MAKERS OF BIBLICAL LYRES
Below are some links to the sites of specialist musical instrument makers who manufacture quality replicas of the Biblical Kinnor and Nevel:
MID EAST ETHNIC INSTRUMENTS
Both the best value & the most affordable manufacturer, from which I purchased my own replica Kinnor. The retail price of their replica Biblical Kinnor, direct from the manufacturer is presently just $269!
For the learner, they make a mini version of their full size Kinnor, for a mere $72.90:
http://www.mid-east.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=HKNM&eq=&Tp=
Mid East Ethnic Instruments manufacture a replica Biblical Kinnor based on the illustrations of the Kinnor based upon contemporary illustrations of the lyre found on 2nd century Jewish coins from the time of the Simon Bar Kochba Revolt against the Roman occupation of Judea in 134CE:
Their replica Kinnor is now available in both Mahogany or Rosewood/ Light Ash, with DuPont nylon harp strings - these have almost the tone [...]
THE ANCIENT LYRE-PLAYING TECHNIQUES USED IN MY ALBUMS
The diverse range of lyre-playing techniques I have used in the creation of my albums, are all authentically based upon ancient lyre playing techniques which have amazingly survived to the present day, and which can still be heard in parts Egypt and East Africa. These techniques includes alternating between guitar-like, plectrum-plucked tones in the right hand and harp-like, finger-plucked tones in the left hand; which also sometimes includes providing basic harmony below the melodic line.
I have also experimented with the ancient lyre-playing technique of “finger blocking” in “Odessa Bulgar” and also in the final section of “The Music of Moses”; this is where rhythm can be strummed on the lyre with a plectrum in the right hand, just as on a guitar - notes not required in the chords are blocked by fingers of the left hand.
This particular ancient lyre-playing technique can actually [...]
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HOW TO TUNE A REPLICA 3000 YEAR OLD LYRE?
ANCIENT TUNING SYSTEMS
In antiquity, lyres were tuned using "Just Intonation." Below is a quote from Wikepedia, explaining the basic concepts...
"In music, just intonation is any musical tuning in which the frequencies of notes are related by ratios of whole numbers. Any interval tuned in this way is called a just interval; in other words, the two notes are members of the same harmonic series.
Justly tuned intervals are usually written either as ratios, with a colon (for example, 3:2), or as fractions, with a solidus (3 ⁄ 2). Colons indicate that division is not done, so it is the preferred usage in music: In practice, two tones, one at 300 Hertz (cycles per second), and the other at 200 hertz is a perfect fifth (3:2).
Just intonation can be contrasted and compared with equal temperament, which dominates western orchestras and default MIDI tuning. Equal temperament starts by arranging all notes at multiples of the same basic interval, but [...]
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HOW TO CONSTRUCT YOUR OWN REPLICA LYRE OF THE ANCIENT HEBREWS!
For any would-be ancient lyre luthiers out there, wishing to build your own lyre of the ancient Hebrews, You may wish to get in touch with Mitch Vire, who runs the "YoppyKyabetsu" Youtube channel - a few years ago, he built a Kinnor based on the dimensions I gave him! Here is a video he posed of the result of his amazing work:
Here are the dimensions of my lyre, which can be used by anyone wishing to also attempt to build thier own instrument:Length - 61cm (Bottom to top of bar in which tuning pegs are set)Depth of the sound box - 5cmWidth at narrowest point - 8cmWidth at widest point - 33cm (middle of lyre)Length of Bar where tuning pegs are set - 8cmLength of Bridge over which srings are stretched - 6.5cmHeight of birdge - 1.5cmBridge is tilted at the following angle, so that the highest string isshort, and the lowest string is long (giving a more equal string tensionon all the 10 strings):Length between [...]
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