Anglo-Saxon Lyre: Advanced Block and Strum

[@robertanderson2370]

I am also a "weird seven string guy". I didn't come into making my own Anglo-Saxon lyre from a musician's background, but as a historian. We have a ridiculously small sampling of lyres from archeology. Most are or seem to be six stringed, but one is definitely seven. There is no reason to be defensive about the seven as at least one existed in the period and what small sample size we have can not be described as authoritative. A few might have had whammy bars, for all we know. We also have only one written source for how it would be tuned, and played. "Block and strum" is open to interpretation, as this was a lost instrument. I would say your adaptation from an extant folk instrument out of a regionally close culture is as a fine example of an educated guess as one could hope for. Nice approach to historic experimentation. Your playing was also really appreciated. People playing around with Anglo-Saxon reproductions don't have many examples of what it should look like or play like. I really appreciated your contribution. Thanks for the shout out to Michael King, to whom we all owe a debt. I wished you had added the links you talked about, though. Thanks again, and hope to see more soon!

[@robotvisions5556]

Nice! Thanks for making this. I recently got an Anglo-Saxon lyre and think it's just amazing to see other people playing. Hope I'm as good as you one day soon!

[@joeymediauk]

Seeing a few of your videos I did not expect you to have an American accent lol

[@bashkillszombies]

Have you seen the kid behind Learn Old English? That's always a mindfuck for me. :P

[@dickrichard626]

You mean no accent.

[@Snuffkin1990]

You are an absolute dude, man.

[@nnaeve]

Very advanced! Thanks for teaching!

[@alvacouch]

This is a bit of an epiphany for me. I never understood how versatile 6 strings could be. You've given me a simple lesson that will last a lifetime.

[@williamrowan8908]

Thank you. It was quite an epiphany for me too!

[@virusinstall9658]

don't search for an instrument called a guitar, if you thought this was good that six stringer will melt your face

[@talonsoftheraven6693]

Excellent! that sounds so cool !

[@simonmchadwick]

Very interesting indeed. I am going to try this idea out at once! I am also going to email you with some interesting connections between this and harp technique.

[@hellomate639]

I was watching this not knowing what to expect, and I was blown away. Thank you, I'm going to make an anglo saxon lyre next. I made a 12 string lyre harp that is sort of a Kithara, Kinnor, and Anglo Saxon Lyre, but then adding in some bracing theory. The sound is very unique, sounding like a cross between a theorbo and a harp, but also with a bell tone, a bit like the oboe d'amore. Also... do you use nylon or gut? I find gut is on a whole different level tone-wise. It's harder than nylon, so its more percussive and bright, but it doesn't have the splunky sound of nylon (which weirdly I am sensitive to after getting COVID, which gave me migraines that felt like my head was being rubbed between two pieces of plastic). I'm going to use the ash tree that was felled due to the ash borer blight to make the body, and maybe even the soundboard too. After I built the lyre, it ended up being the swansong for both the ash tree and a chickadee that landed on my porch, and died the next day. My fiance wept for the bird, and it was kind of a strange moment of realizing the world we're not connected to on a regular basis. Its like the instrument itself is magic in a strange way. I played my lyre to the ash tree, taking in its beauty while improvising on my lyre, shortly before it was felled. I think it will be a very meaningful feeling to build an anglo-saxon lyre out of the wood from this tree.

[@AllAspectFilms]

Putting it out there. Im cutting a Saxon Reenactment Groups video to bring to schools to show and teach of the lives lived. Have you any music I could use to underpin the video keeping it as authentic as the group are?? Many Thanks...

[@Rottensparrow]

what tunings do you use?

[@theshiningshoeshine1540]

Thanks for this I too am strange guy, I have a 7 string lyre that was just built for me and so now I am starting on the path to learning to play.

[@oldenglishandlyre]

Do the tunes you demonstrate have names ?

[@JohnnysCoolStuff]

You gotta admin it sounds a little like clawhammer banjo music.

[@williamrowan8908]

Well I was a banjo player first

[@valeriy8502]

That's exactly what I was thinking. The technique goes well with the lyre

[@artlover5798]

Is it possible to play it upside down?

[@jasonhensley6266]

hi im making a lyre as well what is the length of your handhole?

[@goohber1]

i love simplicity of instrument. strings widen out so it's easier to play, as opposed to regular compact strings on a guitar or other even mandolin. at same time, there seems 2b nothing else complicated about it, such as hammers or over - extended nobs for tuning, everything is on one piece

[@Westastic]

Hey man, that's an awesome technique. I have a homemade A-S lyre I was gifted a few years ago, but I've only recently been tracking down the resources I need to do the instrument justice. Do you have any lyre advice for someone who has been playing guitar and bass guitar for a long time?

[@alexanderthepatriot6837]

Absolutely beautiful instrument! Do you make your lyres? or do you have any recommendations on where i can get one?

[@flexinriffs9926]

Alexander The Patriot im building one for a friend. If it comes out well I may make a few for sale. I typically build guitars but I'm excited to make other instruments. I can get you contact info if you like

[@Chipolamer]

Hi William, Wow beautiful music may i ask what wire you use for your instrument ?

[@williamrowan8908]

I use Aquila Nylgut, which is a nylon imitation gut product

[@saeward3043]

How difficult are these to learn? I've got no musical abilities at all, but I'd really love to be able to play one of these, is it something you could feasibly pick up and start learning?

[@l3g0m4n3000]

Where can I buy an Anglo-Saxon Lyre? Would it be reccomended that I make my own?

