Comparing 16 String LYRE HARPS. Which is BEST? | Solid Body? Hollow? Deer? Sound Hole? (Aklot Lyres) 

This makes me happy to hear because I really love low notes and am gravitating way more to the deer one for... aesthetic reasons lol

Yes, this also applies to the guitar and ukulele as well.

@@bananat0fu Well, each string of the lyre only plays one note. Each string of the guitar and lyre plays multiple notes. Which is why I prefer the lyre! lol

@@terrenceoday9493 Yeah, that's understandable. Tbh on the Guitar and ukulele I usually just use tabs loll. The lyre is probably going to be easier for me since I have had some trouble with that loll

Thanks!

Are there arrangements specifically for the lyre?

Oh, does the space between strings effect that? Really interesting to know!

@@damien678 it does. But another thing that is important is that they are centred more on the hollow vibrator box. That is how it sound more full and mellow as you get more vibration/sound into and through the hollow body.

Thank you so much! There was so little information about lyres out there. Having not one but three lyres myself, I realized I was in a great position to make this comparison video. Just trying to help others out. :)

@@SamanthaonMars Well, thank you so much for sharing! I’m the type of person to just buy several versions of things to “try them out“ and educate myself as much as possible. But then that ends up bankrupting a person. 😂😅 so I try to see if other people have already sort of done similar. So I don’t do that in ALL areas. (but it’s still so hard NOT to! i’m literally right now looking at lyres, Harps and kalimbas)

@@lurklingX As a person with many interests myself, I feel you! Wow you play the violin and the piano too. That's awesome!

@@SamanthaonMars * Learning. 😂 unfortunately Covid stopped my in-person lessons for violin. And then the piano I just wasn’t able to keep up with after my father passed. But I will come back to it. well, to both really. I just always loved how certain instruments sound, and even if I can only attain a beginner level of playing, that’s better than never trying. They feel mysterious. And I just want to unravel some of the mystery, to the best of my ability. I really like the sound of harps but never figured I would be playing a huge upright instrument such as that, and didn’t realize until the other day how much lyres can really make a similar sound. :) - yeah I agree it would be impressive if I was good at playing all of this, 😂 lol but no I’m just a beginner. A beginner with probably lofty aspirations. especially seeing as I am going to try guitar now. (I think thats one people have a lot of luck with self training. And hopefully the stupid pandemic will settle down. 👍)

Hello! Thank you for the message. Aww... You're very sweet! 🥰 I'm happy to know you've learned so many songs in just one month. It's all your talent and hard work! I was just sharing the notes I used. For the most part, "A Bard's Adventure" is too complicated for me. 😅 I don't know how to arrange the part right after the beginning, when the other instruments start to join in. Sorry about that! As to song ideas for Halloween, check out "Cutie Patootie Uwuwu". She covers a lot of Genshin music for the lyre harp, with the notes too. I hope her channel will give you some more options. Have a fun and happy Halloween!

You're welcome! I'm glad you appreciated my review. :)

Do you know you're person who inspired this video? 😆

@@SamanthaonMars oooh yay!

omg kalimbas......... i'm actually looking at both at the same time. discovered them both like yesterday or day before.

@@lurklingX I have 11 kalimbas now. 😜

@@CynfulExotics 😂😂😂😂😂😂 oh my god that sounds like me. Guilty of getting EVERYTHING, just to “try things out and know what the best things are“ jeebus 🤣👌

You're so welcome! Glad you liked my sharing.

Glad it helped!

You're so welcome!

@@SamanthaonMars help me buy one plse

Glad it helped! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask in the comments! :)

Me too! I've started on "fipple" flutes this year, and was thinking that a lyre would be an excellent pair with any flute, transverse or fipple. I'm leaning towards the solid body design as well. Hope you're enjoying your musical journey as much as I am!

@@lspthrattan Oh yes, I'm having a wonderful time. What I love so much about these instruments is that even a person without classical training can pick them up and produce sound that's pleasing to the soul. I go out and play my Native American flute that I made, one of them, a low- D 5 hole, every morning as a sun's coming up just to great the day, and all of the little birds, the squirrels have gotten to where they all start tweeting and coming closer so that they can, I guess hear the flute😊. Seems that all wildlife enjoys those sounds and they start making their own little music wherever they're sitting and I thoroughly enjoy it I'm just having a blast.

