bowed psaltery

[mutepointe]

hey folks:

I only recently heard about this instrument from someone who was at an arts & crafts festival. I've looked at them on-line. This may very well be my next instrument since my wife will from now on only let me buy & learn instruments that will permit me to sing along. I'll still have to wait though.

I have a few questions and comments:
1. I've heard psalteries on a CD and on youtube. Is this what they'll sound like in real life or are folks mixing in a lot of reverb and other stuff?
2. Some of the psalteries sounded a bit "tinny". Is that from the players technique (like with a hammered dulcimer and a bit too much bounciness for my pleasure or is there something else going on with the strings?)
3. I play the acoustic guitar and have a definite preference to the type and make of guitar strings. (phosphorus/bronze) How much does this affect the sound of the psaltery? How often would you replace the strings? (I can't imagine that they sell psaltery strings like they do guitar strings.)
4. Any recommendations which psaltery I should start to covet? The appearance of the psaltery wouldn't matter in the least to me.

[Tim2723]

If you scroll down this page and the next you'll find a couple of threads about the BP. It's been a somewhat popular topic lately.

As to the recordings, those I've heard don't use too many, if any, effects. That long sustain is part of the instrument. While the amount of sustain can be controlled, it's a bit like playing a piano with the pedal down. I will say though that most of the YouTube vids are atrocious for this instrument. The BP is very difficult to capture with most home recording gear of the hobbyist type you hear on YouTube, and cellphone recordings are the worst.

The 'tinny' quality is a function of technique, string type, bow type, the compass of the instrument, and of course, the crummy recordings that are out there. The BP can also be resonant, sonorous, deep, ethereal, and elegant beyond measure.

Like all stringed instruments, the type of string is key to the tone. Psalteries are available with traditional wire strings and also with guitar strings. In the latter case, there are lots of choices to experiment with. Because you don't touch a psaltery's strings, they can last for years, like a piano. Re-stringing is a chore, but is no worse than an autoharp. They only use three or four gauges of strings, so depending on the type of psaltery, you either buy lengths of piano wire or guitar strings in bulk by the dozen. Not a big deal either way. Don't let string changing discourage you. Put it out of your mind.

Which one to begin to covet will depend on some choices. Do you want a high or low voiced instrument? How physically large can it be for you? About the only thing to avoid are the cheap, junk ones that show up in gift shops around the holidays. Song of the Wood, Ringing Strings, Omega Strings, Phantasy Psalteries, and Masterworks Psalteries are all top bets for finding great instruments at reasonable prices.

[lancelock]

Check out a lot of the psaltery makers websites. There is a lot of good info on the sounds of psaltery. The woods used make a big difference. Some of the makers take orders and will guide you on what wood to use depending on the sound you want. I just ordered a coca bola wood from Cripple Creek Psaltry. They even hand made me a case. I have noticed in the psalterys I have played, that the really nice looking ones, also sound the best. If the maker takes the time to make a beautiful psaltery, they will take the time to make a great sounding one. Stay away from the ebay mid-east squeakers...you get what you pay for..Lance

[mutepointe]

Thanks for the answers. Thanks for the comment about the Youtube videos, I'm ignorant of sound equipment and the couple of videos I saw & heard, well, nevermind.

I want a low sounding one.

[lancelock]

http://earlymusichicago.org/businesses_psaltery.htm

This site lists several makers. It will give you a real good idea of what is out there. I have seen some fairly nice psalterys on Ebay...they sell for a little bit less sometimes, and some are sold there by the maker...

[Tim2723]

If you're after a low-voiced one, then you'll most likely end up dealing with one of the ones I mentioned (and I forgot Cripple Creek, shame on me!), as the larger models aren't the normal e-bay/EMS squeakers that you find everywhere.

Lance is right about working with a builder. It isn't much more expensive and you'll get what you pay for. Selecting woods for specific characteristics is a big part of it. All the makers I know of will build a simpler instrument that's more affordable. Psalteries can get pretty wild with exotic woods and decorations, but a simple one sounds just as good. It's all about craftsmanship, and a well made psaltery will look good as well as play good, even if it's plain.

Take a look at Omega Strings. They make a beautiful 37 string model. Phantasy Psalteries and Ringing Strings also make some nice low voiced instruments.

