Bob Ellis has redesigned his autoharps so he can play the melodies of fiddle tunes, instead of just chording. In this video he explains and demonstrates how he does this.
The two most influential auto harp players today are Bob Ellis and Jo Ann Smith. Bob teaches that the instrument is not as simple as it seems, and Jo Ann teaches that it is simpler than it seems. It's great that they both share there talent.
What a great demonstration and story ! Music is joy isn't it? I love the tingy sounds of double stringed instruments , mandolin bouzouki , now the auto harp , zither , oud , etc,. It just sounds like joy to me. Thank you and happy trails and playing with your wife and friend , and enjoying the music.
Lovely playing! i've got an autoharp but can't play it like you do. I play guitar so I can work out how you're doing it. I've just gotta practice now. Thanks!
There is a magazine, called, "Autoharp Quarterly", that lists all the luthiers, or you could find them on the 'net. Look at some of my videos, entitled, "gfharper", and listen to some of the luthier autoharps. I am in Montana. I have more than a dozen luthier 'harps, and am satisfied with all of them! Some luthiers are: Pete d'Aigle, George Orthey, Ray Choi, Fladmark, Schrieber, Daniels, and others.
See Autoharp 101, performed by Bryan Bowers. He started using the picking technique at least 30 years ago and he still performs. Google Bryan Bowers, Scott O'Malley Associates "Bower’s creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine’s First Gallery of the Greats, after five years of winning the stringed instrument open category of the magazine’s readers’ poll. This distinction put Bowers along side other luminaries, such as Chet Atkins, David Grisman, Stephan Grappelli, Itzhak Perlman, Tony Rice, Rob Wasserman and Mark O’Connor, recognized for their personal accomplishments. In 1993, Bryan was the first living member inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame to stand only with Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow, and Sara Carter. In 2003, Bryan organized and co-produced Autoharp Legacy. He brought together 55 autoharp players and created the definitive three-CD set on autoharp music. In addition, Bryan Bowers’ critically acclaimed recordings on Flying Fish/Rounder Records are: The View From Home, Home, Home On the Road, By Heart, Friend For Life and For You."
Sounds good! A lot of people starting out on the autoharp will do these really big chords, and some never go further than that. I don't really like that effect for a solo performance. Between the rapid succession of notes, the short intervals between those notes, and the long sustain of the autoharp, even harmonies begin to sound crowded to the point of near-dissonance.
Autoharps are fun and I don't begruge anyone that enjoys playing them. But they were the death knell for a wide and varied group of instruments. That never recaputred popular use.
That's totally cool and very impressive I'm on the same wavelength I've got me a new autoharp and I'm in my sixties I've had them in the past but now I really have time to me sitting around and making music and singing songs with your friends that's real life and it's real fun I play harmonica too I've got quite a few friends here now join me
I have noticed only Bryan Bowers uses a strap sometimes to play autoharp. I'm wondering about using a strap as my forearm gets sore a lot from extended playing. Does anyone here use a strap sometimes? Thanks Bob, I'm in my early 60's and am finding enjoyment from my autoharp once again. My wife and I sing and play in a small church in Melbourne, FL called a Cowboy or Country church. It's part of a United Methodist church. The congregation loves the autoharp!!
Yep, I'm 67---had the same idea for the same reason. I'd suggest holding the harp up across your chest at a comfortable position...figure a good place on either side...and drill two small holes. In the holes, screw in two smalll o-rings, and to those join a banjo strap or camera strap. Works great...and takes the strain offa yer arms. Yeah, I'll bet the congregation loves it. I'm using it on old gospel classics like" In a Land Where We'll Never Grow Old". And I think it's just a magical sound. I'm sure they were used in little country churches that couldn't afford a piano
Helloo, great to see you playing/teaching, somehow i get here to your video, and i feel almost like the same you say here, i'm 20 years old, from brazil, and I like music, at all, producing, to write songs, playing, sing. Since all this 20 years of my life i was passive in music, just listening to songs and afraid to enter in this world, so now I decide to take this road for my life, a "musical open mind", so I started playing flute (quena flute), drum and maracá, and writing songs. Now I interested in autoharps/mini harps too, but i dont know how can i get it, here in Brazil, i need a cool and nice one to start to play, what you recommends me? grateful for the video, nice to meet you sorry for my bad english, hope you understand me hahah peace and light! cya
eta sou de SP, tem como vc me passar o nome da loja ou o site? Eu achei um lugar mas é la na Europa, mt caro, da uns 200 U$, contando o preço da entrega, fora q vai demorar uns 3 meses p chegar. Obrigado pela dica!