Thank you so much for your kind words on my video! It makes me happy to hear you're making designs for children. What a cool idea! I feel like the lyre doesn't always get the recognition it deserves, so it's awesome that you're taking an interest in making it enjoyable for kids. ❤

I'm happy to help! The reason I make videos is because there are so few resources out there for the lyre harp. What other sources are you learning from, if you don't mind me asking?

Glad you enjoyed it! I admire people who build beautiful things with their hands. This is something I can't do myself. I wish you all the best in picking or making a lyre.

Thank you so much. Glad you found it helpful!

Thanks! Glad it's been helpful. :)

You're welcome! :)

I believe it's never too late to pursue your passions. :) Has your new lyre arrived yet?

@@SamanthaonMars Yes. It arrived last week.

You're welcome! =)

moi aussi!

Thank you for saying that. I appreciate it!

Glad it was helpful!

Glad it was helpful! :)

Thank you! 😊

Hi. Thank you for the appreciation! ❤ Playing the lyre can be a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. I have a 7-string pentatonic lyre just for this purpose. And don't worry if you're tone deaf or can't read sheet music. This is something that you can definitely learn. I wish you all the best, and I hope things work out for you soon!

You're so welcome! Lyre harp sounds can be relaxing. I hope you'll find one suited for you. =)

Greetings! Whoever designed the deer lyre knew how to make the instrument attractive. The antlers are so cute! I haven't travelled in a long time now because of the pandemic. So enjoy your trip!

I just watched a clip of a musician playing the kokle. You're absolutely right! They sound very similar.

Hi. I prefer a lyre with more space between the strings simply because it's easier to sound better. Buzzing takes away the beauty of the sound, and constantly having to worry about buzzing makes playing less enjoyable, and could even be demotivating.

That's wonderful to hear! The lyre harp is indeed a unique and appealing instrument. It's fantastic that you're feeling inspired to become a niche musician. I'd love to hear updates on your journey. Best of luck, and enjoy the musical adventure!

Welcome! So nice of you!

Hi. Thank you for watching my video! Umm... some differences I can think of: 1. Chromatic lyres have both white & black keys of a piano. Diatonic lyre has only the white keys. Some songs may not be possible on a diatonic lyre because of the missing keys. 2. Chromatic lyres usually have more strings than diatonic lyres. 3. Chromatic lyres are usually more expensive. Sharon from 'Learning the Lyre Harp' explained how chromatic and diatonic lyres are different. Check out her video too: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XefI_Eick74.html .

Good advice

Thank you! You're so talented, playing so many instruments.

@@SamanthaonMars You're welcome, Samantha. Thanks also for the appreciation. 😊 May God in heaven be glorified.

Many people chose the hollow one too. It seems to be very popular.

Glad it helped!

Happy playing!

Hi. Both arrangements are common for the modern lyre. The set up with high notes closer to the body resembles the harp so it's preferred by harpists and those wanting to transition to the harp. It's a matter of personal preference.

@@SamanthaonMars I see. It's just that I see almost exclusively people who play lyres like yours. Makes me think there's something wrong with mine😅

Donner is a popular brand. I have a Donner 7-string and it seems well constructed like my Aklots. I don't own any Lotkey so I can't comment on them.

Hi. The Donner will sound like the hollow one in this video because they have the same shape and size. Donner is another popular brand for lyres. I have their 7-string lyre and I love it! The lyre may be sold by multiple sellers so I'd suggest finding a reputable seller by checking their reviews and comparing prices. Hope the information helps!

@@SamanthaonMars it does, thank you!

Thank you 😊

Hi Fabio. They're just two ways of projecting sounds. The hollow lyres require a sound hole, and the solid one uses the dish. If there's a hole in the dish, the sound would probably be less loud.

Hello! Do you play other instruments? The range of 16 or 19 is splendid for complete beginners. You get 2 octaves and more which is sufficient for many songs. I'd suggest 21 or 24 only when you know some music and have ideas on how to utilize all the extra strings.

Hi! Thank you for the appreciation! I'm happy to be able to provide the information you were looking for. It's amazing that your sister has a kalimba and you're planning on getting a lyre. The great thing is you can use kalimba notes for the lyre, and vice versa. I imagine it will be lots of fun for duets too! Two years later, the bowl lyre is still my favorite! However, it seems the more recent models have removed the names of the notes from their design. You may have to consider that if having the names of the notes is important to you. Once again, thank you for your comment! I hope you find the right one for you! 🥰

@@SamanthaonMars THANK YOU for your reply and encouragement. I actually DO need the notes engraved on the lyre so I’m disappointed to hear that they stopped engraving the bowl lyre. I’m considering reaching out to them to see if they can do a custom order for me or I might have to use a black pen (which I know will look ridiculous but, as a new learner who I suspect is also a slow learner) as an alternative. I will keep you posted 🥰👍

@@byzantineladybug9471 I hope they will do a custom for you. In case they don't, you can stick labels next to the strings, like this person here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_Vkvof7uufo.html .

