 to 17: Used for accompaniment.Strings 1 to 5: Above the fretboard, these are for the melody.Some of the strings sit above a guitar-like fretboard, and the remaining strings are above the instrument's body. Depending on the type you're playing, a zither can have between 30 to 42 strings. That said, they can come in different shapes and sizes. Whether you get one from a brand like Suzuki, Oscar Schmidt, or La Bella, this instrument typically looks like a flat box with a diagonal cut across the right corner, and it has a hole in the middle. How are the zither and autoharp constructed?
Austrian and German immigrants brought the stringed instrument to the United States, where it became a parlor instrument during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. By the 1800s, the zither became a prominent musical instrument in Austrian and German folk music. You can find vintage zithers on eBay to recreate the music of bygone times with an authentic sound. Contemporary versions of this musical instrument are made with a long, rectangular sound box with a melody and drone strings. The earliest known form of this musical instrument is the Chinese guqin, which dates to 433 B.C. To produce sound, you strum or pluck the strings with your fingers or a pick. The zither is essentially any instrument with multiple strings on a thin, flat body. Check out the new and pre-owned autoharps and zithers on eBay, and get ready to make some beautiful music. The guitar, harp, and dulcimer are widely used, but the zither and autoharp are relatively obscure instruments. Stringed instruments, like the zither, autoharp, guitar, harp, and dulcimer, all have a common origin, but they are played and orchestrated in different ways. Add Dimension to Your Music With Autoharps and Zithers
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