14 replies to this topic

[Carbon]

Thought I’d share what I’ve been working on as of late. I've been building PVC musical instruments for a while, and have recently expanded out to woodworking. (As a sidenote, PVC instrument building is indirectly why I got into Nerf building....I had most of the parts already).

This is a seven string Anglo Saxon lyre I just finished, tuned in E flat diatonic. The body frame is maple, the soundboard is birch, and the saddle and tailpiece are mahogany. The bridge is poplar. Traditional bridges are carved, but I decided to take the quicker route, and made it out of dowels. The finish is linseed oil.


A closeup of the tailpiece, tied on with artificial sinew. The strings are a leftover set from an oud. I won’t use a wound low string again, as it doesn’t ring very well when it’s at a tension high enough to keep the unwound strings from being flabby. Unwound classical guitar strings have worked quite well.


What I find interesting about these instruments is that they typically weren’t plucked like a harp, but strummed. The left hand mutes the strings that shouldn’t sound, like an autoharp. Also surprising is that these lyres get an awful lot of sound out of a soundbox that's only .75" deep, not to mention no soundholes.

[cheesypiza001]

Cool. Do you have any pictures of your PVC instruments?

[Carbon]

Cool. Do you have any pictures of your PVC instruments?

Never bothered, as I mostly make flutes and pennywhistles...there's nothing really fancy about them. However, it's always fun to pull one out at a gig, and have people say, "what...is that?" Surprisingly good sound, and it's pretty obvious that they come from the plumbing aisle.

[Horus]

Why E Flat Diatonic? That seems like a rather odd key for such an instrument.

Edited by Horus, 03 September 2009 - 04:50 PM.

[Carbon]

Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily choose Eb either. The key was dictated by the low string, and how much I could tighten it. As it is, I'm surprised it hasn't snapped...it's sort of "thunky" right now. I suppose I could have made the bass string be a fourth below or something, but that would have just confused the recipient of the lyre.

I'll probably replace the low string with an unwound guitar string, and then tune it up to G. I have a six string lyre in G (that uses two each of G, B and E strings) that works quite well.

Edited by Carbon, 03 September 2009 - 06:30 PM.

[Ambience 327]

What a lovely project, very nicely done. Way to bring some culture to the Haven.

I mostly make flutes and pennywhistles...

You make pennywhistles from PVC? That sounds simply awesome. You're making me want to try it.

I went and Googled it and found a few sets of instructions, but if you have any particularly well-written instructions you think I should see, I'd love to see them.

[Carbon]

I went and Googled it and found a few sets of instructions, but if you have any particularly well-written instructions you think I should see, I'd love to see them.

It'd probably be more accurate to say I've built transverse flutes, and attempted pennywhistles...the whistles are nothing I'd play at a gig, anyway. I've tried a few low D whistles (both PVC and copper), and the result is OK, but breathier than I'd like...partly because I've been limited to making curved windways. Building a tight, focused windway is a challenge. Haven't tried high whistles at all, not when my $12 Oak whistle serves my needs perfectly.

Anyway, I'm getting a drill press this weekend (!!!), so it's time to revisit flute/whistle plans. I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

Edited by Carbon, 04 September 2009 - 11:04 AM.

[Horus]

Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily choose Eb either. The key was dictated by the low string, and how much I could tighten it. As it is, I'm surprised it hasn't snapped...it's sort of "thunky" right now. I suppose I could have made the bass string be a fourth below or something, but that would have just confused the recipient of the lyre.

I'll probably replace the low string with an unwound guitar string, and then tune it up to G. I have a six string lyre in G (that uses two each of G, B and E strings) that works quite well.

If anything, I would go for a standard tuning separation than a diatonic. Or an open chord, such as a G.

[Carbon]

Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily choose Eb either. The key was dictated by the low string, and how much I could tighten it. As it is, I'm surprised it hasn't snapped...it's sort of "thunky" right now. I suppose I could have made the bass string be a fourth below or something, but that would have just confused the recipient of the lyre.

I'll probably replace the low string with an unwound guitar string, and then tune it up to G. I have a six string lyre in G (that uses two each of G, B and E strings) that works quite well.

If anything, I would go for a standard tuning separation than a diatonic. Or an open chord, such as a G.

I'm using the definition where diatonic=major scale. You can call a (non chromatic) harmonica diatonic, as well.

[Horus]

Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily choose Eb either. The key was dictated by the low string, and how much I could tighten it. As it is, I'm surprised it hasn't snapped...it's sort of "thunky" right now. I suppose I could have made the bass string be a fourth below or something, but that would have just confused the recipient of the lyre.

I'll probably replace the low string with an unwound guitar string, and then tune it up to G. I have a six string lyre in G (that uses two each of G, B and E strings) that works quite well.

If anything, I would go for a standard tuning separation than a diatonic. Or an open chord, such as a G.

I'm using the definition where diatonic=major scale. You can call a (non chromatic) harmonica diatonic, as well.

I was referring to each string being a fifth away from the one before. Like a guitar.

[Carbon]

Tuning to intervals of fourths or fifths would be interesting, but make it harder to play single note melodies, or play chords.

[Horus]

Tuning to intervals of fourths or fifths would be interesting, but make it harder to play single note melodies, or play chords.

I suppose. Good talk.

[NerfMonkey]

I can sort of see where the constellation Lyra gets its name; it still looks more like a necktie than a lyre to me though. Beautiful work.

[Zorns Lemma]

I'm using the definition where diatonic=major scale. You can call a (non chromatic) harmonica diatonic, as well.

Standard diatonic or something more fitting to the context like Eb dorian.

[Carbon]

I'm using the definition where diatonic=major scale. You can call a (non chromatic) harmonica diatonic, as well.

Standard diatonic or something more fitting to the context like Eb dorian.

Standard diatonic. Hadn't thought about trying modal tuning, but that would be fun to play around with. Would've just confused the recipient of this lyre, though.