Digital downloads ending 1st January 2015

Digital downloads ending due to EU VAT Changes 1st January 2015









It is with regret that I will be ending digital downloads of my plans and other downloads on the 1st of January 2015. 

http://www.michaeljking.com/plans.htm  

This is due to Changes in how VAT is applied to digital goods and its effect on micro business like my own.   Selling outside the UK is no longer viable in this way under the new legislation. Since I cannot always tell where a download has come from I have to suspend all digital sales.  

I will go back to supplying printed plans and physical CD-ROM discs that contain the plans.  


For more info:



 http://euvataction.org/

http://onemanbandaccounting.co.uk/eu-vat-changes-2015/

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-supplying-digital-services-to-private-consumers/vat-businesses-supplying-digital-services-to-private-consumers

Starting your own business making instruments in your part of the world?

2015 edition Complete resource for makers of Kanteles 

The Kantele Making CD now has an extra plan(the great new 11string model which is my personal favourite to play) includes the video diary) making a 5 string along with the new playing guide  There is a plan for a piccolo Kantele and the template for my electric kantele as well as the 5, 10, 11, 12 and 15 string kanteles.
With Piccolo and Electric kantele Pattern as extras
See website here:
There's a chapter on making a case along with the video excerpt showing how to outfit it to protect your instrument!  all you need to get started 

A complete resource for the kantele maker!

why not create your own instruments using my plans to sell at Local craft fairs or to start your own business in your part of the world?  By purchasing my plans you are free to make an sell these instruments as many have already done!

£35.00

The CD is most informative and well worth the money paid. I would recommend it to any novice or upcoming instrument maker or as a great resource for the  experienced, Michael is very helpful via e-mail and responds to all queries in a timely and easy to understand manner".

     Ben Corby, Australia

    also: Carole Beasleys Blog follows the making of a
    10 String Kantele in Australian Timbers here!

 

    another maker, Julian Fitton here

 

    and J. Manuel Bonilla fron Spain here

 

    **If you have purchased the Kantele Cd previously     there is now a serialised playing guide on Youtub

YouTube Video CD-Rom video preview





The old ebook version and most of the plans are available also to purchase alone as downloads from here

15 String Kantele by Michael J King

Plans for this and Complete Kantele Making CD-ROM here:

http://www.michaeljking.com/plans.htm

Instruments to order here:

http://www.michaeljking.com/kantele.htm

Main website

www.michaeljking.com

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Video filmed on my Nexus 5

Diatonic Bowed Psaltery in D By Michael J King

2014 version of my Diatonic Bowed Psaltery, now with longer scale length and updated. Instruments and Full size plans are available to purchase from my website

http://www.michaeljking.com/plans.htm

 I first made these in the mid 90's and featured on my 1999 website. Back then the focus was on making a travel instrument that fitted into a standard suitcase(the new one does not) The original notes and reduced size plans are included as reference material on my new download but are still available for free separately from my plans download page.    



Do check out my new Bowed Psaltery pages here:



http://www.michaeljking.com/diatonic-bowed-psaltery.htm



www.michaeljking.com

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Greek Hypolydian Mode tuning on a 7 String Lyre by Michael J King

& String Universal model lyre, with 7 strings tuned to  Greek Hypolydian Mode(this one is G B C E F# G A, Many Thanks to Michael Levy for inspiration with this)

As you know I make Custom Lyres of many kinds  to order,  I now include Phorminx, Classical Kitharas, Egyptian small lyres as well as Lyres that can be customised to fit various periods, British, Celtic, Germanic etc.

website

www.michaeljking.com

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https://www.facebook.com/Michael.J.King.1970

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Stick Dulcimer: example of Baritone tuning by Michael J King

####

A E a Baritone Tuning using thicker strings on a custom Cherry wood model



The Baritone string set for my standard D model is is 0.016" 0.032W 0.042W This is tuned to A E a, These are higher tension so may not be suitable for all makes of Stick Dulcimer. 
website
www.michaeljking.com



Instrument plans: http://www.michaeljking.com/plans.htm
Stick Dulcimer making course series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Instruments, plans and parts:
http://www.michaeljking.com/stickmaki...

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https://www.facebook.com/Michael.J.Ki...
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Universal Lyre, 7 String by Michael J King

Universal Lyre, 7 String by Michael J King

Tuning a Lyre to the Just Intonation of Antiquity

Trossingen lyre by Michael J King

Trossingen lyre in maple with Kolrosing decoration  

Plans for this is on my Lyre making CD,  instruments available to order from my website.

