The cheapest Nyckelharpa... sounds HOW ?

Plywood Swedish instrument to assemble yourself... sounds like a joke, right ? Well, let's have a closer look at the Nerdy Harpa, its sound and specifics.
The Nerdy Harpa website (and Nerdy Gurdy) www.nerdygurdy.nl/
Huge thanks to Jaap Brand for sending me this instrument !
0:01 Intro
1:10 Nerdy Harpas (& Gurdies)
2:18 Cutting down costs
3:44 Sound sample 1
4:21 First impressions
5:49 Main problem of this 4-rows prototype
8:54 Sound comparison
10:58 Reviewing as musician
11:53 More details
13:26 Sound sample 2
14:23 Get it or not ? Situation
17:19 Link & community
For comparison, my (usual) nyckelharpa (used in this video) is built by Bernard Dimet & Jean-Claude Condi from France, and is of middle-high price range. Also one of the strongest sounding nyckelharpas I've ever tried (including high-end ones).
I'm Emelie Waldken, I play mostly Scandinavian traditional music on fiddles and nyckelharpa. I also teach music and folk dancing.
Support on Patreon / emeliewaldken
Bandcamp emeliewaldken.bandcamp.com/
Facebook / emeliewaldken
Instagram / emeliewaldken
Homepage www.emeliewaldken.net/
Recorded September 2022 in Uppland, Sweden.
#nyckelharpa #nordicfolk #3dprinting

[@AHMW5541]

I love seeing what people come up with in the quest to make traditional music more accessible. I play highland and uilleann pipes. Though highland pipes are so well known and mass produced, it's not really the case for uilleann pipes, of which a full set can easily cost over $10,000 US. McCallum now has the Fred Morrison line of instruments which makes uilleann pipes more accessible, which is great for keeping the tradition alive. I hope that Nerdy Gurdy keeps up their efforts and makes continual improvements to their design.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Wow, I had no idea that uilleann pipes could be so costly too ! Glad you peeps also have a cheaper alternative for beginners/short on money musicians.

[@AHMW5541]

@@EmelieWaldken thankfully, with uilleann pipes, the cost can be spread out as a prospective piper advances in ability. Typically, beginners start with a practice set, which is bag, bellows, and chanter. So it helps a little.

[@paulmdevenney]

I've wanted Uilleann pipes since Troy Donockley joined Nightwish. Still - thousands of pounds for an impractical dream is a little too much

[@UilleannOslo]

@@EmelieWaldken It is recommended that you start with a beginner set that consists of chanter, bellows and bag. Those cost about USD2500.00

[@UilleannOslo]

@@EmelieWaldken You should look at Andreas Rogge and Hendrik Morgenbrodt in Germany. If buying from Richard Patkos in Hungary, you may have to pay the price suggested by Eastside Precision Machine. Andreas Rogge is a bit cheaper. I do not know at the time being what prices Hendrik takes.

[@ros8737]

Yay! Not common on youtube to see an obviously inferior, cheap instrument NOT being discarded. I’ve had fun learning all kinds of cheap instruments and upgraded only on a few I continuously played.

[@EmelieWaldken]

I really can't fathom why a cheap instrument should be discarded, when it so obviously fills a place that was critically empty before !

[@Allan-mf1he]

@@EmelieWaldken If it does not discourage a beginner or a player then its OK. I found that you learn much quicker on easy to handle and great sounding instruments. I regret being cheap at acquiring instrument in the past.

[@EmelieWaldken]

@@Allan-mf1he I think it's good enough to not discourage a beginner actually, but will surely push them to acquire a better instrument asap. At least that's my hope =)

[@Allan-mf1he]

@@EmelieWaldken Guess it makes it accessible to people. Not a trending instrument I fear. The younger generation has even less interest in the classical arts then before. I am glad to see people like you keeping it alive. Who am I to talk I only got into classical guitar at the age of 38.🤐😄

[@Die__Ene]

@@Allan-mf1he I think you may have underestimated the younger generation - classical music is the "fastest rising genre" (still by no means the most popular type) of music, and the Hurdy Gurdy, Nyckelharpa, Harpsichord and Lute have become among the most famous of niche instruments among these people. In my opinion, the combination of game music and the huge availability of information that the internet provides, has given these kinds of instruments and medieval/baroque/classical music a huge boost in popularity as of late. I'd say this music has had its lowest audience with the late baby boomer/early generation X generations, who were not exposed to this music except through their parents and grandparents. Hell, even the Harpsichord used in Golden Brown (1982) made it an outlandish song back in the day - people thought it was a weird synth. Interest in the classical arts is definitely on the rise. It's not going to become the new pop music; but it's certainly doing better than it did with the younger generation of 50 years ago.

