Picking materials for your taglharpa/bowed lyre/jouhikko

Advice from amateur to amateur.
Before you start building.
Strings are made of horse hair/tail

[@Nantosuelta]

that shirt is amazing. Very informative video, thank you

[@timthetechpriest8876]

@@langskeppet9887 Also when the plague came to Norway which is more likely to be the case since he is from there

[@Huganaz]

@@langskeppet9887 nice

[@Karactos]

Thank you for this information. There is precious little out there on the the making of a tagelharpa. I just finished an assessment on them, complete with making my own, with the help of your information. Thank you

[@dorkthrone]

I am very fortunate to have recently felled several sitka spruce trees on my property. The most promising boards have been sawn and stacked in the kiln, and I hope a few pieces are worth turning into soundboards. Thank you for the information!

[@333Eriana]

this is fantastic - no one has ever mentioned the sound posts - - - i have most of my pieces gathered -this is so helpful

[@KeithOSullivanmusic]

Thanks again Espen for another informative upload. :)

[@espenwinther9065]

Thank you :)

[@Gorsave]

Thanks for your information and ideas!

[@yepiratesworkshop7997]

This is an instrument I've never seen before. I like it's 'haunting' tones.

[@pedrosalguero5664]

would you ever consider showing your process for making a tagelharpa? thanks for reading

[@KossuJormaable]

Great video man! Got lots of tips that i will use for my upcoming projects. Just today finished my first jouhikko. And that part tha comes underneath the bridge i missed totally. Im hoping it wont affect the instrument too much. Im hoping u could do more videos like these. But anyways great video!

[@volatilesky]

I'm pretty late to the party, but after a bit of searching, it seems like guitar soundboards are around 2.5mm thick, as well as violins. Guess I'll be aiming for that, that's kind of scarily thin, but my goal is to build a taglharpa as well as I can. I tend to make things a bit overly heavy, so my initial thought of "oh probably a good 5-8mm should more than thin enough" might do too much muffling/damping of the sound haha.

[@dorkthrone]

It's really hard to say, but 2.5 mm seems awfully thin. Guitars have a lot of bracing, and violins have a curved soundboard that resists the pressure better. But maybe with less tension on fewer strings, 2.5mm might work. Whatever you decide, please post your build! I'd like to see what you come up with

[@TheMacronist]

Great explanation! Thx a lot!

[@kristianjocsik7534]

How thick the strings should be? I mean for example how many horse hairs for "G" string and how many for "A" string. Thank you, I appriciate your music.

[@Anonymousboy96]

Hey, do you now know how many horse hairs are needed for each string? i want to build one by myself now :)

[@Anonymousboy96]

@@romb4649Ahhh ok, so that means "the longer and thicker the string is, the more bass I have" right? And the rest can I do with the tension :D

[@johickey3158]

feckin love the Tshirt :)

[@martingardner2582]

Thank you so much for making this video.

[@jackkrag]

thanks! great information for the curious and we do it yourselfers. k

[@alanmichelena6974]

This was very complete! Thank you so much.

[@joelemerson2732]

Useful information. Thank you.

[@TheLordReverend]

Im loving it brother! Keep it up

[@espenwinther9065]

Thanks!

[@pochetlagaye]

Hello Espen.Can you show how to make String horse and how to put them in place? Regards, Dom

[@woodlife14]

good idea

[@espenwinther9065]

I will do that :)

[@FabioOldTime]

oh I did not put soundpost in the bass talharpa that I make .... 😕

[@johnnymcquirk8844]

Hello, How important is it, where to place exactly the bar(3:18)? I don't think is possible to glue it random place. If you do it for example on the guitar , if will be in tune if you try from 1-12 fret, here can seems to be good, but from 12th fret and far will not be in tune. How will it be here? Where to place it toward the strings and their length? (from tuning pegs to fixed bridge - and the bar between). Because, we can see on the web talharps in different size. Tagelharpa cello- the same question, if you see it where is the bar and lenght strings on both sides. I ask because I would like to build my own and I can't find information about it. Thank you!