 I have written links mentioned in this video below plus some more to help and inspire you,   The book in the video that (low stock at the moment)has the drawings on the lyre in detaile:

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3981218124/?tag=mijki07-21

(This is an Amazon Affiliate link to the German language version of their Website, it doesn't cost you any more to buy but adds a tiny bit to my amazon camera fund for better future videos!)

My Lyre CD is available from my website as always from my website as a Disc or Download,  It has all my Bowed and plucked lyre plans.

If you purchase this CD/Download to make a Trossingen Lyre email me after purchase and I may have an extra download file of my scaled trossingen drawings to help you! ;-)

http://www.michaeljking.com/lyre_shop.htm

http://www.michaeljking.com/plans.htm



Do check out my Trossingen Lyre pages,  these will be expanded over the coming weeks,  watch out too for the follow up videos

http://www.michaeljking.com/trossingen.htm



Special thanks must go to Dr Barbara Theune-Grosskopf Who has helped me and the Lyre Community through her great work and wonderful openness.



Do check out My Anglo Saxon Lyre Community on Yahoo groups

and my Lyre group on facebook,  there is a world of lyres out there!

In the video I am using a Kolrosing knife made in the USA by Lee Ferguson  see

http://www.fergusonknives.com

for more info on Kolrosing see:

http://www.pinewoodforge.com/kolrosing.html



Best wishes!

Michael J King

website

www.michaeljking.com

facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Michael.J.King.1970

Blog

http://michaeljking.blogspot.com/

Twitter

http://twitter.com/michaeljking

Google+

https://plus.google.com/111213660776947015232/



Do see my other videos on this lyre including the one on the decorations,  Kolrosing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8WmwVQe3X4





(There are a number of blips in my editing on this video,  I had trouble as my laptop died and I did the work on a borrowed device.)    

website

www.michaeljking.com

facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Michael.J.King.1970

Blog

http://michaeljking.blogspot.com/

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http://twitter.com/michaeljking

Google+

https://plus.google.com/111213660776947015232/

Trossingen Lyre: Chords in Diatonic E tuning

Here are a selection of chord shapes that work on diatonic tuned lyres. With its long scale length you can tune the Trossingen Lyre to

anywhere between D and F# from the lowest note.  The optimal length is E or F,  The best thing is to pitch it to your Voice pitch when you sing.   Here is the Tuning in E diatonic,   This example has the strings from low to high left to right,  Harpists and Kantele players may like to string the Lyre the other way around with the highest note closest to the body when held.   In that case the chord shapes are mirrored.



I have kept the sample chords patterns here identical to the Wiki How page on Lyre chords which is for Lyres in C

http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Chords-on-an-Anglo-Saxon-Lyre



More playing info on my playing page of my website

http://www.michaeljking.com/how_to_play_the_lyre.htm



website

www.michaeljking.com

facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Michael.J.King.1970

Blog

http://michaeljking.blogspot.com/

Twitter

http://twitter.com/michaeljking

Google+

https://plus.google.com/111213660776947015232/

Trossingen Lyre: Tuning to Diatonic E pitch

With its long scale length you can tune the Trossingen Lyre to

anywhere between D and F# from the lowest note.  The optimal length is E or F,  The best thing is to pitch it to your Voice pitch when you sing.   Here is the Tuning in E diatonic,   This example has the strings from low to high left to right,  Harpists and Kantele players may like to string the Lyre the other way around with the highest note closest to the body when held.   In that case the chord shapes are mirrored.

I have kept the sample chords patterns here identical to the Wiki How page on Lyre chords which is for Lyres in C

http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Chords-on-an-Anglo-Saxon-Lyre



More playing info on my playing page of my website

http://www.michaeljking.com/how_to_play_the_lyre.htm

Kolrosing: Decorating the Trossingen Lyre

Kolrosing on the Trossingen Lyre



For the Book mentioned in this video:



http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3981218124/?tag=mijki07-21



This is an Amazon Affiliate link to the German language version of their Website, it doesn't cost you any more to buy but adds a tiny bit to my amazon camera fund for better future videos!

My Lyre CD is available from my website as always from my website as a Disc or Download,  It has all my Bowed and plucked lyre plans.  If you purchase this to make a Trossingen Lyre email me after purchase and I may have an extra download file to help you.

http://www.michaeljking.com/lyre_shop.htm

http://www.michaeljking.com/plans.htm



Do check out my Trossingen Lyre pages,  these will be expanded over the coming weeks,  watch out too for the follow up videos

http://www.michaeljking.com/trossingen.htm



Special thanks must go to Dr Barbara Theune-Grosskopf Who has helped me and the Lyre Community through her great work and wonderful openness.



Do check out My Anglo Saxon Lyre Community on Yahoo groups

and my Lyre group on facebook,  there is a world of lyres out there!

