Although, it is a good idea to try both types of psaltery bow to see which you prefer. Psalteries and accessories psaltery, bowed psaltery. Plucked psalteries are probably of the oldest variety of psaltery, being very similar to a small harp or zither. The bowed psaltery handbook this bowed psaltery handbook is by kendra ward and bob bence.
If you would like to custom order your psaltery, please call us at 3303230618. Mailing address cedar creek dulcimers 408 river bluff dr. Each psaltery comes with a violin bow, rosin, instruction book, tuning wrench and two extra strings. It is padded where the instrument makes contact on the stand and sets at a comfortable and safe angle to unobtrusively display your psaltery. It is a bit too easy for me and i wish that there were more songs, but still, it is a well presented book for a beginner. Instructional books and dvds about the bowed psaltery.
It has the beautiful sound of a violin without any of the difficult fingering. It was a great weekend of music and we introduced a lot of folks to the bowed psaltery who had never heard of it before. Very lightweight, but very sturdy and hardly any shaking while bowing. The important thing is that it has an all metal head, even the quick release plate is metal. The bowed psaltery is one of the easiest instruments to play you dont need to know anything about reading music. It is padded where the instrument makes contact on the stand and sets at. Reenactors have a habit of carrying one round and displaying it proudly as a genuine medieval instrument. A very good start and gives an excellent foundation. The baritone bowed psaltery is a 30 string model with 2 plus octaves and a range of f to a above middle c. Its name probably originates in religious use, as an accompaniment to singing songs from the psalms, known as psalmody and sung from a psalter, thus the psaltery.
Kendra ward and bob bence the bowed psaltery handbook. Bolton enjoys attending local musical festivals and workshops. The psaltery is a plucked stringed instrument with open unfretted metal strings stretched over a flat soundboard and plucked with a quill or the fingers. Our bowed psalteries come with note guides that identify each note with its proper. Terry kirby sharon kirby, bowed psaltery, psaltery, bowed. Any plastic in these areas will allow the psaltery to shake slightly while bowing, very annoying. In 1925 a german patent was issued to the clemens neuber company for a bowed psaltery which also included a set of strings arranged in chords, so that one could play the melody on. The psaltery can be played by old and young alike and is one of the easiest instruments to learn.
This is the single best book for starting from scratch on the psaltery. Unlike the roosbeck psaltery bow, this one looks like a violin bow and doesnt have a unique shape. It is mentioned in the bible, and the instrument mentioned as a psaltery was a diatonic stringed instrument that was plucked or strummed. What is a bowed psaltery and playing a bowed psaltery. I offer private lessons to teach you how to play the bowed psaltery. I just started playing the psaltery and bought several how to play books. The bowed psaltery pronounced salltree or sallter is a simple, easy to play instrument. The print is large, which is great for those of us with older eyes. The whole booke of psalmes, or the bay psalm book, as it is now known, is expected to sell for. Oct, 2017 my new musical passion is learning this hauntingly beautiful folk instrument. See more ideas about bowed psaltery, hammered dulcimer and musical instruments. Inside the bowed psaltery makers workshop flour sack mama. The word psaltery derives from the ancient greek psalt. After seeing for themselves how easy this instrument is to play, many bought.
This book will show you how you can easily play tunes on the bowed psaltery for your enjoyment or entertaining the kids and. The are many books in this series and i have seen many of them in music stores or from online music or book companies. The important thing is that it has an all metal head, even. Another source of music for the bowed psaltery are the easy fake books by hal leonard.
The bowed psaltery is one of the easiest instruments to learn. Bowed psaltery music teach yourself to play music its. Music books in noted note key of c for bowed psaltery. Building your own instrument can be very rewarding work, so you will certainly be able to put our plan to good use. It is played by using a bow and playing one string at a time.
The bows hair is run through sawkerf slots cut in the center of the bow on each end. However, you do not have to combine these two books, this psaltery instruction book is a stand alone project. See more ideas about bowed psaltery, bows and musical instruments. Before you add the hair, this may be a good time to finish the bow. The ball head tripod pictured is the one i recommend for a tenor sized psaltery. This book will show you how you can easily play tunes on the bowed psaltery for your enjoyment or entertaining the kids and grandkids. The psaltery of ancient greece was a harplike stringed instrument. A fractional violin bow will be heavy, even the 116 size is heavier than any of the bows i build. A psaltery is a stringed musical instrument, appearing in many different forms and styles throughout history. He sells a diatonic version of the bowed psaltery in the key of d. Mastering that technique is well worth spending the time to practice. Notice, also, that the book of psalmshas also become known as the psalter or. Illustrations dating from the 12th century onwards depict the. This highdensity foampadded navy blue case is covered with water resistant cordura, and has a zippered.
