Absolutely love this type of lyre, I'm actually almost done making one of my own. The body is oak with a cedar soundboard and all I need right now are the strings (Which I just ordered) and the tailgut!
@johnsshipp there are two each of three different thicknesses- Aquila nylgut baritone ukelele strings. It takes two packets to string one lyre, with two strings left over.
We have almost the same kind of instrument played even today, an instrument called Kirar........It's Ethiopian traditional instrument that I have played for 25 years....
simply thank you for making these videos is amazing to see that someone has even appreciation for these instruments could say they are the parents of music. thank you very much. I hope I apologize if some mistakes use google translator.
@stragin It can be tuned a variety of ways, but in the film it is simply tuned to the first six notes of a major scale. That way when the highest pitched string is left as a drone you can play in the minor with a leading note very easily, or switch to the major by letting the second highest be the drone.
Really, really nice vid. Great demo, nice sound. Love your work! Thanks for this. Follow up to the question about strings.You mentioned nylgut baritone uke strings. There are two variants - one set that contains wound 3rd and fourth (I guess a true baritone) and the other with all nylon (for soprano tuning on a baritone uke, I believe). Which do you use (and which specific strings)? I made a Sutton Hoo styled lyre years ago using classic. guitar strings. Sounds OK, but not as rich as yours.
So much better than the modern guitar. Hopefully there will be a bardic/skaldic revival in Europe, the Judaic religions of Christianity and Islam which have held back for so long are losing their global authority. Hopefully we will soon see a revival in paganism and the charisma and intellect of Europeans like this.
its easy to add a pickup. I sometimes supply instruments with an extra bridge so a pickup can be glued to one and you still have the other to be authentic.
It's an amazing sound! What's your tunning? :) :) :) But there's one little misstake, isn't it? - this is a germanic lyre, but it isn't the Trossinger Lyre (both, body and soundboard were from maple) - it's more like the Oberflacht Lyre (grave 37: body carved from oak, soundboard from maple). EDIT: Ah, you told the tunning some posts before. Thank you :)
you are absolutely right, this lyre was maple. However this video was filmed when a badly translated copy of the archaeological report was circulating so we were misinfomed of several important things, such as the wood and the thickness of the sound board. My reconstructions are now of maple and have a soundboard of the correct thickness!
i´M TEMPTED TO BUY THIS LYRE I LIVE IN ICELAND, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST ? P.S. YOU USE NYLGUT STRINGS BUT WHAT ABOUT "PEGHEDS", DO YOU USE THEM ? ("PEGHEDS"= Fiddle pegs combined with 21 century space age technology)
After watching Benjamin Bagbys recital of Beowulf, i've decided to make one of these. KateCorwen what strings do you use, and what are they tuned to. Such an amazingly simple but beautiful instrument ;)
@CleverAssessment I make them to sell, UA-cam won't let me put a link here but if you google Ancient Music Corwen you'll find our website, or its ancientmusic (dot) co (dot) uk
I have one made of oak with a cedar soundboard that's almost done, would two packs of Aquila Nylgut Baritone Uke strings work? The two packs I got were C tuning (GCEA).
It has a very melancholic undertone to it. Sounds very nice!
Greetings from Germany, Mate!
Absolutely love this type of lyre, I'm actually almost done making one of my own. The body is oak with a cedar soundboard and all I need right now are the strings (Which I just ordered) and the tailgut!
Beautiful! I'm just amazed at how loud it sounds.
@johnsshipp there are two each of three different thicknesses- Aquila nylgut baritone ukelele strings. It takes two packets to string one lyre, with two strings left over.
Lovely to see your videos, very impressed with how your work has developed over the years, Great to see as well as hear your instruments!
What is the tuning?
I have a Trossingen lyre myself, but it got a little "de-tuned" over time.
Such a short video and so much worthy information. A thousand thanks Sir!
Ok that does it... I want one now... ;_;
Thanks Corwen! Very helpful in research for my latest historical romance!
Interesting video and a lovely instrument. I really like the way you play it - thank you for sharing.
I wait for the day hipsters will go on the streets with these
so do I!
Awesome. I can imagine you playing this song in the sixth century.
Amazing! I'm feeling some deep memories, maybe from a past life? This sincerely moved me! I almost wept when you started playing it.
We have almost the same kind of instrument played even today, an instrument called Kirar........It's Ethiopian traditional instrument that I have played for 25 years....
simply thank you for making these videos is amazing to see that someone has even appreciation for these instruments could say they are the parents of music. thank you very much. I hope I apologize if some mistakes use google translator.
@KateCorwen Thank you very much, I will be trying that tunning on the birch one I am building right now.
Im in love in this lyre, i want to play one so bad, I wish they were easier to get... thaks for the lesson :)
Yes, very nice Corwen!
@KateCorwen sweet! I am working on a birch body right now. I will have to give that tunning a try.