[@littleblackcar]

This reminds me of the cardboard lap dulcimers that we often use as teaching instruments (in the US, mostly). They're a lot better than you'd expect and very useful as starter instruments, but once you realize you can actually play you'll want to upgrade pretty quickly.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Yes it's a similar concept somehow, cheap yet still sounding fine version of an instrument which would otherwise cost a lot.

[@chang1865]

Which makes it perfect to hobbyists like me. Good enough to be recommended by players but still cheap because how it's made/designed. Dumping $$$ in a professional instrument just to play a few tunes must wait until I earn more.

[@laurieelliott9889]

Jean Ritchie called them dulcilesses😉

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

Never heard of a Cardboard Dulcimer and now I want to make one :)

[@mgordon3026]

I couldn't resist watching this. My Great Grandfather was Anders Anderson aka Spelman Gasvikarn. We understand that he composed for this instrument and that some of them are preserved in the lexicon of Swedish traditional music.

[@XenonJohnD]

The Nerdy Gurdy is a laser cut ply Hurdy Gurdy from the same manufacturer which has developed a very good reputation as an affordable playable instrument.

[@HannoBehrens]

There is an experiment which I would suggest to make: put the wood into a vacuum chamber and let it soak with resin (polymer resin), that only hardens when heated. Let it soak for 24 hours, take it out, put it into an oven with 200°C then assemble the instrument. This should fill all the air gaps in the wood with hard resin, make the cheap wood very flexible, very vibrant and very hard. It will add a bit of weight, but that's the way to make this work, I guess. Can't guarantee but that's what I would try. This is the problem of the instrument. Yes, this is not very "classical" or "traditional" anymore, but we are living in 2022 and not 1522 anymore. You actually do not need expensive wood anymore, because you can create the same physical attributes with modern methods of compound material construction. If you do that, try thinner wood, because this will add weight but also stability to the plank and thick planks will have problems to swing on low frequencies.

[@thebarleymow]

It’s an affordable option to give people the chance to try and learn to play on. I did the same with the English Concertina. Once I had confirmed that I could play and was enjoying the instrument, I upgraded to a quality traditional Wheatstone instrument. The failings in the nerdyharpa only really become obvious when you play your main instrument for comparison - but then it is 10 times the price! Thank you for the demonstration.

[@elathos]

What affordable concertina option did you go with?

[@thebarleymow]

I bought an Italian made Stasi. These are built with accordion style Reed banks and reeds. The main thing is that they play with the same fingerings. Great to learn on but can be a bit of a b*gg*r to tune.

[@elathos]

@@thebarleymow I'm gonna look into them, thanks ☺️

[@thebarleymow]

They are only one of a few modern English Concertinas that use internal accordion Reed banks and reeds. The Chinese make various 48 key types with different trade names. An Internet search should produce a list of options. Good luck.

[@ForgottenSongsLRSB]

One of the best comparison videos I've ever seen - clear, concise and informative. The comparison with your finely made instrument really illustrated the point well. By the way, having checked out some of your other videos I must say that you play wonderfully.

[@daveogarf]

Brilliant! Thank you so much. The difference between the two instruments is incredible!

[@tommcdavid9917]

Great video .....I never knew this instrument existed! My family is from Norway and Ireland. .... The little bit that you played made me want to close my eyes and drift back in time..... Thanks for the video hun, from N.C. U.S.A. ;)

[@locutuspicard1]

Wow... Nothing like a side by side comparison to really point out the differences between this and a traditionally built instrument! I'd say this is an acceptable starting point for anyone wanting to dip a toe into the nyckelharpa world... But yes, as it currently stands, there are some pretty severe limitations. Also, side note, you're such an amazing presenter!