[@Scream-Theory]

is the instrument from the Witcher three soundtrack? also nice false cord hello at the beginning

[@thechiseledbeaver]

Hello. I am doing some research on how to build a Tagelharpa. I have not been able to find much out there. What I do see is people making them from dimensional lumber from the big box stores. I do not want to make it that way. Would you be willing to share your approach to making one? It sounds from your video that you have deeper knowledge of these instruments than others i have found. Thanks.

[@WirSindZuGeil]

how did you build that bow? cool, informative video! thanks

[@kveldmusic]

Great video, thank you! I use spruce for the soundpost as well, indeed a very recommendable wood to use.

[@manuelhuter9970]

Hi Eldrim Thx for your Tipps . I build my own 3 strings Taglharpa at time and have a question . I didn`t know how thick the strings should be and in which Dur I should tune it . So I will became thankful for some information how make the horse hair strings in the right thickness and in which Dur the Taglharpa will be tuned . thk

[@diegobastiani]

very good job man. I like to make things and build my own instruments make the real feel like my ancestries done haha its eazy and good sounds should be taken. well done by the video and for works and thx for helping this instrument home builder xD a hello from Brazil

[@dylanmccallister1888]

Can the sound box be made from maple? Because that is all I have and it is very nice old growth maple with tight rings I can get some spruce or red cedar for the top and bottom sound board. I have never made an instrument just lame furniture. Haha.

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Absolutely :)

[@dylanmccallister1888]

@@ELDRIMmusic good to know, I will get it planed down today.

[@bralnmogurr2453]

Hi ! First, sorry for my english, it's not my native language. Nice video ! It explain a lot, but it's maybe to much for asking :/ can you make a step by step video please ? With which piece go where etc ? But good work ! Thanks !

[@foodforagingaustralia4274]

"This one.....30 inches....walnut and dragon heartstring.......and this, 24 inches, beech and unicorn tail...unyeilding...."

[@rachaeljohnson3579]

Hi Espen. I have now received the horse hair and am having difficulty trying to find information on how many strands to use for each string. Michael J King has a video where he states to use 34 to 35 strands for the G string. Could you please shed some light on how many strands to use for D, A, E and B strings?

[@espenwinther9065]

Hi! I can't really help you much. When i make strings i just "feel" how thick they should be. I don't count the strains, but i guess you don't have to stray too far away from the numbers Michael J King uses.

[@lukethomas3939]

Hey. Excellent video. Im building in Australia and tonewoods are hard to come across without paying a fortune. Ive managed to find a heap of maple and some boards of rosewood blackbutt and beech I think. Ive cut and carved a frame and headstock from one of my Rock Maple boards. I was going to use the same maple for the sound board. Do you think It will be ok to use all maple. Also wondering on tuning peg holes. How you drill them to get a tight fit on a tapered peg. Thanks for any help mate. Btw I love Gnaal. Watched the vid tons of times

[@OthO67]

Hello from Maine, thank you for sharing your talents and education with us. Are you selling these?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Thank you! At time being I don't have time to make anything for sale. I am now making a nyckelharpa for myself and I still have a couple more instruments I want to make before I can start thinking of producing for sale. Aaaaaaand we are currently in studio recording our coming album :) Espen Winther

[@KaiUchihaMuodaFoka]

How to roll horse hair int strings?

[@Sturmknecht]

What kind of Strings do you use, and where to get them? Any easy alternatives to self made horsehair strings?

[@macewen1]

Do you have to include a sound peg and bass bar in the construction? As I look at instruments on Etsy no one seems to mention that but I know it is key to viol construction. I may break down and try making my own taglharpa as no one here in the states seems to be doing it and ordering from over seas makes me nervous. That is just a lot of miles of package being handled by people who don't care that it's marked fragile, you know?

[@bluenovacorgi8230]

I really wanna try n make this amazing instrument its beautiful, also wondering could u use a deer antler as a bow ?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Anything can be used as a bow :)

[@bluenovacorgi8230]

@@ELDRIMmusic okay sweet! I shall let you know how this project turns out when done ! ❤️

[@tosiakluszewska7357]

Thankyou for this video, good looking sir! May I ask, what are your taglharpa strings made of? Do you prefer horse hair or nylon or metal?.