In the video I am using a Kolrosing knife made in the USA by Lee Ferguson  see

http://www.fergusonknives.com

for more info on Kolrosing see:

http://www.pinewoodforge.com/kolrosing.html



Best wishes!

Michael J King

website

www.michaeljking.com

facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Michael.J.King.1970

Blog

http://michaeljking.blogspot.com/

Twitter

http://twitter.com/michaeljking

Google+

https://plus.google.com/111213660776947015232/

Kolrosing: Decorating the Trossingen Lyre

Kolrosing on the Trossingen Lyre



For the Book mentioned in this video:



http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3981218124/?tag=mijki07-21



This is an Amazon Affiliate link to the German language version of their Website, it doesn't cost you any more to buy but adds a tiny bit to my amazon camera fund for better future videos!

My Lyre CD is available from my website as always from my website as a Disc or Download,  It has all my Bowed and plucked lyre plans.  If you purchase this to make a Trossingen Lyre email me after purchase and I may have an extra download file to help you.

http://www.michaeljking.com/lyre_shop.htm

http://www.michaeljking.com/plans.htm



Do check out my Trossingen Lyre pages,  these will be expanded over the coming weeks,  watch out too for the follow up videos

http://www.michaeljking.com/trossingen.htm



Special thanks must go to Dr Barbara Theune-Grosskopf Who has helped me and the Lyre Community through her great work and wonderful openness.



Do check out My Anglo Saxon Lyre Community on Yahoo groups

and my Lyre group on facebook,  there is a world of lyres out there!

In the video I am using a Kolrosing knife made in the USA by Lee Ferguson  see

http://www.fergusonknives.com

for more info on Kolrosing see:

http://www.pinewoodforge.com/kolrosing.html



Best wishes!

Michael J King

website

www.michaeljking.com

facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Michael.J.King.1970

Blog

http://michaeljking.blogspot.com/

Twitter

http://twitter.com/michaeljking

Google+

https://plus.google.com/111213660776947015232/

Decorating the Trossingen lyre

The decoration shown here is a method that still is done in Norway and Sweden to this day,  it's called Kolrosing 

Small Nordic knives scratch into the wood a v section and charcoal or coal dust is let into the grooves mixed with animal fat or beeswax.   (Walnut oil is the modern alternative choice ). 

I will be filming a short video demonstrating this next week 

Irish/Scottish Wire Strung Lyre by Michael J king

Lyres have been played in the British Isles for Thousands of years, the recent find of a Lyre bridge in Scotland being a Testament to that This.
For this example in the video I have used a Sutton Hoo as a generic form and have added Simon Chadwick's Wire Strung Lyre strings,  These use a combination of Silver strings with Brass and Iron which sounds very rich when plucked or strummed.

I have added Brass decorative mounts that are inspired by Anglo Saxon/Viking "Celtic" knotwork patterns,  These work well for the time period.












Made of maple with Brass mounts and bone and garnet decoration, Metal Harp pins Supplied with a hard case, spare strings and tuning key. Key of D (diatonic or Pentatonic)

Irish/Scottish Wire Strung Lyre by Michael J king

yres have been played in the British Isles for Thousands of years, the recent find of a Lyre bridge in Scotland being a Testament to that This.
For this example in the video I have used a Sutton Hoo as a generic form and have added Simon Chadwick's Wire Strung Lyre strings,  These use a combination of Silver strings with Brass and Iron which sounds very rich when plucked or strummed.

I have added Brass decorative mounts that are inspired by Anglo Saxon/Viking "Celtic" knotwork patterns,  These work well for the time period.












Made of maple with Brass mounts and bone and garnet decoration, Metal Harp pins Supplied with a hard case, spare strings and tuning key. Key of D (diatonic or Pentatonic)

Anglo Saxon Lyre: Standard Model by Michael J King

Guide to playing the 6 string Lyre

The Lyre was always an instrument that was accessible and easy to play, true whether we are talking about the archaic Greek Lyres or Anglo saxon lyres,  it was an instrument that could be passed around and just about anyone could block a few chords and strum.  At the same time it was the instrument of the Bards,  and in the right hands the virtuoso could do magical things with it.  It explains why some instruments were given names and accredited with special powers.

Lyre Tuning
Lyres at the end of the instruments period were being tuning in a Diatonic tuning and its mostly this tuning I have used on my Lyres,  The Sutton Hoo size I make is mostly tuned to G tuning. The smaller Cologne lyre is in C,  Other players use Pentatonic tunings and others.

The basic Lyre techniques of what is called "block and Strum" is the foundation of the playing

Depending on the tuning fingers of the left hand damp or block certain strings as all the strings are strummed.