Hi! The lyre with wide spacing is more comfy to play. I prefer this one to the closely-spaced one. And yes, you can play with short nails. That's what I do! =D I just use the fleshy part of my fingertips to play.

@@SamanthaonMars Thank you for your answer! I finally got mine yesterday. It's fun to play, bit sometimes I feel dizzy seeing those strings when I placed the lyre on my thigh >

Hi. Sharon Brownell has a lot of tips and techniques on how to play. I believe she has a beginner series on her channel ru-vid.com . If you're on Facebook, you can join her group too. It's called "Learning the Lyre Harp". I've learned a lot from the people in that group.

Hi astro! Game of Thrones is one show I wish I had watched. I'm unfamiliar with the theme but I found a tutorial that may help you. It's written for the piano but the same notes can be played on the lyre. The exception is Db (D flat) which you can replace with C. Hope that helps! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dO2fKPWMHRE.html

@@SamanthaonMars thank you, I appreciate that. I recommend the books not the show though haha

Me too!

Not at the moment. I have my hands full 🤣

@@SamanthaonMars Really? Sure you aren't addicted to harp collecting yet? XD

@@LyreQueen 🤣🤣🤣

Glad to be of help! You asked if I have final thoughts. Well, a few came to mind... Let me start rambling, haha. (1) People have told me that the new version of the bowl lyre doesn't have notes on them anymore. If you rely on the notes, you may need to label the strings yourself. (2) Besides Aklot, other brands with good sales numbers and reviews can be good options too. Make sure it comes with a tuning wrench and spare strings. (3) If you have your own recording equipment, use them. The mic that comes with these lyres is just so-so. (4) Don't record on the first week because the strings often get out of tune. They need time to adjust to the new tension, and how much time really depends. For me, it took a few days, while people in the US or Canada have reported at least a week, or even two weeks. I guess it's related to the weather affecting the wood. Tune the lyre every day and you should see improvements. (5) Which brings me to tuning. If you have tuned any string instrument before, forget about it. The lyre can be quite different from say tuning a guitar. It has to be tuned slowly, and in very very small movements.

@Samantha on Mars Okay thank you very much for that added information. All great points to consider. Before I tune it, I'll come back to your tuning video to make sure I'm doing it properly. I'll likely be making my purchase tomorrow, so thanks again for teaching me more than enough of what I need to know, hear and see to inspire me to get this. I've been waiting a while, and I think now's the time before summer comes over here. ⛰️🌲🎶🌄 ⛰️ I appreciate it!

@@LoneTreePeak You're very welcome! :)

Hey I'm back on a revisit and to also inform you that today I received my Lyre Harp! Thank you very much for the Amazon link and for all of the displays of this fine instrument. To be honest, I really didn't know about this instrument and I found this because I originally wanted a regular Harp, but after finding out how expensive they are, I found this one and your channel. After a while of watching your videos, I was able to see what it's capable of with all of the songs you're able to play with it. The calming and relaxing tone grew on me, and your teaching and reviews really helped me get inspired. I'm happy to express my gratitude and excitement, and you've inspired me more than you know! Thank you for altering my musical path and this is going to be a fun instrument for sure! Much appreciated and I will be able to bring it on my upcoming trip in a few days! 👍 👍 🤝 🤝 🎶 🎵 🙂🙌

@@LoneTreePeak ​ Wow, I'm so happy that your lyre arrived in time for your trip! I'm also honored to have played a small part in your musical path. Thank you for taking the time to share your gratitude with me! It's quite heartwarming to read messages like yours. It makes my work more worthwhile. Thank you!

Hi. The hollow has a bit more resonance when played acoustically. The loudness is similar to the bowl. If there's a difference, it's negligible because it can be controlled by how hard you pick and what you pick the string with, similar to what you do with the guitar. (By the way, you make beautiful music! I like that you add little stories to your covers.) The lyre's pickup isn't the best, and my amplifier is crappy, so I can't tell which lyre is better when plugged in.