Caio Alcântara Não sei onde é a loja. Só sei que tem uma aqui. Pesquisa no google, pra ver se acha. Eu acho que é na asa norte, mas realmente não sei te informar. Boa sorte na tua carreira!
WOW> Bob--your idea of tuning adjacent strings to the same note, like a mandolin or 12-string guitar is brilliant! What that does for novices like me is to double the amount of good notes, and lessen the amount of sour notes. I've been playing folk/traditional guitar for a long time...but just trying to learn autoharp at 67...though I've always loved the sound...particularly for the old gospel standards. Could you possibly be more specific on just HOW to double-tune the strings for D/A or G/C...on an old Oscar Schmidt?????? That would be an immense help! TXZ TX TX for the inspiration
I play in a self-taught style like this. I keep about 8 black 12-bar autoharps from the 1950's & 60's. Whenever I found them at yard sales, for $40 or less, in good condition, I'd pick up another. I dont like the newer one so much
What a treat to run across Bob Ellis on youtube--I saw him at a festival some years ago and he immediately became one of my favorite harpers. He nails the melody like nobody else. If anybody else happens to have video of Ellis's wonderfully innovative playing, I hope you'll consider posting. It'd be a real service to everyone who loves the 'harp.
I loved this video. I lo e the sound of the autoharp. It makes me think of hot summer nights, sitting on the porch and tuning with family and friends, while the kids run around chasing fireflies. Aside from that, it has an amazing range as an instrument, as you demonstrated. A rank beginner can play along with others, but there's lots and lots of room for improvement and experimentation. Thanks for sharing your music.
As I'm turnin' sixty this year, I understand what you mean by just havin' fun. I've always loved the autoharp, though I'm much better at the reed harps. - - KelticDead
Hi Bob, What a lovely video! I too am retired and have been learning ukelele! However now I want an autoharp! However I aint got a clue on what to buy and how much to pay. I play 5 string banjo and guitar and melodeon also so would buy a decent one cos I really want to play. Can you help?
It's great that you're making people happy with your music. We're about the same age and I remember street musicians playing on the streets when I was a kid. For an interesting story look up the story about Willie's Nelson's song PRETTY PAPER, PRETTY RIBBONS OF BLUE.
Beautiful Bob , you realy put life into your music and very informative , Im into most stringed instruments but youve given me an awakening to an Autoharp
This is almost the same as the original autoharps from the late 19th. century. They took a three or four chord guitar zither and put three or four chord bars on it. I am so happy you recreated this!
I loved your explanation and like you said the big autoharp has so much more volume. (Love to hear Maybelle Carter though) Thanks for posting and hooray for youtube! Love from Holland and good health for many more years! Frans.
The two most influential auto harp players today are Bob Ellis and Jo Ann Smith. Bob teaches that the instrument is not as simple as it seems, and Jo Ann teaches that it is simpler than it seems. It's great that they both share there talent.
What a great demonstration and story ! Music is joy isn't it? I love the tingy sounds of double stringed instruments , mandolin bouzouki , now the auto harp , zither , oud , etc,. It just sounds like joy to me. Thank you and happy trails and playing with your wife and friend , and enjoying the music.
music is just interesting sound to me.
I've never seen anything like this, fiddler on an autoharp. Wonderful!
I love that jangly sound. Nice playing and what a happy sound!
Over the last 7 or so years I will occasionally revisit this video. Thanks old timer.
When I se and hear an autoharp I think of Maybelle Carter. I consider her the queen of the autoharp.
Back again. Love this instrument.
Lovely playing! i've got an autoharp but can't play it like you do. I play guitar so I can work out how you're doing it. I've just gotta practice now. Thanks!
I just got my first Autoharp four days ago.. I love your style. :) I don't think I'll ever be half as good as you ._. You're fantastic! ^-^
Taking over on Mother Maybelle's footsteps.
There is a magazine, called, "Autoharp Quarterly", that lists all the luthiers, or you could find them on the 'net. Look at some of my videos, entitled, "gfharper", and listen to some of the luthier autoharps. I am in Montana. I have more than a dozen luthier 'harps, and am satisfied with all of them! Some luthiers are: Pete d'Aigle, George Orthey, Ray Choi, Fladmark, Schrieber, Daniels, and others.
I could listen to this for eternity!😀
I so want one. Ever since I heard one as a kid on Randy Van Warmer's You Left Me.
Inspiring in your innovative and practical approach. And you get a great sound brother!
Mr Ellis, you have symphonies in you!
