How to play the online chord harp
- Press Play demo to hear C, Am, F and G strummed over the rhythm box.
- Press and hold a chord button: major, minor and 7th rows, roots in circle-of-fifths order like the hardware. The colour row adds maj7, m7, sus and add9.
- Drag across the strum plate (or swipe on a phone). Faster sweeps play louder. Tap single strings for melodies.
- Turn on Latch to keep the rhythm going with your hands free, and try the five plate sounds: Harp, Chime, Chip, Pluck and Glass.
What is a chord harp?
A chord harp puts chords under one hand and strings under the other. The best-known electronic one appeared in 1981 with chord buttons, a touch strip of 'sonic strings' and a rhythm box, and it became a cult sound in indie and bedroom pop. This page is our take on the idea, not a copy of any hardware, and it isn't affiliated with any instrument maker.
Chord progressions to try
Bright pop
- Chords
- C – G – Am – F
- Try with
- Harp, 8 beat
Dreamy
- Chords
- Fmaj7 – Em7 – Dm7 – Cmaj7
- Try with
- Glass, slow rock
Sad indie
- Chords
- Am – F – C – G
- Try with
- Pluck, ballad tempo
Bossa
- Chords
- Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – A7
- Try with
- Chime, Bossa nova
More in our chord progression guides, or write a whole song from a hummed melody with Hook. The Strum plugin adds your DAW's tempo, MIDI and recording.
