Autoharp 101 - How I Tune My Autoharp

I've noticed so many autoharps on You Tube out of tune,I thought I'd show how I tune. It might help somebody. Tune often, and you'll have an easier time of it. I couldn't show the whole sequence, as they only allow ten minutes, but you should get the idea. Problems, contact me. Good luck!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• autoharp
• tuning
• workshop
• lesson

[notkablammo]

Have you ever tuned your autoharp with a chromatic tuner and had several of the strings tune to the same note? For example, my F and F# on the first octave are all the same note, as are my A and A# of the second octave. This is my first time tuning my autoharp, as I'm sure you can tell.

[gfharper]

@notkablammo Sorry - just came across this. If you have two notes tuning to the same note, and the felt is open at both strings, someone might have set that harp up as a diatonic, or the felt has just disappeared, and would need to have a piece of felt re - glued in the opening of the wrong string. If you can't get the felt, let me know -I have felt from many old harps, and can send you some. Bill

[TheSunflower69]

I just bought my autoharp & am learning.  Can I use a Korg CA40 todo the tuning? Thanks for your help.

[gfharper]

Not familiar with the 40, but if it is a chromatic tuner, then it should be fine.

[bodywiseproducts]

How often should one change the strings?

[k4jdp]

I use a AT-12 Korg Digital tuner for my autoharp. It has over a 3 octave range. Over time I've found that it's easier to use the digital tones that it produces as opposed to using the analog meter. Reason being, the needle reacts to the harmonics of the other strings and it's a lot more difficult to reach the zero-point reference on the needle scale. By using the digital tones, I use the tuning wrench to cancel out the "beep tone" to reach the right pitch.

[edwinaugust]

I use a standard chromatic guitar tuner- works just fine! Also a note about needle jumping around: if you pluck the string really hard, it will always read sharp. As the note decays, it will decay flat, hence the flat reading. My recommendation would be to try to pluck strings firmly, and always repeat to get an accurate reading. Of course the best way to tune is if you have a mic or pickup to plug into the tuner.

[Robinin09]

The Korg CA30 has now been replaced with the Korg CA1 which is the newest version of the Chromatic Tuner and is available online.

[Robinin09]

Thank you for sharing your tips on tuning online. I just started replaying my autoharp after letting it sit for 20 years so I was in much need of a tuning. I have tuned my guitars easily enough but I was daunted with the task of tuning all those strings. I also learned some additional tips I can use in tuning my other stringed instruments. Thank you so much!