[@EmelieWaldken]

Thank you =) Glad you got a similar impression - that the NerdyHarpa does sound quite nice, but is faaaaar away from the sound of a "real" nyckelharpa. It's a great starting point for beginners, and we really needed that in the scene !

[@drsmithfield1267]

Even my old and failing ears can tell the difference when played by an exceptional talent. Would buy it to learn on but like all instruments and serious players. It would not be the last instrument.

[@knyghtryda]

This video randomly popped up on my feed and that combination of hilarious expression and super interesting-looking instrument made this a must watch. Thank you for showing off such a unique instrument for all of us in the world who have never seen a nyckelharpa before!

[@EmelieWaldken]

Yay, my work on thumbnails wasn't for nothing ^^

[@komentator9829]

Looks super iteresting! I was amazed by a nyckelharpa for some time and I am playing hurdy-gurdy for a 4 years now, but yeah, a price of even most basic nyckelharpa is a gatekeep for sure. I'll probably give it a try building this one!

[@claudecat]

What an interesting instrument! I was totally unaware of this strange keyed viol thing. Yours sounds fantastic, and you make even the kit thing sound good with your playing. I do love the idea of open source plans for instruments. The best software often happens that way, so it seems logical that crafty instrument people can benefit from the concept. Thanks!

[@elfolomoment]

i bought this and built it back in february whilsti had covid for about 2 weeks, was a good fun project and it does sound awesome, i also then bought the nerdy gurdy that jaap makes which is fantastic too, great pricing for such an array of awesome instruments

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

i am always watching music lessons and looking up musical instruments, this was very interesting, thanks.

[@millergrrrl]

Very interesting. I've never heard of this before. When you played it, I realized it is basically a chord violin/viola with keys. Very cool!

[@EmelieWaldken]

It's just like a viola, with keys between your left fingers and the strings ! (no chords)

[@Windwalker93]

I discovered this amazing instrument with one of your shorts (Trollpolska) and I loved them (the song and the Nyckelharpa). I though it would take me years to buy one but now I think I can save money to buy one of those and in a few years, but a "real" one. Your videos are very useful, thank you so much.

[@S_Tinguely]

Hey Emelie, So good to see you pop into my KZbin feed ! =D This instrument seems amazing at what it's trying to do. I truly love the initiative.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Samuel, hej !! Nice to hear from you !

[@Knux02]

Thank you so much for this super interesting video! I stumbled upon your channel as i just finished building my own nerdy harpa and wanted to learn as much as possible about Nyckelharpas. Its definitely also nice to hear the difference in sound the instrument produces compared to a traditionally built one. I shall use mine to learn playing and hopefully move on to a full fledged one at some point! :)

[@EmelieWaldken]

Oh nice that you just built a nerdyharpa ! Hope you'll have a great time learning to play on it !

[@Knux02]

@@EmelieWaldken Thank you so much! :)

[@adamhorner3950]

Incredible! I now have plans for two instruments that I've wanted to make for a while now and it didn't cost me a thing. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@EmelieWaldken]

Great ! Let me know how the building goes and how they sound !

[@john-brady]

Great review, very informative. What a remarkable instrument with a sound all its own. This plywood version looks like it would be a very good way for someone of limited means to own one. Assembling it would be most instructive to those who really want to get into what makes this music machine tick… Thanks for posting - very cool!

[@emberarc]

Hey! You simply make professional content. I loved not just the objective and well balanced comparison, but your sense of humor in general. Miss (mrs?) Waldken, you're a really entertaining figure on KZbin. ;)

[@EmelieWaldken]

Thank you, I'm doing my best ! (just "Waldken", no title, thank you ;) )

[@derekstallman]

Super interesting. Now seeing how scarce nyckelharpas are here in the US, it makes me want to find one even more. I enjoy your tunes, you are very good and it's pleasant listening

[@EmelieWaldken]

Thank you !

[@JohnKremer1Guitar4SitarPerform]

Amazing instrument. Never heard of it before. Wonderful video and demonstration. Thanks for sharing. Like nr 407 and subscribed 🙂

[@mihaliprefti2507]

I like yours and i equally like this one. I like the difference in sound of both. Each one has its own character.