[@williamrowan8908]

There are a number of places to buy them. Michael King sells ready-made lyres and kits, Corwen Broch sells them, and I have been known to take a commission now and then [e-mail]

[@aramislucas3281]

DAMN I LOVE IT In my opinion it sounds better when you play it slower lol Good job

[@erikborjesson438]

Hey,I just gotta ask what type of wood is your lyre made out of?it has a special ring to it that I have not heard before. Or does that depend on the tuning and not the choice of wood? And are any of the strings different widths? Sorry if these seems like obvious questions but I have not played one and decided to make one and see if it's something I want to do. Thanks before hand!

[@williamrowan8908]

Hi Erik. One of my lyres is made out of maple and the other out of birch. They both have spruce soundboards (purchased from a luthier's supplier), and they are both about 2 3/4 inches thick. The strings are aquila nylgut (aquilausa.com) and each one is of a different thickness.

[@banjoheathen]

Hey there Lyre fans! A lot of you have asked how you can get a recording of my lyre music. Well, now there's a way, but only for a limited time. From now until November 15th, i'm offering bonus lyre tracks including a recording of Deor as a donation perk as part of my indiegogo campaign! Check it out at igg.me/at/singthesunsreturn/x/12435860

[@roninraps]

rock on :)

[@Oscarmattonepazzo]

You are for the return of ancient Worship of our Indoeuropean Gods? Like Odin, Saturn and Iuspitar?

[@Thortondaniel12]

it already returned

[@robbiehoen]

Not really returned; Invented using old names.

[@Rottensparrow]

+The Frisian I know people worshiping them, so the worship returned.

[@sauldinglesteinlll9543]

Bunch of new age Wicca style bullshit that appropriates (if you'll pardon the term) gods (or their names, at least) from all over the place. Not really a return of the ancient ways.

[@LivingHistorySchool]

it never left all most all holidays are Pagan

[@DwarfLordAirsoft]

do you know if this is potentially a traditionally germanic technique or just a slavic one? if not germanic, what are some germanic techniques?

[@aidansumner8364]

Lithuanians are Baltic, not Slavic.

[@bashkillszombies]

Mentions 7 strings as many times as possible. 3edgy5me. :O

[@gabrielolmedo9000]

This should be the national english musical instrument.

[@soepsoep6445]

you made your wife a kankles??????? that's so cool

[@bashkillszombies]

Celtic Harp? You don't look Romanian to me.

[@vanquisht2982]

With all due respect, but this playing technique, tune, as well as especially this modernized lyre, has nothing to do with the original early lyres and nothing with the original techniques: The original Anglo-Saxon and Alamannen Lyres have been extremely much flatter, lighter constructed, smaller and did not have this enormous sound volume. The lyre played here reminds me on modern lyre based on the idea of guitarres. Maybe this is the intention of the player and of the maker of this lyre, but it is a pity that , with such modern lyres and modern playing techniques, the most interesting historical lyre construction and playing techniques are not taught. Unfortunately, what remains is only modern folk music with a touch of esoteric. Most people will believe this has been the music of the 6th century. Pity. I take the liberty to recommend: listen to genius Benjamin Bagby (also at youtube) and take his playing technique and performance - and lyre - as the real example for early lyres and its music.

[@williamrowan8908]

Vanquish T Hi Vanquish T. I am surprised that you say the content of this video has nothing to do with early lyres in comparison to Bagby's work. Bagby's lyre tunings and playing techniques are just as much an invention as mine. Indeed my tunings are far closer to the only tuning historically attested in Hucbald's work, whereas Bagby's pentatonic tuning was his own idea, and the music he plays was written by him just the way the music I play was written by me. As far as playing technique goes, we have little information to go on, but block-and-strum is well supported by the illustration from the Vesparian psalter. Whether or not historical block-and-strum included left-hand picking as I do in this video is anyone's guess. Most historical lyres were thinner, certainly, I'll give you that. I've made a few since these lyres that are thinner, and they don't sound significantly different. The main difference in timbre between Bagby's lyre and mine is pitch, his is higher (who knows what exact pitch historical lyres would have been tuned to). The fact remains that the only surviving part of the music of the 6th century is the instrument itself along with some texts that might have been sung. Every player of the lyre must invent whatever music they feel fits the instrument. On one point I do agree with you: listen to Benjamin Bagby! He's great! However, bear in mind that his great performance has no more or less connection to the music of the 6th century than any other player of the lyre in this, our modern age.

[@vanquisht2982]

William Rowan Hi Williams, I appreciate if people try to bring back to live very early instruments and music. Nevertheless I have a problem with folk style music played on such instruments as the audience gets a wrong impression of the music which could have been played on this instreumtns. Sorry, but based on my studies of music and also lyres (also make lyres since 28 years) my studies are going into another understanding of this instrument. Additionally, you are totally wrong - sorry my friend, if you do not see any big differences in sound.....especially if you know that alamannen lyres have been made also of oak (both Oberflacht lyres for example). Unfortunately most people take the maple made Sutton Hoo Copy by Dolmetsch (Dolmetsch took the shape of Oberflacht lyre (this is known) and made the soundbox higher ) and copy this copy. My respect for Dolmetsch but he did his 'copy' is questionable - as the real Sutton Hoo was gone totally excluded the golden decoration. Your lyre at this videao is and sounds like a modern version of an early lyre and I have problems to accept. Not negativ just critical as I can not stand all those numberless socalled 'early lyres' by worldwide 'instrumentmakers' which have nothing to do with the try to bring back the past in the right way. But I know, maybe it is wrong to be negative here - as I should states this at numberless of other lyre performences at youtube as well. Lyres an IN but unfortunately some play phantasy instruments, personal techniques and music which can not have been played in the 5th century - even Ben Bagby does realize his own ideas only also. GLTU