[glh1938]

Hello mutepoint.
I have been enjoying my psaltery from Song of the Wood for a couple of months now, and would highly recommend this instrument. The sound is good, however I have learned that the volume and tone of each string string varies with the bowing technique used. It is something I have had a small frustration learning, for I have never before played a bowed instrument. It is a good idea, as Tim has mentioned in one of his posts, to experiment with small violin bows. I have, and prefer it to the bow which came with the instrument, not to fault that bow.

I have found that string tension does vary, and that caused some difference in timber and voice too.

Without having played one, it does seem to me that both Omega Strings and Phantasy Psalterys might offer a slightly more consistent tonal quality, but that is an educated guess on my part. The changing pin spacing used by these manufacturers does make sense. This is not a complaint about my Song of the Wood one, I do love it.

If I should purchase another in the future, it will likely be from Phantasy Psaltery for the above reasons, and also the one octave lower range.

Remember, I am not a Psaltery expert, so take these ideas with the grain of salt.

glh1938

[Sweep1]

I've just bought a tenor bowed psaltery, hence my first post here. I found the site while searching on `bowed psaltery.'

I already play cello a bit, so I'm used to bowing. I'm mainly a synthesizer player, though, but I'll play anything to get the sound I want.

My website's at http://sweep.infinite9ths.com if anyone's interested. There's no bowed psaltery up there yet, though there's a very small amount of plucked psaltery on `Tristan.' I'm not sure how many plucked psaltery and Moog duets there are in existence, but that's one of them.

[monga]

My last post was on "New Psalt Coming." Well, it's here. It's a 2 1/2 octave from Phantasy Psaltery and is strung with wound strings, allowing it to play an octave lower than most Psalts. It's a beautiful instrument with unbelievable tone and sustain.

However, I can use all the help anyone can give me regarding how to get a consistently good sound when bowing. I've been playing the psaltery for 3 years now but only with plain steel strings and I have no trouble with them. (I did at first, though!)

I'm having some trouble with the wound strings. Sometimes I get a sound that's an octave higher. And, I'm having trouble using just the right bow pressure to get the best sound. It seems that some strings require more pressure than others. Is all this common w/ wound strings or am I doing something wrong? I've followed all the tips from Eric's website on bowing but am still struggling. Hope somebody out there can help me

Monga

[Tim2723]

Congrats on that!

If this is your first wound-string psaltery, is it also your first try with fractional violin bows, or are you using your traditional bows? If you're not used to the violin bows, note that they take just a little more tension on the frog than you might think they should. Tension the hairs to where you think they should be, then give another half turn.

In my experience, it's normal for wound bass strings to need a little more bowing pressure than plain bass strings. But it's just a little more pressure. My tendency was to over-compensate and bow far too hard on the bass. That was a hard habit to break.

I found that I needed to load the strings more. It takes a bit of rosin to fill in the grooves of wound strings, and I also found that the violin bows take longer to play in than traditional bows.

Mostly though, I think it's just time, patience, and practice getting used to the new feel.

[monga]

Thanks Tim. The only thing I'm confused about is the amount of rosin needed on the boy. I use a fractional violin bow and Eric (the luthier that made my psaltery) said that the wound strings need much ]less rosin that the plain steel strings. So, which of you is right??

I've been working on it most of the morning and I "think" I'm beginning to get the hang of it. I'll keep in touch

[Tim2723]

I probably said that badly. I found that the violin bows take a bit more rosin to load initially than the trad bows, and that wound strings need a bit more breaking in with rosin building up on them than do plain strings. Once everything is up and working though, you may need less rosin overall. I think you're just experiencing the normal start up woes. They'll pass quickly.

[monga]

Thanks Tim.

It seems that sometimes I play and everything sounds pretty good (which tells me it's possible and that I'ts me - not the psaltery), and then sometimes it sounds horrible. I've noticed that it's much easier to control the quality of the sound when I play slowly. Maybe that's because when I'm playing slowly I can concentrate more on pressure and technique. Guess I'll limit the type of music I play on it for awhile.

By the way, what is "crwth"? I know the "truth" will set you free but I'm not sure about "crwth"!!

[Tim2723]

Another thing you might notice is the difference in balance between violin and traditional bows. Many trad bows tend to bottom heavy. It might just take a little more work to get used to the balance. Once that's under your belt though, I think you'll get a lot out of a violin bow.

The crwth is an old Welsh bowed lyre, one of a number of instruments that met its doom with the advent of the violin.

BTW, I got my last psaltery from Phantasy. Eric does beautiful work.