In my Anglo Saxon Lyre Playing guide using a Lyre tuned to G Diatonic  Here is the tuning in my video
  G A B c d e
After I go through some of the techniques:



X notes are ones where your fingers touch the strings

O notes are open strings

//// number of strums

There are many patterns which you can learn to create different chords and notes between chords, here are some examples

G chord     O X O X O X

C chord     O X X O X O

D chord     X O X X O X

Am             X O X O X O

Strumming Pattern example

Strumming pattern written out simply:

                    X O X X X O ////  X O X X O O //// X O X O X O ///// 

                    XO O X X O////   X O X O X O /////

                     X O X X O O ///// X O O X X O ///// X O X X X O  



Tune example:

Many monastic tunes can work on the lyre as do simple folk songs and tunes

Hymn to St. Magnus


Misty Mountains



Lyre playing Song:



This is the story of Cadmons Hymn,  It highlights the importance of Song in Anglo Saxon Society and the transition to the Chrsitian Faith.
as Sam Newton says its a Great Window into the pre-Christian world as well as the early British Christianity.

This is a good Bardic performance of Beowulf by Bagby for extra inspiration:




As there are only a handful of Songs that date from the period the lyre was most played,  To further extend your repertoire you can do What Mark Allen Barnes has done and use folk  and modern songs to strum and sing to.

https://www.youtube.com/user/MarkAllanBarnes




Advanced Techniques
When I was beginning I took most of my playing style and techniques and playing from  Kantele playing as this instrument has a lot of parallels culturally.
In this next video we are shown some advanced block and strum and plucking techniques:

Youtube user Songstress73 uploading Germanic/Scandinavian songs with lyre accompaniment.
She includes the original with English translation
Found it very inspiring, thought I would share

Móðir Mín Í Kví, Kví

further tunes:

Heiemo og Nykkjen
http://youtu.be/XI4rGH1Z6M4


Drømte Mig en Drøm
http://youtu.be/NNiiu9xUUic

De Två Systrarne
http://youtu.be/zLwxfu2qwKg

Song without a lyre that could work too
Jag Vill Gå Vall
http://youtu.be/BVc3aQhGOjk
There are more! 

For Further help and inspiration see my

Anglo Saxon Lyre Forum on yahoo here:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Anglo_Saxon_Lyres/info

Facebook Lyre group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/189117621210658/

If you have any questions please post them here or on either of my Lyre forums and the Lyre playing community will get beck to you!
If you are interested in making your own lyre please see my "lyre Making CD-Rom" on my website, now available as a download too for instant access.

Much more lyre music and instruments to come this year,  Wire Strung Irish Lyres,  Trossingen and Ancient Greek Lyres

Best wishes

Michael J King
www.michaeljking.com

Brass and Bronze strings on Kanteles

For Arja Kastinen's full article see her blog here:

http://www.temps.fi/en/2014/04/25/experimenting-brass-bronze-strings-billy-horn-kanteles/

Moving workshop

Just a quick update,  my workshop is moving to Warwickshire,  I will be unable to process orders that require posting until after the 12th February,  downloads unaffected.

 (download versions of my lyre Cd and the Kantele cd are available if you need these and don't want to wait)

The new workshop is a little more spacious and will be a more productive environment,   Looking forward to getting back to work, lots of exciting projects this year! 

Starting to play Stick Dulcimer, useful links.

Tuning your instrument:

My set up guide:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD9hfB9kIUA

Simple video of notes to tune to, Dad tuning:  

http://youtu.be/Rz1Tri_wshY

Playing and learning tunes, good channel with tab/music

http://www.youtube.com/user/Cj12sings/videos

Songbook for the Stick Dulcimer, available to purchase:

http://youtu.be/xJEFwlQ57MU

Strumstick Songbook (download free) 

http://www.strumstick.com/html_pages/Strumstick%20Songs.htm

Remember you can play any music written for the standard Appalachian Dulcimer too just by re-writing out the tab upside down.   

Hope that helps,   I do have a few more  tutorials of my own on my Youtube channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/michaeljking

Stick Dulcimer Making Course DVD box set available

My Stick Dulcimer DVD 3 disc set of the YouTube series is now available from my Stick Dulcimer shop page on my website  PAL or NTSC regions available:
http://www.michaeljking.com/stickmaking.htm

Original series is here
Disc set of the Youtube series is for offline reference but comes with a download of the Stick Dulcimer plans


Stick Dulcimer making Course 3 Disc box set (youtube course)
NTSC or PAL available
This reference DVD edition 


Free digital copy of the plans comes separately by a link with this item

£35.00