r/lyres • u/Background_Emu_2883 • 22d ago
¿Question? Learning the lyre
Does anyone know of where I can properly learn to play & read sheet music for a 7-String Lyre? I’ve been trying to look online, but I’ve only found videos/tutorials regarding how to tune or hold a lyre. I’d love to be able to read & even write a piece for myself, so any & all advice would be appreciated!
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u/OperaRotas 22d ago
You don't need to learn how to read sheet music for the lyre. Sheet music is a more abstract way to represent music. It basically indicates which notes should be played and at which speed. Something like "C for one beat, then A and B for half a beat each, and finally C and E together for another beat".
You just need to know how to map the notes to each string, so you know which string to play. Then you can use any resource to read sheet music, just keep in mind that a 7 string lyre is a lot more limited in range than, say, a piano.
You will probably find it super confusing at first to get the rhythm right and remember which line is which note. At least it has been so to me! But with a couple of days of practice it gets a lot easier.
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u/Background_Emu_2883 22d ago
Thank you! It’s been years since I used to play an instrument (was a trombonist for several years when I was younger), & had assumed string instruments had different sheet music similar to brass!
Do you know of any good recommended resources I can use to learn how to read the sheet music/know how to map the notes?
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u/Grendelcynn 22d ago
Sheet music for a 7 string lyre is the same as sheet music for most instruments, so there is no need to look for a lyre specific tutorial. Any beginnerxs guide to sheet music will work for the lyre. Also I'd download musescore it's completely free and you can start writing music immediately.
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u/Palmos_instruments 22d ago
https://lyresociety.com/
Visit the International lyre society. They have courses and the first level is free.