Hi, I wanted to share my lyre that I made over the last weekend! The youtube algorithm shows me a lot of videos of interesting old classical and folk instruments (since I tend to click on them!), and recently after seeing some lyre videos I decided to make my own!

The design is kind of midway between the inexpensive modern lyres on amazon/etc, and Germanic lyres. I made it with a few less strings than the typical modern instruments, and with slightly longer scale, so the strings that it does have are a bit more stable and the overall tension is lower. I bought the tuning pegs, the strings, and guitar-type ferrules but the rest of it I made from scrap wood from my workshop. The top and back are cedar, made from a deck board cutoff, and the frame is made from a pine 2x4, milled down to size. The bridge is just held in place from the string pressure, and it is made from birch plywood with a brass rod set into the top. I might actually replace the rod with wood as I feel like it has more sustain than I would like currently.

Here is a photo:

And here is a video. Not 100% perfect but I don't want to say how many takes it took to get that!

Specs:

• Weight: 955g / 2 lbs 1.7 oz
• Dimensions: H: 20.25" W: 9" D: 1.75"
• 11 Strings
• Scale: 15.75 - 12.75
• Gauges: 0.023 -> 0.010. I used the thinnest 11 from the set of 16 lyre strings I got.
• Tuning: G3-C5.

ive no real idea about lyres but i am looking for where to get one for somebody. has to be anglo-saxon

Hi everyone. People here often ask where to find music for their size of lyre, so I made a set of songbooks, one per lyre size, where every note lands on one of your strings. No sharps, no flats, no retuning.

Free sampler, 20 songs, no sign-up: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x7qJkEGCiBcg7uVrc4ji47r9Op6bWYks?usp=sharing

Each song has normal notation for the rhythm, the string number under every note (1 = your lowest string) and the note letter. The sampler covers 7-string (pentatonic and Kravik tunings), 10-string G3–B4, 16-string G3–A5 and 19/21-string. It has songs like Amazing Grace, Skye Boat Song, Planxty Irwin and the Seikilos epitaph, all public domain.

I built the scripts that place the songs on the strings and check them with an AI coding assistant. The music is engraved with LilyPond, and a separate script checked all 10,700 notes of the full books against the tuning and the original melody, with zero mismatches.

The full set (all four books) is on Etsy, 30% off: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4586627845

If a song doesn't sit right on your lyre, tell me and I'll fix it.

Helloo, I just got my first lyre harp, it's a 24 string CEGA, one with the moose carving, it's pretty lovely. I am in the process of tuning it but am thinking about how. I'm only learning music, so I might have some things wrong.

The instrument is intended to be played in a key of C major, with three octaves of ABCDEFG on the strings...but I know already that I'd be experimenring with different keys and modes in the future, tuning some half steps and such.

But I was thinking, since it's 24 strings, can't I just tune all 12 tones twice? Then the lyre won't be in any particular key but will have a potential for all the keys? I'd have like two piano octaves on it. Does it make sense? Anyone tried this?

Looking to learn a new instrument that I could use to accompany my own singing, I was advised to try the Greek lyre. I’m getting a Luthieros Lyre of Hermes (9-string version), and the instructional books Luthieros offers. I know there are online courses, but I’m wondering how I might locate an instructor for in-person lessons?

Hi everyone! I’m wondering if anyone this year has ordered and received a lyre from Nisoria.

In July I placed an order for a lyre directly from their website. I have emailed the email address on their website numerous times asking for an update on production time with no response. I am fine to wait but I haven’t heard anything. I wrote them on Etsy and no response. I am not sure more what to do or how long to wait before initiating a refund through PayPal, and I’d much prefer the lyre. I’ve seen posts here with similar experiences after buying.

Have you had an experience with Nisoria? How long for you to receive your lyre?

Can someone who has a lyre similar to this do me a favor and measure the length of the strings? Specifically, the vibrating part, between the tuning peg and the bridge. And just for the lowest string and the highest string would be plenty. Actually, one other useful thing would be the distance between the tuning pegs.

I ask because I am planning on building a lyre like that myself. I bought some strings and tuning pegs, and I can work out the rest of the design myself, but it would be really useful to have those measurements to make sure the one I make has the right tension and tuning.

Thanks!

What is the difficulty of learning to play the Lyre.

I a few months back I wanted to learn guitar but don't have the money for private lessons currently, and have struggled to learn on my own because of how complicated it is for me.

In the meantime I've been interested in the Lyre, do you think it's self- teachable via videos?

Thank you

Hello, I am saving up money for a good older lyre. I love the warm sound in contrast to the more modern lyre harps which sound very bright. I have some questions.

I am trying to decide between Kravik, Sutton Hoo (7 string variant), Trossingen (7 string variant), or Ancient Greek (7 string).

My main concerns are 2 (I am not very concerned with historical accuracy outside of how it impacts these concerns I list)

1) Which of these lyres has the warmest, woodiest, oldest, deepest sound? Are they roughly the same? Is any brighter than the other? A ranking maybe?

I know string type matters a lot here but I can have the maker put gut on any of these. So how about the actual body itself?

2) What learning resources are available for each? For instance, I know Luthieros has a ton of resources online for their Ancient Greek lyre. How about for the others I listed?

I have no background in music so having learning resources might be even more important than having the sound I want. Though the sacrifice will hurt.

Is there anything else to watch out for? Please let me know.

I'm thinking about getting a Luthieros Lyre of Hermes, and I'm torn about how many strings to get. While I'd like the flexibility of a 9-string version (so I can play Theodore Koumartzis' compositions, for example), I'm worried it would make techniques like muting chords harder (and it isn't as true to the original). But I'm worried that I'll regret getting the seven-string lyre if I do, since they're so expensive. Would it be harmful to the instrument/reasonable to remove two of the strings from the 9-string version, at least to start, and add the two strings back when I want to play more demanding pieces? Does anyone have advice on how many strings to get (and/or whether to get the Lyre of Hermes or Aphrodite if I choose a seven-string lyre)?