[@bigchungus6260]

Does anyone know how to tune a Tegelharpa? I just purchased one, It is a three string with steel strings. Thanks

[@frost420ptbo]

Thank you.

[@huskypy6725]

Want to ask can you make a vid how to make a good knot for the string how to bring it on

[@woodlife14]

Hi Espen, I got my horsehair but I don't know how to make strings.Could you show us how?All the best! Dom

[@espenwinther9065]

Michael J King has made a video on how to make strings: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3Svlp-YjN52jKc

[@woodlife14]

what is the length of your bow?

[@espenwinther9065]

The "working length" is 49 cm.

[@woodlife14]

I finally see the end. How much horsehair do you personally use to make ropes? I can not wait to try it. :) :) Thank you! Thank you for you precious help. You have always been there to give some of your time. thanks again Espen

[@espenwinther9065]

Thank youm Sir! I love these instruments and if i can help people to make more of them i'm happy :) When i make strings i kind of just wing it. I dont count strains of hair, i just feel how thick they will be. Hard to explain.

[@omeraktas4821]

Well i always wanted to play some music insturments but my lazyness prevented me from learing one. I only know about the talharpa for a short while. if i overcome from my lazyness someday. the insturmets that im going to learn is talharpa. i really like the sound of it. thank you

[@fakiirification]

get a saxon style lyre first. nothing simpler to play. block and strum or plucked notes. hard to sound bad if all the notes are right there already selected by the tuning. 2nd easiest instrument would be a stick dulcimer with diatonic frets. same story, hard to mess up if you cant hit any bad notes. simple instruments are great for learning, as early success inspires you to try something harder, like undertaking the multi-year process of learning to not suck at guitar. lol

[@MajorGRecording]

Are there any other tonewoods besides maple that should be used on the back? I was wondering how a mahogany back and spruce top might sound on a cello tagelharpa?

[@Apadiel117]

I made one awhile ago but didn't pay any attention to the wood materials, but now it sounds extremely bad, maybe that's why.

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Could be.

[@rockerkot8400]

Hello! On a large taglharpe, to which you played the composition Gnaal, strings of horsehair? How long are they? How did you choose their thickness? Thank you!

[@espenwinther9065]

I think the length of Gnaals hairs is about 90 cm. The thickest string is made of 35 strains of hair (if memory serves me right). I just had luck when making the strings. I took a chance and it worked fine :)

[@rockerkot8400]

Thank you very much Espen! :) I plan to making taglharpe in the future

[@espenwinther9065]

Good luck :)

[@lordhermis8718]

Do you have any tutorials on how to play?

[@johnjriggsarchery2457]

I like how you stress the importance of tone woods. I've watched a few of these videos and the people making them made me cringe because the wood choices were really bad.

[@Reysvig]

Please help me! I can't find that instrument in VST format???? If you have any information tell me please.

[@hemanus1904]

Did you install the sound post when glueing the bottom or did you put it in place via reflex hole afterwards?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

I installed it when glueing on the top soundboard. This body (and back) is carved from one piece of spruce. Only the top soundboard is glued on afterwards.

[@schpeidermann]

@@ELDRIMmusic Hello! Did you glue the soundpost in as well? Or is glueing the post a nogo?

[@schpeidermann]

@rutber2000 After doing some research I came to the knowledge that you don't glue in soundposts. You wedge it in between the top and bottom of the instrument. The reason would be, considering your instrument is made from wood, that it will expand and also contract due to temperature, moisture, etc... So if you glue in the soundpost you will have two points that will prevent that sort of "movability" to certain areas. This effect over time can harm your instrument (cracks, bulges f.e.). Also if it's not glued, the post has "better" contact with the wood itself and this might make more sense sonically. It's a hassle to install a soundpost but affordable in the end :)!