@@SamanthaonMars thank you for your answer, and thank you for checking my youtube channel 😁. I need to upload more 😅. At the end I went for a Cega hollow 19 strings lyre 😏

@@davidbeaverscovers9869 Cega is a good brand. I don't own one but I've seen others had good experience with it.

Hi Chantel. Do you mean a harp-shaped lyre or a regular harp? Regular harps are bigger, pricier, and require different techniques to play. If you wish to transition to the regular harp later, a lyre with the higher strings closer to you may be a better choice (regardless of shape). For example, the lyre in this video is harp-shaped but the strings are strung completely opposite to a regular harp ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fwGtNe91q0E.html ). This isn't very good if you want to move on to the regular harp. Whereas in this video the higher strings are closer to the person ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PMokuvT5tXY.html ) . Despite not being harp-shaped, it's better to migrate to the regular harp later. Personally, I've never played a harp-shaped lyre so I can't compare it with the U-bottomed lyres. (I tried a 15-stringed mini harp but I'd say it's a mini harp and not a lyre. Here's a demo: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HxgYzdZdHww.html).

@@SamanthaonMars it was a spelling mistake. 🤣 I meant U shape or box shape....and I am moving down from harp to lyre 🌞💕 thank you for connecting back

@@ChantelStays Oh, my bad! Haha! Not sure I understand what "box shape" is... can you explain?

Neither, lol. These lyres use steel strings. Harps use nylon or gut strings. Steel strings are louder, brighter, and harsher. They lack the mellow and warm quality of harp strings.

@@SamanthaonMars aha! i just learned about that difference on guitar actually. makes sense!

Thank you for sharing your experience and suggestions!

Oh dear. It must be frustrating to have the lyre out of tune for so long. Usually when it happens it's because of a loose tuning peg. If that's the case with your lyre, you can follow this video by Sharon Brownell where she explained how to fix it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-40jQsL00tgg.html . Hope it helps!

I understand how you feel, lol. The choice is difficult indeed. After all this time the solid bowl is still my favorite, and the other two are very nice too. The deer one is unfortunately showing some wear and tear. It seems to be the least durable of the three. I say go with the design that will motivate you the most.

I use free mobile tuning apps. Chroma, insTuner, and PanoTuner are some which I've used.

I'd recommend 16 or 19 strings if you have no background in music. 21 or more allows better playing with both hands. Usually one hand plays the melody and the other the bass notes. They're best suited to those who know how to utilize the full range to make music.

​@@SamanthaonMars ok, that is a fantastic thing to keep in mind. i'm sure i would have had that question myself. and the double hands - didn't know HOW harpists approach playing and that clears up a lot, also that you can do a two hand playing style on these little ones.

Hi Fabio! The sounds are different. Those with a sound box have more resonance and depth, but only a little bit more. That's not to say the solid lyre is crappy, lol. It just has a different quality that appeals to different people. Also, the lyres with a sound box have a bridge. So when playing upright it's exactly what I showed under difference #5. For your second question, Aklot lyres come with soft bags. If you want a better bag, maybe take a look at other brands, such as Donner. I haven't seen rigid bags sold separately just for the lyre. Some people use laptop bags for their lyres.

I'm very interested in the lyre without a soundbox because listening to the sound again I really like it. it seems that the is fuller sound.

I'm very interested in the lyre without a soundbox because listening to the sound again I really like it. it seems that the is fuller sound.

I prefer the solid body too, probably because I've had it for so long and am so used to its sound. 😆

Hi. All my lyres come with metal strings. Nylon would sound something like this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ND4XCSetSR4.html . I think each is beautiful in their own ways.

@@SamanthaonMars thank you!! i’m looking forward to getting a lyre and watching more of your videos :)

Someone told me just yesterday their bowl design had no letters too! Maybe the manufacturer has changed the design? If you keep the lyre, an idea is to put sticker labels next to the strings to mark them. People who plays the harp would color the strings red & green like with harps. Is the weird vibration like in my video here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ojb5uJPxYR8.html ? The A string buzzes compared to the normal B and C strings. I'd loosen and retune the problem string until the vibration is gone. As to getting out of tune, how long have you had the lyre? Usually I give new strings about a week's time to settle. Be sure to tune everyday so they'll get used to the new tension. Hope the info helps.

@@SamanthaonMars yea it’s a lot like that buzzing. I’ll try your suggestion. It’s been just a couple days so far. I know I had expected some stretching for new strings. I just thought it would hold longer than the time it takes to tune all 16. Thanks.