It is played with a bow, and the strings are set up similar to a piano keyboard. Psaltery played by a cat in a belgian book of hours, c. Simply put, a bowed psaltery is probably the easiest instrument in the world to play. See more ideas about bowed psaltery, christmas sheet music and instruments. History violin zither in 1925 a german patent was issued to the clemens neuber company for a bowed psaltery which also included a set of strings arranged in chords, so that one could play the melody on the bowed psaltery strings, and strum accompaniment with the other hand. Our love of the bowed psaltery has inspired us to found spring creek psalteries in the hope of bringing the joy of playing the psaltery. This sturdy folding stand is originally designed for an ukulele, but it fits our bowed psalteries perfectly. After seeing for themselves how easy this instrument is to play, many bought instruments and books. Illustrations dating from the 12th century onwards depict the instrument in many different forms offering the possibility that a bowed psaltery could have been played in these early times. The history of the psaltery goes back to biblical times. This includes a nice introduction to the bowed psaltery, basic music theory and a few songs. On some psalteries the strings were plucked, on others they were struck, and still. How a psaltery is constructed will be what determines the final output of tone and volume.
The bowed psaltery handbook is a complete instruction method designed to help beginning bowed psaltery players master this wonderful instrument the bowed psaltery handbook. Psaltery musica antiqua department of music iowa state university. Our tenor bowed psaltery features a wooden lace soundhole. In 1925 a german patent was issued to the clemens neuber company for a bowed psaltery which also included a set of strings arranged in chords, so that one could play the melody on the bowed psaltery strings, and strum accompaniment with the other hand. Bolton is planning two other books, one of folk music and one of classical tunes. Bowedv psaltery music,westman instruments,free music in noted. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. The bowed psaltery handbook is a complete instruction method designed to help beginning bowed psaltery players master this wonderful instrument. This full scale size drawing gives exact dimensions, shapes for every psaltery piece, as well as suggestions for woods to use for building this instrument. This was a stringed instrument of music to accompany the voice. Its a 20 long by 8 wide triangle with strings running its length and is played with a bow. Our bowed psalteries come with note guides that identify each note with its proper letter in the scale.
The psaltery of ancient greece epigonion was a harp like winged instrument. Begin a lifetime of musical enjoyment by mastering the bowed psaltery with the help of the bowed psaltery. Otherwise, if you try to do it afterward, the wood finish might accidentally contaminate the bow hair when you are applying it. Waynie psaltery wayne simms 5809161500 or 2147042125 all instruments, pictures, novels, web design and creation by wayne simms. The strings are played between the posts with a short arched bow. Over ten books with 10 songs in each books two play along books with cds. You play one string at a time and do not need to know how to read music to play. Weve discovered these letters are the same as those used in the following collection of easy electronic keyboard music books. For the best hammer dulcimers its davids dulcimers at. The psaltery strings music book presents 50 melodies popular at traditional music. This full scale size drawing gives exact dimensions, shapes for every psaltery piece, as well as suggestions for. Each psaltery comes with a tuning wrench, rosin, horse hair bow, removable note markings and booklet.
Nov 25, 20 today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. Comes with padded case a protective case constructed just for a master works bowed psaltery. Bowed psaltery, ringing strings bowed psalteries, handcrafted by rick long, clinton, tn, building quality instruments since 1980. If youre new to bowing with a psaltery, why not try making a bow or two yourself. Today, sothebys will auction a copy of the first englishlanguage book printed in america. There is something quite enchanting about the silvery sound of the psaltery. The hebrew nabel or nebel is so rendered in the authorized version in all passages where if occurs, except in isaiah 5.
It contains an interesting history of the bowed psaltery, playing tips, frequently asked questions, tuning and notation charts, basic music theory and playing the psaltery. This drawingpattern is necessary for anyone wanting to build their very own bowed psaltery. Otherwise, if you try to do it afterward, the wood finish. Its haunting and beautiful sound is somewhat reminiscent to that of a violin. The bowed psaltery is a triangular instrument with tuning pins on the short end and strings running from there to posts at intervals along each side. Psalteries and accessories psaltery, bowed psaltery, kirby. Its frequently mentioned in the bible old and new testaments, and seems to have spread north to europe from the middle east. On some psalteries the strings were plucked, on others they were struck, and still others they were bowed. This highdensity foampadded navy blue case is covered with water resistant cordura, and has a zippered pocket for the bow, and includes a shoulder strap for ease of carrying.
Ekm easy electronic keyboard music books are adaptable to use as a source of songs to play on the bowed psaltery. Every psaltery is handcrafted by terry at our shop located in massillon, ohio. As you can see by the picture at the right, you play the sides of the instrument only all strings become side strings as you progress toward the tip of the instrument. Including the repertoire section, the bowed psaltery handbook. The strings are played between the posts with a short. The psaltery the name coming from the greek word psalterion probably filtered into europe from the near east during the crusades.
The psimple psaltery instruction book how to play the bowed psaltery. The strings are open, none being stopped to produce different notes. Bowed psaltery, noted note, music books, easy to read 9notes. Bowedv psaltery music,westman instruments,free music in. Free sheet music bowed psaltery music in noted note everthing bowed palteries. This music has the name of the note inside of the note. The music in ekm books have the notes with the letter equivalent shown in the note itself. He sells a diatonic version of the bowed psaltery in the key of d, which makes it a popular companion instrument to the appalachian hammer dulcimer. Compact, robust, not too difficult to tune and play, and it has a delightful tone. For those not already accustomed to reading music, long offers a playbynumber set of books and easy system for beginning musicians.
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