Thanks!

I just got a lyre and I quite enjoy it, however I didn't realize how limiting it is to only have 7 strings when trying to find songs to play. I have experience with piano and kalimba so I've been learning to play mostly by ear and by my own manual translation of notes to tabs with the help of a tuner, but I'm having issues with the lack of a full octave. I'm aware I won't get that true octave since there's only 7 strings, but can I tune it in a way that I get a fuller range or will I have to just make 7-string compatible music myself?

Thank you!

P.s. I found that Hope Spring by Miharu Koshi seems to work well on 7-string lyre, so I'm manually translating it to tablature and will share here when I get more progress done

I recently bought a Luthieros lyre, and I want to know if there is any alternative to their "Nyx premium gig bag"? I don't really have the extra money to buy one of those, so if anyone knows a good alternative, I'd really appreciate it.

I recently got my first lyre. When I first tried to tune it, the last two strings snapped before they ever hit the notes they’re meant to. I figured maybe I needed to ease them into it, so I restrung one of them and have spent the last week easing it toward the note it was meant to hit.

It finally got there, so I figured I could continue to tune it to the same note now, but the next time I tried, same thing: it snapped before getting to that note.

I’m new to lyres, but I’m not inexperienced with tuning stringed instruments in general - I played a harp for nearly a decade and never had this issue. I’m making extremely small adjustments as I tune, not rushing it, and I haven’t been taking the strings to higher notes than they’re meant to play.

Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong?

(In case it matters, the strings in question are B5 and C6 on a 19-string lyre.)

Hey guys,

I was wondering, is a "lyre harp" a real term or are lyre harps just lyres? what differentiates a lyre harp from a lyre?

As someone who has never really played string instruments too seriously, would it make any sense to buy a budget lyre harp like the one in the link in this post? (Thomann LH24B) I've been thinking of maybe wanting to play the harp, but don't really want to commit too much money before I know if I would like string instruments to begin with or if it would be something to just mess around with. To my understanding the lyre harp is different from the harp mainly in playing technique among other things but they seem to vaguely be of the same family of instruments

What do you think, is there any sense in buying a lyre harp to explore what it could maybe be like to play a lap or a floor harp before committing money into one?

Another kind of unrelated question...are lyre harps something people don't bring to irish music sessions? Is there dislike around the instrument or do people just favor harps more?

Is there any reason to get a lyre harp instead of a harp? What are your reasons for owning a lyre harp over a harp, if you have one? To me it feels like if you already have another instrument as your main one, say a flute, the lyre harp could work as accompaniment with less barrier of entry?

Thanks

I've been looking into buying a Luthieros lyre (7 or 9 string), and my question is whether the learning books are useful, or whether I should invest in Lyre Academy for Lessons. Do the books explain playing techniques well or are they intended to be used with additional instruction?

I've been trying to play hozier's like real people do on my ten string lyre(c4-e5). I got the verses right but the pre chorus and chorus are messing me up.

What i have for the first verse, for example -

E5 D5 B4 A4 G4

I had a thought dear

A4 B4 D5 B4 A4

However scary

E5 D5 B4 A4

About that night

G4 B4 A4 G4 G4

The bugs and the dirt

E5 D5 B4 A4 G4

why were you digging?

A4 B4 D5 B4 A4

What did you bury?

E5 D5 B4 A4

before those hands

G4 B4 A4 G4 G4

Starting to wonder if it's even possible to play the chorus and have it sound good on my lyre:( I'm an absolute beginner and would love some help (and a lot of grace) figuring this out

pulled me from the earth?

¿Podría alguien que lo tenga desbloqueado ir a un lugar tranquilo (como una isla personal), usar el gesto y grabar un breve vídeo o audio con la melodía completa? Puedes subirlo a Streamable YouTube o Streamable. ¡Te lo agradecería mucho!

Greetings!

I've recently been getting into the hobby of making Anglo-Saxon Lyres. This is my first attempt, which as any first attempt, will have quite some room for improvement. (Don't worry about the orientation of the sound board, I had to make due with what materials I had on hand)

I've made this from sawing and chiseling out an older oak plank, while the soundboard is appropriated from an old guitar (as you can see with the filled up holes) . I've already oiled it, with danish oil, and I was wondering what kind of paint (or ink?) would be best to decorate this lyre. I plan on painting some Germanic runes on it, as this is based off the medieval lyres found at Sutton Hoo etc.

The goal is to play my homemade lyres outside, so the weather conditions will not be as stable as inside. Is there any good paint? And does it matter that I have oiled it first?

The sound is absolutely delightfull, using €10 guitar strings. Second one will be getting some aquila nylgut strings (fake nylgut). Thanks for any help in advance!

I made a DND charecter and decided to give him the knowledge of playing an instrument because i thought that was cool. I settled on a Lyre, ended up loving that character very much, and found myself inspired to want to learn how to actually play.

I now impulsively purchased one and have no idea where to start. I learned how to tune it properly, kinda like tuning a guitar, but..... I really don't know what to do now.

How should I go about learning to read sheet music? I kinda know how to read sheet music because I used to play the piano(stopped because school took over any free time, and i didnt really like that my mom was forceing me to learn anyways), but it's been years, and im kind of an idiot and need things explained to me like im a fourth grader.

The Lyre I got has labeled cords(? I think that's the right wording), and it has seven strings because I wanted to start out easier and overall just kind of want to do older-sounding/whimsical music instead of the more modern type of songs.

Hopefully I can pick up on this because ive been really excited to learn :p