[@aftertheendtimes]

Amazing intrument And also inspiering to see you talk about it, i am tempted to purchase one =) I got a Salmodikon from my grandfather many years ago, that is not in working order unfortanly,.. but it sparked a thought about a nykelharpa , but a nykelharpa has been too expensive to try, but now it can be a solution to try a Nerdyharpa to order when it starts to sell kits,..Thankful that you shareing this review Much Love & Light to you Emelie 💚🙏🎵🕉☯

[@EmelieWaldken]

Well I'm glad you found a way to possibly get your hands on a nyckelharpa =)

[@therealzilch]

Wonderful. A very perceptive analysis, and great music too. Subscribed. I have built hurdy gurdys, no nyckelharpa so far- but a couple of nyckelharpa bows. Maybe someday, it's a great instrument. cheers from sunny Vienna, Scott

[@StevenParrisWard]

Very cool. Thanks for info on the Nerdy.

[@danigolightly799]

I would 100% buy both this and the hurdy gurdy. I’m glad I found this so I can wishlist them.

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

LoFi Vs HiFi I've never really paid attention to instruments like this but I have always loved this kind of music. Loved this video, demonstration and comparison. Sometimes LoFi is what you might want. Thanks for sharing.

[@GillamtheGreatest]

oh no another unique and peculiar instrument for me to want to be bad at.

[@Snoddas457]

Wow, du är så duktig på att spela! Det påminner om när jag var barn och vi firade midsommar, åkte karavan efter traktor och dansade runt stången! :) Tack för videon! Min favvo är ändå Äppelbo gånglåt. Hälsningar från norduppland

[@EmelieWaldken]

Tack tack ! Traktorkaravan låter så kul ju !!

[@BirthquakeRecords]

I didn’t realize there existed a reasonably financially accessible nyckelharpa which sounds/plays passably. I’ve never before considered it to be even remotely in the realm of possibility for me to try to play one. I’m excited. Even if it’s deficient in some obvious ways.

[@EmelieWaldken]

That's exactly why this NerdyHarpa has been conceived ! For people who didn't think they could afford it - but now you can and it sounds decent ! Yay !

[@pancon5]

Great review, open-sourcing and making these instruments accessible is a fantastic idea! Now for someone to open-source a Shamisen. 😋

[@EmelieWaldken]

Oh yes that would be great !

[@WolfieboyMachi]

I bought this kit about half a year ago. Still haven't finished it, though that's on me and my stupidity. Decided to use self-mixed hide glue. Big mistake. Just use wood glue. Also, unless you have lots of clamps lying around, a finished model might be cheaper in the end. Though my decision to use expensive violin varnish probably didn't help with the cost. 😅

[@flamingomtn]

If you have any trouble that I can advise you on, please email me at [e-mail]. I'm a building mentor for both the Nerdy Harpa and the Nerdy Gurdy.

[@cliffpakiry4413]

Are you selling it like a second hand instrument.

[@WolfieboyMachi]

​@@cliffpakiry4413Hey, sorry about the very late reply, I didn't see it until now. I'm not gonna sell it. It's my first instrument I've ever made. I'll be keeping it forever.

[@M.F.Hafizhan]

Funnily enough, Jaap's thingiverse has plans for simple clamps specifically for his instruments, though you need to supply your own bolts/threaded rods and nuts

[@atalhlla]

Woah, the sound difference is very pronounced, like the difference between having a head cold and having a fully warmed up voice. But as you note, it’s not intended to be a professional instrument (with a professional price), that’s not it’s goal. Thanks for the review and demo! Tack så mycket!

[@nordmende73]

Never thought I would enjoy watching a comprehensive review of an instrument totally unknown to me.

[@EmelieWaldken]

You're welcome ^^

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

Regarding the resonating strings rubbing against the arm at the attachment point, the mandolin family doesn't have the long tailpieces of the violin family, they have loop end strings that catch onto hooks at the edge of the soundboard, and they have a little plate (part of the same piece that has the hooks) running over them to prevent that problem. Similarly, I think it's the Danelectro guitar/sitar hybrid that has a clear plastic half-moon protecting the edge of the set of sympathetic strings

[@EmelieWaldken]

This could be a good solution to that problem !! I never thought about the mandolins but of course !

