Autoharp

/ˈɔːtoʊˌhɑːrp/ noun

Definition

A stringed musical instrument with buttons that dampen certain strings, allowing a player to create chords by simply strumming without detailed musical knowledge.

Etymology

From auto- (self) + harp. Patented in the late 1800s by Karl August Gütter, the device automatically (hence 'auto') produces correct harmonic combinations, democratizing harp playing for non-experts.

Kelly Says

The autoharp is basically the AutoCorrect of musical instruments—you can basically stumble through playing it and still sound decent, which is why it became beloved by folk musicians and kids learning music, proving that good design can make experts out of amateurs.

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