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



            

A Stick Dulcimer 'Sussex Carol' Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Hap...

tabs to follow when my web server is up and running (flooding and power supplies cut in parts of the UK)