another lyre - even stanger than the first

A lyre is a very simple device, but it's very simplicity means it can take a variety of forms.

This one I made from the fork of a Norther Ti Tree, known locally as a weeping ti tree.

I call it David's Lyre.

You remember the David from the Old Testament. The first mention of him is when King Saul, who was having a few professional problems at the time, commanded his helpers to find someone who could play the lyre and thus cheer him up. David, a shepherd boy, was brought before him, and his playing cheered up the grumpy king. In fact Saul sent a message to David's father saying he had decided to keep him. Then, when Saul's kindom was invaded, David took on Goliath, and killed him with a stone from his sling. Ultimately of course, David became King in place of Saul. But he started as a shepherd boy, who played, and I have no doubt made, his lyre. And if he, a poor shepherd boy, made a lyre, what did he make it from?

He didn't have a luthier's shop available, probably not even a corner music store. So what more natural, given the shape of the lyre, than that he found a suitable tree fork, and worked from there.

I guess he didn't have bronze music strings available, as I have used, but then I couldn't get my hands on sheep or goat gut, nor the sinews of the lion or bear, as I'm sure David did.

The top bar is of Northern Territory stringy bark (see previous post) and the partly completed sound board is a slice of Darwin Black Wattle. All the best from vsquared47.

What's a lyre.

A lyre is a seriously ancient musical instrument.

The ancient Greeks loved it, and the Egyptians used it.

It probably goes back 4,000 years, perhaps more in it's most basic form.

In more modrn times the Irish and the Welsh both used it, either as a precursor or as a poor cousin to the harp (say 800 to 1300AD). Don't hang any heavy hats on my dates.

The one pictured isn't quite that old, in fact I'm still working on it, though I started it about 12 months ago.

I wasn't happy with the standard of joinery so I put it away for six months or so. Then I had a moment of inspiration that put all to rights. I think it'll be good when finished.

The arms are of two different New Zealand timbers, glue laminated in three strips to form the curve.

The top bar is of Northern Territory stringybark; very hard and strong, ideal to carry the zither pins I use for tuning. Unfortunately it's not a pleasant timber to work - it smells like dog poo when cut/planed/sanded. But it looks and performs well, and you don't get the smell once the job is finished.

More on lyres later. Play well. All the best from vsquared

Intro to 'zithers lutes and lyres.

This publication will be for the purpose of sharing my interest in crafting strange musical instruments, which for want of better descriptions I call variously "zither", "lute" or "lyre".

There might be a few ring-ins, as I've also made some simple-system flutes, and a hammered dulcimer.

I'm not an expert, just a backyard wood-butcher who has found, in my advancing years, a very interesting hobby.

If I sometimes wax philosophical as to why I do this, or the importance of not losing the skills that our ancestors used to make these interesting instruments, I apologise. You don't have to read all those boring bits.

I'll post some photos for you to look at instead.