[@Sky-Warden]

If I am building a 3string bass heavy-cello like Tagelharpa, should I put a bass bar under both of the deepest strings? Or just the deepest one I have?

[@rooneyronaldinho1994]

Hi, this is a very helpful video, thanks! I have a few questions though. I can use horse hair for the bow, but Is it possible to use nylon (classical) strings or fish line strings instead of the horsehair strings? If yes, would that affect the sound too much?

[@gavingauddard3070]

Wonderful video sir! Thank you... One question if I may, would it be possible to use a pig skull for the sound board? I imagine it would have a very hollow and distant sound...

[@espenwinther9065]

Maybe not as the soundboard, but as the body :)

[@ValendianCrafts]

Hello Espen! Regarding the sound post, I suppose it's not glued (as sound posts in violins are not glued as they are moved once in a while to fine-tune the instrument). Many taglharpa have very narrow open work around the bridge; in the event of the sound post moving or falling, how do you get inside the instrument to adjust it? Do you use the specific tools as are used on violins? Cheers and thank you for sharing precious information generously.

[@espenwinther9065]

Hi, Fabio! I usually glue my soundposts, for the reason you mentioned :)

[@ValendianCrafts]

@@espenwinther9065 Yeah, it is plausible when there are no gaps around the bridge to access the inside of the instrument. On violins the sound post is such a pain to adjust! Thank you for the help. My headache is relieved a bit. Love your music. Cheers

[@paavoilves5416]

Great video! I would like to ask you how did you attach the horsehair to the bow? Did you just tie the ends to make kind of knots to keep them in place? And how are the strings attached?

[@d.whelan2595]

I hope you guys are still active :/

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Yes we are. In the process of recording now :)

[@d.whelan2595]

@@ELDRIMmusic Exciting stuff!

[@makesquash]

I'm in the process of gathering materials to make one of these. The only thing I'm really unsure of how to do is tension the horsehairs on the bow. Any advice on how to make the bow properly in that regard?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

I would find a branch with a natural bend and just try to tie the hairs to it. It should be not too tight and not too loose. You might have to try several times before you find the "sweet spot" where you are pleased with the result.

[@makesquash]

Awesome, thanks!

[@sagafun8954]

I made a Tagelharpa but it’s really quiet (around 50-60 db) what can I do to make it louder?

[@raggedyparrot53]

where did you get the spruce board from

[@MajorGRecording]

Should purfling be used on a tagelharpa?

[@espenwinther9065]

Should or could? Purfling is just a decorative detail. Use it if you want :)

[@Apostasy_Plague]

I want that shirt

[@Null_Vampyrr]

I was thinking about getting some cheap violin and modyfing it to sound like a bowed lyre. Does it make any sense to you? If it does do you have any tips for that?

[@tannermerrill]

Can birch be used for the soundboard? Also, what is the best way to attach the bridge so that it is secure?

[@Bullski123]

Birch is a fine hardwood choice too,and besides softwood like spruce there is also pine,ash and maple are decent choices,but not oak. And the bridge gets secured when u get the strings over it,then it wont move when the strings are settled in.

[@hobetto4817]

Hi!! Thanks so much for the info! How do you work this high figured wood? are you using just rasps and sandpaper o you use some blade tools?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

I use saw, rasp and sanding machine/sandpaper.

[@hobetto4817]

I note this, thanks, cause highly figured wood hard to work and I have failed a few times.

[@Vstar0033]

Hej! Önskar tacka så hemskt mycket för din kanal! Jag hoppas på ett lyckat byggprojekt någon dag men är inte helt trygg i att försöka mig på det idag. Tagelharpan har fascinerat mig länge men jag har aldrig fått provspela och önskar därför fråga, vid eventuellt köp, vad ska jag tänka på? Är det något jag ska se upp för eller se mer till? Tacksam för svar! Vänliga hälsningar - V

[@KI-zj5tt]

I have two questions. Is the body one solid piece of wood that is hollowed out? How thick is the soundboard?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

1: yes 2: about 4mm thick.