Lovely. i could listen to that all day Top Man
See Autoharp 101, performed by Bryan Bowers. He started using the picking technique at least 30 years ago and he still performs. Google Bryan Bowers, Scott O'Malley Associates "Bower’s creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine’s First Gallery of the Greats, after five years of winning the stringed instrument open category of the magazine’s readers’ poll. This distinction put Bowers along side other luminaries, such as Chet Atkins, David Grisman, Stephan Grappelli, Itzhak Perlman, Tony Rice, Rob Wasserman and Mark O’Connor, recognized for their personal accomplishments. In 1993, Bryan was the first living member inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame to stand only with Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow, and Sara Carter. In 2003, Bryan organized and co-produced Autoharp Legacy. He brought together 55 autoharp players and created the definitive three-CD set on autoharp music. In addition, Bryan Bowers’ critically acclaimed recordings on Flying Fish/Rounder Records are: The View From Home, Home, Home On the Road, By Heart, Friend For Life and For You."
Bob is excellent.
Very impressive I enjoy you're playing and live style.Enjoy
In a word - JOY.
So inspirational thanks!!! Lookin' forward to retirement now!
That's very impressive. You've taken an instrument and single handedly reinvented it. Kudos.
...with both hands!
JUST SO AMAZING! I am putting this into my favorites!
keep buying them Bob. this is important
Sounds good! A lot of people starting out on the autoharp will do these really big chords, and some never go further than that. I don't really like that effect for a solo performance. Between the rapid succession of notes, the short intervals between those notes, and the long sustain of the autoharp, even harmonies begin to sound crowded to the point of near-dissonance.
Yay! 100,000 views! Go Bob!
I enjoy your enthusiasm 😉 😊 wish I could play mandolin with you at your next barbecue.
this things fucking awesome!
Is there any way that I could see a chart for those tunings? I'd really like to try that style.
I LOVE YOUR SOUND!
Autoharps are fun and I don't begruge anyone that enjoys playing them. But they were the death knell for a wide and varied group of instruments. That never recaputred popular use.
That's totally cool and very impressive I'm on the same wavelength I've got me a new autoharp and I'm in my sixties I've had them in the past but now I really have time to me sitting around and making music and singing songs with your friends that's real life and it's real fun I play harmonica too I've got quite a few friends here now join me
I have noticed only Bryan Bowers uses a strap sometimes to play autoharp. I'm wondering about using a strap as my forearm gets sore a lot from extended playing. Does anyone here use a strap sometimes? Thanks Bob, I'm in my early 60's and am finding enjoyment from my autoharp once again. My wife and I sing and play in a small church in Melbourne, FL called a Cowboy or Country church. It's part of a United Methodist church. The congregation loves the autoharp!!
Yep, I'm 67---had the same idea for the same reason. I'd suggest holding the harp up across your chest at a comfortable position...figure a good place on either side...and drill two small holes. In the holes, screw in two smalll o-rings, and to those join a banjo strap or camera strap. Works great...and takes the strain offa yer arms. Yeah, I'll bet the congregation loves it. I'm using it on old gospel classics like" In a Land Where We'll Never Grow Old". And I think it's just a magical sound. I'm sure they were used in little country churches that couldn't afford a piano
thanks bob great stuff
I love this!
Love this video !
i love that tune! what was it called, Roscoe? i can't find anyone else playing it online. beautiful!
Good video; fine playing. ...Did you remove some chord bars from those 2 "key-dedicated" autoharps then?
Thanks!
What kind of set up is the chord bars in?
Such happy tunes played with such as serious face. lol
Helloo, great to see you playing/teaching, somehow i get here to your video, and i feel almost like the same you say here, i'm 20 years old, from brazil, and I like music, at all, producing, to write songs, playing, sing.
Since all this 20 years of my life i was passive in music, just listening to songs and afraid to enter in this world, so now I decide to take this road for my life, a "musical open mind", so I started playing flute (quena flute), drum and maracá, and writing songs.
Now I interested in autoharps/mini harps too, but i dont know how can i get it, here in Brazil, i need a cool and nice one to start to play, what you recommends me?
grateful for the video, nice to meet you
sorry for my bad english, hope you understand me hahah
peace and light!
cya
Procura um luthier.
Aqui em brasília tem uma loja especializada em instrumentos menos conhecidos. Certeza que tem lá!
eta sou de SP, tem como vc me passar o nome da loja ou o site?
Eu achei um lugar mas é la na Europa, mt caro, da uns 200 U$, contando o preço da entrega, fora q vai demorar uns 3 meses p chegar.
Obrigado pela dica!
Caio Alcântara Não sei onde é a loja. Só sei que tem uma aqui.
Pesquisa no google, pra ver se acha.
Eu acho que é na asa norte, mas realmente não sei te informar. Boa sorte na tua carreira!
Obrigado irmão! vou pesquisar
Do you sell them?
....when I grow up...........
Trixie Mattel got me here.
Do you teach ?
isn't this what Bryan Bowers has been doing?