[@ironsandhammers359]

10 times cheaper!?!? well it sounds like a great place to start; most of those kinds of intruments are made custom or to order, such as hurdy gurdy. Thanks for sharing!

[@fnersch3367]

As a musical instrument builder myself, I would recommend a pine soundboard plank for the top plate. I built the NerdyGurdy a few years ago and it came out quite well.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Thanks for the tip !

[@TotallyFictional]

What a great concept.

[@mort2k]

I've been eyeing these nerdy harps for some time, but I would love to have an earlier instrument, like moraharpa. Thanks for the great review!

[@flamingomtn]

I'm actually toward the end of developing a moraharpa Nerdy-style kit. The only holdup is having the confidence to release it into the world AND getting Jaap Brand to build one to give it his blessing.

[@mort2k]

@@flamingomtn uh! Interesting! That would definitely be a great beginners instrument! Looking forward to it

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Geared Tuners make tuning it up a snap. I converted my Nyckelharpa to have Geared tuners by making an extension for it. The other thing I did to it was because it's going to be a Lefty Nyckelharpa for Zydeco players, I swapped the places of the bridge & soundpost as well as the direction of the keys.

[@tommyhanlon8012]

It is a Great idea. It allows access for those with limited funds to try what would be normally too expensive to try. Hello from Dublin Ireland 😊. Your instrument and your playing is Very beautiful.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Ireland is so high on my list of countries I want to see ! Glad you like my music !

[@tommyhanlon8012]

@@EmelieWaldken I think you would enjoy our traditional Irish music. I myself have played since childhood & it has brought me to places I never dreamt of, & met some memorable people too. If you're coming to Ireland please let me know.

[@EmelieWaldken]

@@tommyhanlon8012 I've loved Irish folk music for years, I play a few tunes but I never have the time to properly study it, there is so much with Scandinavian stuff already ^^

[@swamppappyjonson9780]

A simple solution to the sound would be to just put a pickup on it and plug it in. Then you can pretty much make it sound however you want, at least that's what I would probably do if it were mine. It would probably sound pretty good through a Fishman acoustic amp.

[@harrymoyes5069]

The issue is that a contact pickup on the body will not properly capture the resonance strings. See the other videos from this channel, with an acoustic mike positioned to capture all the strings.

[@haramanggapuja]

Wow! That's an amazing sound. At first I thought it sounded like some of the stuff that I've heard on NRK's folkmusikk channel. Might be the same sound/instrument. I'm guessing the Norwegians also have a similar instrument. Either way, it's a neat sound and instrument. Oh, to be much younger and have a younger man's dexterity ;-) Thanks for the great video. Tusin takk!

[@EmelieWaldken]

The Norwegians have the Hardanger fiddle, a violin with resonance strings, similar to the nyckelharpa ! I guess that's what you heard and yes, there is a similarity in the sound indeed.

[@mindbodysaul4382]

😍 Amazong channel! Amazing review 👍

[@slowcreep6978]

I've been dying to get my hands on a nyckelharpa, but the price was out of range. I remembered thinking that 3D printing plans would be hugely beneficial, but had not imagined that it had already been done.

[@riverfrance5676]

Yeah * the stops clicking is delicious love it -. When I close my eyes and listen - I can't tell if it's a string instrument or a wind instrument - the slightly muted clicks I love - they do mix in easily - we tend to not hear them alway - imma view your channel Ty

[@fredmahar5431]

Fantastic......you play beautifully!!!

[@EmelieWaldken]

Many thanks

[@ravenslaves]

I wouldn't worry about the resonance too much. Because once you put a pickup in it and play it through a Marshall stack, then the resonance might become a problem.

[@blahblahblahblah2837]

I'd say the that the problems with the tone would be firstly because of the wood not being very hard and resonant and being a bit smaller. The other factors are the bridge (which looks very thick and can absorb a lot of the sound) and the placement of a sound post inside the body (if it has one). The actual shape of the body could be a factor also (is the body curved, is the body made of consistent thickness wood? Does it have a bass bar rubbing up the spine?) I would recommend they redesign the body if possible. It's very impressive either way

[@elkape1841]

Wow!! It sounds very nice!!