[@snittersflies229]

Did you build you’re own Tagelharpa?

[@KI-zj5tt]

The piece you don't know the name of is the tail piece. The adjusters on the tail piece, where can I find them? What are they called?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Thank you! They are called fine tuners for violin (or cello if you want bigger)

[@albinoraven8087]

And for the strings?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Horse hair :)

[@siggy2609]

If the grain isn't straight on the wood, will the sound be heavily altered or is it just a small quality of life difference?

[@espenwinther9065]

It will both affect the sound and the strength of the soundboard.

[@siggy2609]

@@espenwinther9065 okay thanks!

[@masonmorgan7071]

two questions how would a antler or bone sound bridge change the sound and could I nail my taglharpa tougher or would that damage it

[@espenwinther9065]

Hi! I have not tried antler bridge myself, but from what people write it might not give as much volume as wood (preferably maple). I will try though...just because it looks beautiful! :)

[@masonmorgan7071]

thanks dude for the advice

[@masonmorgan7071]

I have two last questions and then I'll quit bothering you I promise the area of Statesboro where I live doesn't have any spurse or maple trees but it does have tons of pine trees would pine be a good material for a talharpa or should I keep looking and where could I get horse hair for the strings

[@ryuk202]

Does a standard violin bow sound much different to the handmade bow on the tagleharpe?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

No, It's just a visual issue :)

[@mehdivandecappelle2499]

Which tools/equipment are you using for crafting?

[@espenwinther9065]

Saw, various carving tools, planer, power drill, hammer, router sand paper and special tools for making tuning pegs and the holes for the tuning pegs.

[@kamilbadyga3955]

I have a question. Does the spruce wood has to be fully dried?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Yes it must be dry or it will crack,

[@kamilbadyga3955]

Thank you

[@matthewharvey8755]

Did you make the bow in the intro

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Yes

[@matthewharvey8755]

@@ELDRIMmusic I spent about 20 minutes trying to find a homemade bow, but got sucked into watching master bow makers. It's crazy how much work goes into one. I'll just use a random sapling to start off with and progress into something more attractive. Have a good day :)

[@espenwinther9065]

(Changed to my private profile to answer) The bow does not have to be so advanced. I am making one now, similar to the one in this video, and I'm making it out of a 100 year old wooden ski. The bend is perfekt. You can get 3-4 bows out of one ski. I will post the progress to an album on my Facebook profile.

[@espenwinther9065]

facebook.com/espen.winther/media_set?set=a.10157554435420871&type=3

[@Buyniy9670]

Hi! Why 2/3 or 1/2 string is black and 1-st is white?)

[@espenwinther9065]

No particular reason. I had these two strings finished :)

[@Buyniy9670]

Espen Winther it’s not depending of Black/white other sound ?

[@espenwinther9065]

I have not noticed much difference in sound in the strings, but in the bow. Bow with white hair gives a softer tone to the instrument.

[@surfviking2798]

Do you use spruce on the Top and Bottom? Iv seen other people use it on both.

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Usually i use spruce on both bottom and top, but it is most important on the top.

[@surfviking2798]

Okay I’m a bit confused now. If you hallow it out you Can only use the spruce on top correct. Thanx for the reply

[@ELDRIMmusic]

The whole instrument is made of spruce :)

[@surfviking2798]

Well that makes sense. I’ve seen videos where people use beech wood and spruce. Cheers

[@brionfranks478]

What are the strings made from please ?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Horse hair in this video. I have now changed to B50 Dacron Bow string on all my bowed lyres.

[@brionfranks478]

@@ELDRIMmusic I meant the strings on the lyre itself, not on the bow. They look like they are hemp twine or something .

[@ELDRIMmusic]

It is the strings i am referring to 🙂 (The bow is also equipped with horse hair)

[@brionfranks478]

@@ELDRIMmusic ok, thank you. I figured they would be made of gut or sinew . such clear tone from hair strings, incredible.