@stragin It can be tuned a variety of ways, but in the film it is simply tuned to the first six notes of a major scale. That way when the highest pitched string is left as a drone you can play in the minor with a leading note very easily, or switch to the major by letting the second highest be the drone.
Really, really nice vid. Great demo, nice sound. Love your work! Thanks for this. Follow up to the question about strings.You mentioned nylgut baritone uke strings. There are two variants - one set that contains wound 3rd and fourth (I guess a true baritone) and the other with all nylon (for soprano tuning on a baritone uke, I believe). Which do you use (and which specific strings)? I made a Sutton Hoo styled lyre years ago using classic. guitar strings. Sounds OK, but not as rich as yours.
real nice sound
What are the strings made out of? I'd love to make one! I saw this video and instantly fell in love. SO cool.
Very nice lyre. I am a builder in Canada that also makes these. What is your tunning? I love the way you play.
Will you be making hurdy gurdies as well? I know they're from a later time period, but they're so nice sounding :)
Awesome, I see they mainly cost 350 pounds on your website.
Unfortunatelly I saw they ain't in stock, will they get in stocks soon?
Playing the lyre is fun!
(My "lyre" is actually a gusli with only six of the strings attached because I ran out of wire!) :D
Where/ from whom did you purchase your lyre? I've been looking all over for one like this and can't seem to find anything.
Fantastic work!
I MUST KNOW YOUR WEBSITE I WANT TO BUY ONE SO BAD... AND I LIVE IN CANADA
What kind of strings do you use? If i were to buy it, will i be able to just buy nylon guitar strings in any music shop?
Is this like the swedish Viking instrument Tagelharpa?
same family, but the tagelharpa is later, usually had horsehair strings and is played with a bow.
fantastic !!... looks rather like my Aeolian harp !
So much better than the modern guitar. Hopefully there will be a bardic/skaldic revival in Europe, the Judaic religions of Christianity and Islam which have held back for so long are losing their global authority.
Hopefully we will soon see a revival in paganism and the charisma and intellect of Europeans like this.
One does not simply aquire a Trossingen Lyre.
is beach wood a good material for a lyre?
do they do an electric version i want to get my first guitar
its easy to add a pickup. I sometimes supply instruments with an extra bridge so a pickup can be glued to one and you still have the other to be authentic.
Is the body hollow or is it solid wood?
It likely came over with the Saxons.
Wooow
It looks like Sauron....
King David of Isreal played one of these..
It's an amazing sound! What's your tunning? :) :) :) But there's one little misstake, isn't it? - this is a germanic lyre, but it isn't the Trossinger Lyre (both, body and soundboard were from maple) - it's more like the Oberflacht Lyre (grave 37: body carved from oak, soundboard from maple).
EDIT: Ah, you told the tunning some posts before. Thank you :)
you are absolutely right, this lyre was maple. However this video was filmed when a badly translated copy of the archaeological report was circulating so we were misinfomed of several important things, such as the wood and the thickness of the sound board. My reconstructions are now of maple and have a soundboard of the correct thickness!
This is really awesome. When you started playing I was in awe. It is the sound of history, perhaps one which hasn't been heard for centuries.
It has a pristine, yet warm sound. The tones are beautiful.
Holy Moses. It sounds like a banjo. Apparently the banjo sound is a very ancient one indeed.
i´M TEMPTED TO BUY THIS LYRE
I LIVE IN ICELAND, HOW MUCH
WOULD IT COST ?
P.S. YOU USE NYLGUT STRINGS
BUT WHAT ABOUT "PEGHEDS",
DO YOU USE THEM ? ("PEGHEDS"=
Fiddle pegs combined with 21 century
space age technology)
After watching Benjamin Bagbys recital of Beowulf, i've decided to make one of these. KateCorwen what strings do you use, and what are they tuned to. Such an amazingly simple but beautiful instrument ;)
they are nylgut tuned to the first 6 notes of a major scale.
Merveilleux!
i love it :) im not good at string instruments but i wish i could learn this one
@CleverAssessment I make them to sell, UA-cam won't let me put a link here but if you google Ancient Music Corwen you'll find our website, or its ancientmusic (dot) co (dot) uk
What is the tuning scale, Chromatic? Diatonic? Pentatonic? Or a variant of these?
I have been offered a Trossingen Lyre made of Maple, will that make much difference?
well played, well explained! I'm wondering what is the location?
I have one made of oak with a cedar soundboard that's almost done, would two packs of Aquila Nylgut Baritone Uke strings work? The two packs I got were C tuning (GCEA).
One instrument. If I could play one instrument, it would have to be the lyre.
GREAT thanks and I'd maybe want more strings hum
this is really cool. what's the tuning of the open strings?
very cool, i want one.
what's the scale in the strings? :)
Very nice clear video... !
Andy
Sounds Great
sounds so nice
Very nice.
Great, great!
Well done!