[@annahopp]

Holy IKEA! This IKEAHARPA sounds so much better than I ever imagined. Time to order a nerdy gurdy and start working my way up to a nyckelharpa in the future.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Holy IKEA hahaha excellent ! Have a good building !

[@paulobastos1774]

Superb explanation:)

[@manuelalejandroorqueravald6511]

Extraño y maravilloso instrumento! Muy hermosa la música que tocas! Felicitaciones!

[@EmelieWaldken]

Gracias !

[@isanewday]

Sounds beautiful, and precise and sounds like you are playing a modulated scale . . .

[@billybudd45]

I want a real nyckelharpa, I think they sound beautiful, you play very well. Tussen takk

[@ProfesserLuigi]

Ooh, perhaps nyckelharpa isn't totally out of my paygrade.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Exactly the reason why this exists ;)

[@unclemick-synths]

A great way for people to find out if they have an aptitude for the instrument.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The 4 Row Nerdy Harpa is super cool & you can play Viola pieces.

[@KenneyCmusic]

Very cool instrument. I want one. It's like factory made violins vs luthier made.

[@randolphfriend8260]

❤️ thank you for the knowledge. Looks/sounds to be a practice/beginner/try it, you may would like to get a real one someday model.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Emelie Waldken It works, 5 string Violins exist too & they have a slightly deeper & bigger body to help that C String speak more clearly. The 4 Row Nyckelharpa is common in Germany.

[@EmelieWaldken]

I know.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@EmelieWaldken The body is bigger than a Viola body which I think would help improve the C string sound alot.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@EmelieWaldken So this little 4 Row Nerdy Harpa sounds lovely like a Viola but easier to play because of the keys. I suggested the company to use Prim Medium Tension Nyckelharpa strings as the 4 main Playing strings (They're Chrome Steel Flatwound Strings so they're fairly mellow) in the kit because they're essentially Cello Strings designed Shorter so it saves us the trouble of having to cut down Cello Strings to the right length. What I like about the Prim Strings is that they're made in Sweden which is the same Country that the Nyckelharpa came from.

[@Nokanmusic]

Would you kindly upload hökpers vals in a separate video, I really enjoyed it.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Taking note !

[@joemalkovich2078]

Thanks much for the videos. Since discovering your channel I have been going back and watching/listening to the many tunes you have demonstrated, and have been enjoying them. Do you have a favorite printed anthology of Scandinavian folk tunes that you can recommend? I can learn through watching and listening, but I like to have written music if it is available. It would be great to have a Swedish or broader Scandinavian source for tunes to learn and practice.

[@EmelieWaldken]

You can check folkwiki.se or if you want a more region-specific, go for the classic : the Svenska Låtar books.

[@mccypr]

😎Thanks for sharing!

[@Sombre____]

Great project. I would love to see Nyckelharpa & Hurdy Gurdy stopping to make it as a luxe hobby. Even if i know than it's really sophisticated instruments. It's with project like that than those instruments will not die and people will start to take interest of playing them.

[@salossi]

As a fiddle player, who would absolutely LOVE to own a nyckelharpa (I played some a few times, and we have a nyckelharpa-luthier living just around the corner here), this is a really interesting project. As I have my own violin- and guitar repair workshop here, I'm thinking of getting myself one of those kits and then combine the lasercut parts for the mechanics with a proper selfmade box, out of maple / spruce - or, at least, build a proper top out of massive sprce tonewood for this instrument. I think, particularly replacing the plywood instrument top with a proper top, made out of massive tonewood, would be a MASSIVE improvement in sound quality, loudness and it would probably also sort out the issues, that you had with the low string.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Go for it, and let us know how it sounds =D

[@salossi]

@@EmelieWaldken I'll think about it!! :) By the way: Another important difference between a usual, handbuilt instrument and the nerdyharpa is, that the nerdy doesn't have a soundpost... This is probably, because setting up a soundpost requires some skill in violinmaking and also some special tools... I am pretty shure, that replacing the "schoolchair-back-style" instrument top with a proper one plus adding a soundpost would probably sort out 80-90 % of the sound issues with this instrument. Even if you stick to the plywood back & sides. This is, as the type of wood and design of the instrument top has by far the biggest influence on the overall sound of such instruments...