Me too! But I'm probably biased because that was my very first lyre, haha.

Thank you! I primarily play by ear and don't have sheet music. However, I've created printable ABC notes for all my songs on my Patreon page. I currently have over 270 songs. The notes are similar to what you see in my videos, and sometimes I include the lyrics for easier reference. On my website, I've curated a collection of resources specifically for learning the modern lyre harp. You can find the link in the next comment (just in case RU-vid decides to remove the entire comment due to external links). I've tried classical guitar but have since transitioned to electric guitar. I believe the fingering techniques can definitely be beneficial when applied to playing the lyre.

Resources for learning the modern lyre: learnlyreharp.com/online-resources-for-learning-the-lyre-harp/ And for learning historic lyres: learnlyreharp.com/learn-historic-or-ancient-lyre-online-resources/

@@SamanthaonMars Great, thank you very much! For now I decided to first buy some ethnic woodwind instruments form Ukraine (sopilka and telenka) but lyre still is in my head. I already have ideas how the lyre would work with telenka.

@@romaniec.5256 It's fantastic that you already have ideas on how to incorporate the lyre with other instruments. You're truly talented!

Hello! You're right. Mine's accessible, but only barely, haha. I wish there was a bit more space. If having the low strings accessible from the back is important to your playing style, I say return it.

Hi! You're right about the similarity to a guitar. The 3 lyres are all equipped with steel strings, the same strings used in acoustic guitars. The hollow lyres have a little more resonance, maybe that's why you find them similar to the hollow acoustic guitar. In terms of volume, there really isn't a big difference among the 3. I wouldn't worry about the volume when choosing between them.

@@SamanthaonMars thank you very much for your answer. but I have more questions for you if you don't mind) how do you feel about sega lyre? I think you watched the review on them and I'm interested in your opinion. and.. I can't figure out if the sound of the saga is like an aklot with a hollow round or solid body.. . as if it's something in between. I'm also interested in which microphone you record the video on...

@@reigen1998 No problem! Ask away. 😃 I haven't heard of Sega or Saga. Or do you mean Cega? Cega is also popular within the lyre community. Cega lyres have the strings arranged in the opposite direction to Aklot lyres. On a Cega, the higher notes are on the left (i.e. closer to the lyrist when playing upright). This resembles the harp so it's preferred by harpists or people wanting to transition to the harp. Aklot has the lower notes to the left, and is preferred by those with a piano or guitar background. And the microphone I use? My good old iPhone, haha! Recently, I changed to the Blue Yeti X and I've been loving it: amzn.to/3IigbCN .

@@SamanthaonMars I don't understand anything about sheet music, but in the future I want to buy myself a lyre. probably if I buy a cega** lyre, it will be much more difficult for me to learn from your lessons.. ( ( Your lessons are wonderful!) so maybe I should still think about aklot..

@@reigen1998 You can still use a Cega. The video will be flipped but the notes are still the same.

I understand the difficulty! They all seem nice!

Yep, you're correct!

Hello! I have not heard of Sola's lyres. I'm sorry I can't help you with that. :(

Your points are valid. It depends on your personal preferences and goals. If you prioritize technical ease and comfort, the hollow or solid body options may be more suitable. I find the hollow sounds kind of "plastic-ky" in the higher range, but only slightly compared to the others.

It's a pretty good lyre :)

@@SamanthaonMars it is and I actually ordered it. It was very fun learning new songs to play

@@erickaphantomhive7328 Congratulations! I hope it continues to bring you joy for days to come.

@@SamanthaonMars thank you. I enjoy playing it during my free time

Hello! During the two years I've been playing the lyre (I only have 16-string lyres), there were a few times that I wished I had 19 strings. The three extra strings can make a difference, but most of the time I can make it work on 16 strings. 16 and 19 are both great for beginners. Then there are lyres with 21 strings or more. More strings mean there are more you can do. They're also great for playing with both hands. I think they suit those who play another instrument and know how to utilize the wider range. As long as there are at least 16 strings, you'll be able to play a variety of music.

@@SamanthaonMars Wow, thank you so much! I play other instruments, so I always appreciate the wider variety in range.

Hi. Two of them were sent to me directly. One I bought with my own money from Amazon.

@@SamanthaonMars Thank You for your reply and time. Stay safe out there. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xci-qDQbrt0.html

@@MrTom-Songwriter-Composer I watched several videos before buying a lyre harp and yours was one of them! Nice playing. Thank you for making these videos and sharing good information.