Press 2 on your keyboard three times then press 5 once.
Thank me later.
2225. Whaat?
people are awesome
WOW> Bob--your idea of tuning adjacent strings to the same note, like a mandolin or 12-string guitar is brilliant! What that does for novices like me is to double the amount of good notes, and lessen the amount of sour notes. I've been playing folk/traditional guitar for a long time...but just trying to learn autoharp at 67...though I've always loved the sound...particularly for the old gospel standards. Could you possibly be more specific on just HOW to double-tune the strings for D/A or G/C...on an old Oscar Schmidt?????? That would be an immense help! TXZ TX TX for the inspiration
The small one is a Sparrow Harp, D'Aigle autoharps makes and sells these, they too have a web site.
Dude, that's brilliant! :D
I play in a self-taught style like this. I keep about 8 black 12-bar autoharps from the 1950's & 60's. Whenever I found them at yard sales, for $40 or less, in good condition, I'd pick up another. I dont like the newer one so much
What a treat to run across Bob Ellis on youtube--I saw him at a festival some years ago and he immediately became one of my favorite harpers. He nails the melody like nobody else. If anybody else happens to have video of Ellis's wonderfully innovative playing, I hope you'll consider posting. It'd be a real service to everyone who loves the 'harp.
Clearly this is the way to play this instrument - what a great video !
from around 2:00 he could be talking about women
I loved this video. I lo e the sound of the autoharp. It makes me think of hot summer nights, sitting on the porch and tuning with family and friends, while the kids run around chasing fireflies. Aside from that, it has an amazing range as an instrument, as you demonstrated. A rank beginner can play along with others, but there's lots and lots of room for improvement and experimentation. Thanks for sharing your music.
Sounds wonderful!
Two words: Washington Phillips.
I'm waiting for Eddie Vedder to make a song with this man
Hi I remember playing 1 at age 10 in school 55 years ago
😃🤗
Amazing 🎉
As I'm turnin' sixty this year, I understand what you mean by just havin' fun. I've always loved the autoharp, though I'm much better at the reed harps. - - KelticDead
Wonderful thank you, cheered me up
I agree with you on the new manufactured autoharps, but listen to some of the luthier autoharps.
Hi Bob, What a lovely video! I too am retired and have been learning ukelele! However now I want an autoharp! However I aint got a clue on what to buy and how much to pay. I play 5 string banjo and guitar and melodeon also so would buy a decent one cos I really want to play. Can you help?
so......its playing it like a zither
It's great that you're making people happy with your music. We're about the same age and I remember street musicians
playing on the streets when I was a kid. For an interesting story look up the story about Willie's Nelson's song
PRETTY PAPER, PRETTY RIBBONS OF BLUE.
1 person came here, decided he could play better, and disliked it. What an awesome guy he must be.
Beautiful Bob , you realy put life into your music and very informative , Im into most stringed instruments but youve given me an awakening to an Autoharp
I'm an elementary music teacher, I had no idea that the autoharp was such an involved instrument. This was so interesting! Thank you!
I love the way you explained what you did to your Auto Harp. You play beautiful, and I love the sound. Its a full bodied sound! Awesome Job!!!!
brilliant playing , I have to train making melodies with it too ...
Holy moly! Amazing!
where do I find luthier autoharps? I take it they are hand-made? I live in Wash., DC. Where are you?
This is almost the same as the original autoharps from the late 19th. century. They took a three or four chord guitar zither and put three or four chord bars on it. I am so happy you recreated this!
No I'm
No no I'lol v
Listening to him talk is as inspiring as listening to his music. What a guy!
Looks like his legs are just begging for a kick drum and hi hat :-)
Beautiful music I’ve never heard this type music before want to hear more. Thank you for sharing.
I don’t play autoharp. Instrumental techniques just fascinate me.
What a joy that was to see and hear! I bet you could rattle out beat with taps on your shoes too. :)
Wonderful video. Makes me feel good. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bob, Who makes your lovely harps ?
i like how you play with your whole body. very cool.
how thick is your pick width?
Aren't you talented and clever! I love it
Wow! Amazing sound from that autoharp! Love it!
I love your playing and instruction. Thanks!
The wives just don't get it...hee hee
So unbelievably awe-inspiring!
What a find on you tube!
Good demonstration, Bob.
Bryan Bowers figured out these innovations early 70s
He would tune by ear as he had perfect pitch
Awesome Dude :D
i like this guy
nice video
Lo amo!!!
Beautifully done good sir
I loved your explanation and like you said the big autoharp has so much more volume. (Love to hear Maybelle Carter though) Thanks for posting and hooray for youtube!
Love from Holland and good health for many more years!
Frans.