[@jensaskengren2905]

Beeing able to buy just a CNC-machined keybox including the keys would be a huge time saver for any one starting to build a nyckelharpa. And probably help a lot with the accuracy if you're not a great woodworker already.

[@chrixthegreat]

When making a violin, after the construction of the top and bottom parts of the resonance box is done, you could assemble the instrument right there and play it. But it will have the same sound problems you are getting from this instrument. To get high quality sound, each part of the resonance box has to be tuned to a specific note. This is done by tapping the wood and listening to the pitch of the thunk sound. Sand paper is used to remove material until the right pitch is achieved. This is what gives high quality violins their great sound. I am willing to bet that a plywood instrument likely has not been tuned in this way.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Surely not, as it is most often assembled by full amateur builders who like to tinker. And yes, I guess if the NerdyHarpas were carefully "tuned" in that way, they could sound better ! But then... the point is to have an instrument that is cheap and quick to build...

[@reineh3477]

Compared with what it cost I think it sounds great. I think it can be good for beginners that aren't sure if they want to buy a full price or for people that want to try but can't afford the more expensive ones.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Exactly =)

[@inkaharpa8194]

Very interesting presentation of the Nerdy Harpa. Thank you. I did not expect that the Nerdy Harpa sounds that good (of course not like a handcrafted one). In my opinion this Harpa would also be a starters' instrument for teaching. I wonder if the sympathetic strings rattle or is there another mechanic noise?!

[@EmelieWaldken]

I didn't expect it to be that good either ! There are different rattling noises happening here, mostly pieces of the keyboard that have the same frequency as one of the strings/notes and therefore vibrate when playing that note, but yes also the sympathetic strings hitting neighbouring parts when played a little too loud for their capacity (which is very low).

[@flamingomtn]

I have a variety of the 3-row models of the Nerdy Harpa and none of mine have any trouble with rattling sympathetic strings. One of the really early beta versions had a wolf tone but that's gone from the current models. I haven't built or played the 4-row yet.

[@rocu406]

One of these may be in my future.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

You should consider trying Clarity Rosin & Coruss Bow Hair

[@heliopijpe]

And you can get the kit and plans adapted for left handed players ^^ nice

[@GeFeldz]

Den svenskaste engelskadialekten jag har hört tror jag, musik i mina öron =) Väldigt roligt att det går att fixa en nyckelharpa utan att lägga en förmögenhet på den! Det får mig att önska att jag hade varit intresserad av stränginstrument när jag var liten =)

[@EmelieWaldken]

Intressant att det låter så till dina öron, som mitt modersmål är inte alls svenska men franska ^^

[@GeFeldz]

@@EmelieWaldken that's wild :)

[@dg7952]

Your harpa sounds like cream, beautiful, the other one is experimental for creating sounds, foleys etc. for me :)

[@flamingomtn]

Hi, Emelie, and thank you for this video. I'm one of Jaap's 3rd party kit suppliers in the US and I love my NerdyHarpa (3-row). Question. Did you do a video about his 3-row quite a while ago? I could swear I saw one but can't find it now. I wanted to show it to someone who's interested in the instrument. Thank you!

[@EmelieWaldken]

Hej Marti ! Nope I've never had in my hands Jaap's three-rows nerdyharpa, only the prototype for the 4-rows.

[@Zothaqqua]

I spend a lot of time sailing, but I also play instruments. One of the big problems is not cost, but that I wouldn't take a precious instrument on the sea where it'll get damp and damaged. Great!

[@EmelieWaldken]

I very much understand that point ! Then the Nerdy Harpa would be a good option !

[@WayOfHaQodesh]

Min far hadde en nykkelharpe fra gammelt av i Sundsvall og kunne spille den. Skulle kanskje tenkt mae aa laere nykkelharpa en vakker dag. Nydelig lyd. Takk for videon.

[@headsetsquirrel2581]

I'm pretty sure it has the same make of big tuning pegs as my spector bass guitar! I mean, they work very well, I just find it a bit funny.

[@laurastrom9857]

Oh my goodness. Anders Gustavo Anderson was my great great Grandfather!!