[@neireficulblackocculta]

Hi Can i have some help for my jouhikko sound? If you want? Please take a look on my video test jouhikko Thanks

[@neireficulblackocculta]

Thanks for your help my bow it's ok now and i go to practice pratice pratice

[@romb4649]

G'day, from The Land Down Under! I just discovered your channel, after researching my Irish & *Northern SWEDISH & Norwegian Ancestry.. and wanting to know more about the Nickelharpa, then found this! On the topic of *different coloured horse hair* .. for the bow, darker hair is usually thicker (each individual strand) but the thickest hair I've ever made a bow from was my own red hair, which is down to or past my butt, so EASILY long enough. 😁 *Red (Auburn/ ginger) hair.. is THE thickest and most course, so if you like that sound more than the finer hair.. maybe try and find some chestnut horse hair, although I don't know if same rule applies to horses. I can't go before mentioning how much I love you t-shirt!! It's frikken AWESOME!! ✌, 💜, & 💡.. from Oz.. oi oi oiii!! 😊🐨💫 THANK YOU FOR SHARING!! I just Subscribed. 😁

[@user-yc6hn3gm6z]

How long did it took you to build your first tagelharpa?

[@ELDRIMmusic]

I'm not sure, It toook some hours to draw and plan how it should look and many (!) hours building it. I would guess if i had everything available and could use the days effectively, it would take me a good week to make it again. Here's my first: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6a1o2uNpteIapo&lc=z22lthzjimeei3jfxacdp43aa35xjxfj2ytwjwoozjxw03c010c

[@ELDRIMmusic]

The one in this video i made in two or three days, including waiting for the glue to dry.

[@user-yc6hn3gm6z]

can't even count the amount of times i watched this Video. :D Great job by the way!

[@ELDRIMmusic]

Thank you :)

[@neireficulblackocculta]

Hi just say I work always my Talharpa and I like your album

[@Babylon2060]

Wow 😍👅👌

[@zoltonn2563]

Has anyone ever told you that you look a little bit like the undertaker?

[@samuelbnegrao]

Fantastic video! Thanks a lot! I'am planning to build one of my own, I already modelled it in a 3D software to have an idea of how its going to be. But I'd like to know if there is proper measures to build it, the size of the instrument, depth of the sound box, etc. Thanks!

[@bringerovlight8412]

Shirt way to cool good video too

[@balhaddadinn]

Hey, brother. What would be your tuning for most of Wardruna's pieces? They sound kinda "in the middle" to me, but I've been unable to tune my harpa like that. As if the instrument wasn't tricky enough, tuning is just pure hell. Cheers!

[@ELDRIMmusic]

They have various tunings and some songs are tuned in 432hrtz from what I can hear. Standard is 440hrtz. And not all bowed instruments are lyres or taglharpas. Wardruna use fiddles too.

[@ELDRIMmusic]

"Fehu" is tuned in standard 440 tuning. e-A-E with A as the melody string if you want to play it on a bowed lyre, but it is played with a fiddle with Wardruna.

[@balhaddadinn]

@@ELDRIMmusic This explains a few things, thanks! Tuning a harpa for a piece played with a fiddle, when you have close to no idea how instruments even work, seems to be my problem. That and my harpa model (4 strings), so often times I don't know what to do with the 4th string. I'll get to tuning now and see how it goes.

[@Iranianjunkie]

Black and white horsehair sound different??? I am at this stage in building, and I have some disbelief about this.

[@empiricalpallas6709]

Dude your shirt is pretty sick !! Hail 1349!!!

[@dr.lexwinter8604]

Please don't use a machine planer, use a finger plane and shape it like the transition we see in historic finds. I know it's faster and easier but the market is flooded with inferior musical instruments thanks to China, India and Eastern Europe. The latter has a monopoly on our ancestral and traditional instruments and for some reason (I suspect because Americans think "Oh, they're white like us." and don't realise they're an utterly different peoples perhaps?) no one seems to notice how low quality these wooden planks with strings on truly are. It's so hard to find GOOD instrument makers that about twenty years ago I began making my own instruments. And there's two ways. The easy way, that produces junk. Or the hard way, that produces instruments.