Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: dylanholderman on December 11, 2020, 02:47:06 pm
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so one of a seemingly unending number of projects i have going at any given time was a saxon lyre, and i got it done! (A)
(https://i.imgur.com/iwoVqCR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/opfBFHa.jpg)
this was a fun and actually pretty quick project, if you have some decent power tools and aren't farting around like me you could probably get it done in a day or two. the only "hard part" is the friction pegs and you could just buy some violin pegs and a reamer to go with them to skip making them yourself.
a couple of in process pics
(https://i.imgur.com/t8nMWgd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XjC0c6y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yzVRwuv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/r1IWFG8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sVLJL9A.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/w0OfsWl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KZYZgks.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jvwZGoS.jpg)
if you want a sound clip and way to many photos here's a link
<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/18oxAc1" ><a href="//imgur.com/a/18oxAc1">Anglo Saxon lyre</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Nice Dylan and all hand tool work. Can you play it?
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I can pluck at it a bit but I’m no musician (lol) and I like the sound of it but it doesn’t really call to me enough to get good at it, it’ll probably end up with someone in my re-enactment circles once we’re allowed to have events again.
I did use power tools a bit (drill press and table saw to kerf as deep as I could)
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Nice work, like it
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No need for name calling ;) :o.
Looks really nice Dylan. Before you know it you’ll be building harps like Marc.
Always enjoy seeing what other interesting projects PA members are working on.
Bjrogg
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Looks good. It also looks like you used nylon harp strings, or what is used for harp strings
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No need for name calling ;) :o.
Looks really nice Dylan. Before you know it you’ll be building harps like Marc.
Always enjoy seeing what other interesting projects PA members are working on.
Bjrogg
technically i think these things are considered to be in the harp family anyway so i'm already half way there (lol) but i think a banjo or ukulele is next on the list.
Looks good. It also looks like you used nylon harp strings, or what is used for harp strings
yep :) i got some nylon "mini harp" strings as actual gut is really expensive and most other nylon string sets had at least one metal wound string
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Cool, that's been on my bucket list.
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Very nice work! The lyre actually is a precursor to the harp according to what I have read. What type of wood did you use?
Hawkdancer
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I put a cheapo lyre on my wish list for Christmas. I think it'll sound nice with the penny whistles. But building my own would be so much more fun. Thanks for the inspiration. ;D
T
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Very nice work! The lyre actually is a precursor to the harp according to what I have read. What type of wood did you use?
Hawkdancer
i used silver maple fire wood i picked up in my neighborhood for the body and cherry for the pegs and bridge. but to my knowledge a number of originals also used oak for the body.
I put a cheapo lyre on my wish list for Christmas. I think it'll sound nice with the penny whistles. But building my own would be so much more fun. Thanks for the inspiration. ;D
T
go for it ;D its a pretty simple instrument. if you start from a 4/4 or 5/4 board you could probable have it done in a day or two.
look up the "Trossingen lyre" its one of the best preserved finds and i it was fairly easy to find dimensions for it.
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see if i can post the short sound clip
https://i.imgur.com/AhNSYDq.mp4
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Sounds nice! Time to get to work on the Mozart harp concerto.
T
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What strings did you use, as in notes? Might have to try one of those, as well!
Hawkdancer
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Nice work, I like that. :)
Pappy
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What strings did you use, as in notes? Might have to try one of those, as well!
Hawkdancer
I tuned it G3 A3 B3 C4 D4 E4
That is just one potential tuning for it really from what I understand any records about how instruments would have been tuned are from a couple hundred years after these started to go out of fashion
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Some data was never written down, I suppose. If it sounded good, they used it. Reading some of the info, it seems like lyres and hardship were sort of lumped together and the terms were interchangeable for a period of time. The minstrels all were fair and they were a bit concerned about their next meal and bed. Guess we get to do more research! Time to sharpen the chisels and carving tools! Also, from the "Ballad of the White Horse" by C.K. Chesterton(?):
His harp was carved and cunning, as the Celtic craftsman makes,
Graven all over with twisting shapes, like many headless snakes.
His harp was carved and cunning, his sword was prompt and sharp!
He's was gay when he held the sword, and sad when he held the harp!
For the great Geals of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry and all their wars are sad!
I modernize the language a bit when I use this in our preformances.
Hawkdancer
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When was that written? And what do you perform it on?
It sounds like it was a poem first?
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Chesterton published The Ballad of The White Horse in 1911. IMO he is one of the best English poets of the 20th century.
It's an epic poem about Alfred the Great fighting to protect England against invading Danes. It is a very Christian work, but one doesn't need to be a Christian to appreciate it; just like anyone can appreciate the Odyssey.
Chesterton also wrote a similar poem about the battle of Lepanto in the 16th century. PA should have an article about that battle. It is a very rich part of military history with plenty of horn bows, black powder, over 600 warships, and hundreds of thousands of men.
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I do it as "spoken word" usually filling in a gap between either traditional or original Celtic tunes my wife, Jacie plays! I sort of play the Celtic harp, but only have a floor model right now. I hope to be able to play at our open mic the first Friday in February. My singing is like an old melody - out of tune and out of time! Got to find a suitable piece of maple or oak!
Hawkdancer
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Trad,
Thanks for that info, I forgot the publication date. I also like Rudyard Kipling's "Smuggler's Song". There is a very nice recording by a Colorado group called "Pandora Celtica"
Hawkdancer
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That’s really cool, I don’t know as much as I feel that I should about poems especially ballad style music.
And if that is your style of music this is probably a good instrument to play around with because that’s probably the style of music/storytelling that it was made to accompany.
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Chesterton also wrote a similar poem about the battle of Lepanto in the 16th century. PA should have an article about that battle. It is a very rich part of military history with plenty of horn bows, black powder, over 600 warships, and hundreds of thousands of men.
Write it up and send it in!
Here's one of my favorite music poems: The Fiddler of Dooney by W.B. Yeats
WHEN I play on my fiddle in Dooney,
Folk dance like a wave of the sea;
My cousin is priest in Kilvarnet,
My brother in Moharabuiee.
I passed my brother and cousin:
They read in their books of prayer;
I read in my book of songs
I bought at the Sligo fair.
When we come at the end of time,
To Peter sitting in state,
He will smile on the three old spirits,
But call me first through the gate;
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance:
And when the folk there spy me,
They will all come up to me,
With ‘Here is the fiddler of Dooney!’
And dance like a wave of the sea.