[@maeve615]

It sounds muted compared to the professional nyckleharpa, but I guess that makes sense as the lamination of of plywood is mixed material densities. It still sound nice

[@Spacecookie-]

Wow! I wish I had the money for one. It sounds a lot better than the sounds of no Nyckelharpa that I currently make. XD I currently have a cheap guitar but I really don't like how I have to injure my fingers just to play it. The Nyckelharpa looks like a really good instrument.

[@danepiper1]

Love your playing. I'm curious, is it cold in Yours studio? Where did you get the knitted hand covers? Thanks

[@EmelieWaldken]

It does get really cold in the winter when I can't use the heating (like last winter due to energy crisis). My mitts were knitted by my partner =)

[@hmr28]

I love that first song! Do you have sheet music for it? Also can you suggest a book of similar traditional tunes? I play the pedal harp and would like to try arranging.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Do you mean Herr Olof ? It's a very well-known traditional Swedish tune, also called "säckpipslåt från Norra Råda" (but beware of variations). There are many books of Swedish folk tunes and I will be releasing one myself soon !

[@pqsnet]

Actually impressive. But i noticed there were something ratteling, a key or the tailpiece where the fine tuners are. It could be the end button not being tight enough. I had this on my violin. Also, the end tailpiece is closer to the bridge on the Nerdy harp and strings doesnt look like they are the same type, Bridge dimensions are important too, things that at least on violin can make a big difference how the music sounds..

[@michaelcaplin8969]

Hehe, the nerdyharpa sounds like a moraharpa!! That's pretty rad in a way. A lot of people love the sound of moraharpas, but wish they could get the functionality and polyphony of a modern nyckelharpa. Well, I guess this is the instrument for them.

[@EmelieWaldken]

Probably yes ! I personally think the Moraharpa sounds different actually, due to the absence of resonance strings (and the tinier, different body). But yeah, close enough.

[@michaelcaplin8969]

@@EmelieWaldken Ah true, aside from the resonance strings of course. However, I do feel like from the video at least, the body of the nerdy harpa sounds like a small bodied nyckelharpa, with more emphasis on the sound of he contact between the key and the string than on the resonance of the wood, like on a moraharpa, compared to your true wood harpa. Pretty cool. Thanks for doing this video; I have been wondering how these sounded.

[@EmelieWaldken]

@@michaelcaplin8969 Yes I totally see what you mean !

[@stevesedberry]

thank you!

[@emmanuels7723]

Nice video! What about the strings brand? I found it can be very influencial in the resonance of my cello too. i guess picking a combination of 4 strings is ok, but doing so on this instrument is a nightmare!

[@EmelieWaldken]

Everyone has different tastes in terms of strings but I use Savarez nyckelharpa strings for the playing strings and Savarez Phosphore Bronze guitar strings for the resonance ones, on my good nyckelharpa. I don't know what this one is strung with but would I want it to sound the best it can, I'd try the same combination first, and then modify if needed.

[@yintaichi]

That sure is Swingin' tune ! What was that about Male Shenanigans ? I've been looking at Nyckelharpa because I want a fiddle ( of some design ...) I can play in my driver's seat.

[@MrBluelightning024]

I've been trying to order a nerdygurdyfor a year now and they are always out of stock hopefully it will be possible to get one

[@NordicEagleVids]

He’s still producing these and is currently on gen 3 of these, i wonder how these would compare to the one in the video.

[@rachelhenriksson7968]

ooooo I'm gonna force my parents to buy me this because I need to learn how to play a nyckelharpa now 😃

[@BendorMusic]

Really cool! Enjoyed watching and listening

[@EmelieWaldken]

Not really that I know of, no. Sorry. But ask in nyckelharpa groups on FB !

[@user-kx7xz9dc6g]

What a beautiful music! Is is memento about my last life.

[@vipersb1]

Ever seen a left handed Nyckelharpa? Being a left handed musician truly is a curse. If the maker could come up with a left handed version I would buy it for sure!!

[@EmelieWaldken]

They exist !! And yes, it is apparently quite simple to build a NerdyHarpa for a left-handed musician, you just have to flip some parts !

[@gasstop7222]

That looks like fun

[@mohindermanhastrangathakur2810]

Very nice