How to Make Psaltery Instruments

Psaltery instruments are derived from the ancient Greek lyre.

The psaltery is an ancient stringed instrument akin to the dulcimer and harp. It is first mentioned in biblical writings from the third century B.C. The instrument was popular throughout Medieval Europe. In Southern Europe, the psaltery was shaped into a trapezoid and the strings were plucked. Northern Europeans used a triangular psaltery that they played with a bow. The psaltery was popular until the early Renaissance, when its tonality was determined to be ill-suited to new musical compositions. This plan will create a triangular psaltery that can be plucked or played with a bow.

Things You'll Need

• 1-square-yard plywood, 3/16-inch-thick
• Handsaw
• 1-square-foot butcher paper
• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• Ruler
• 1-square-yard rock maple, 1-inch-thick
• Wood glue
• Power drill
• 1/16-inch drill bit
• 5 endpins
• 5 tuning pins
• 1 spool music-wire

Instructions

1. Cut two identical triangles from the plywood with a handsaw. The bottom should measure 8 and 7/8 inches across. The other two sides should each measure 18 and 1/4 inches. One triangle will be the base of the psaltery and the other the faceplate.

2. Place one triangle on a square foot of butcher paper. Trace with a pencil on the paper around the triangle, drawing an outline of the triangle on the paper. Remove the plywood triangle and cut the paper outline out. Measure 1 and 9/16 inches up from the middle of the bottom of the triangle and mark it. Use a ruler to mark this straight across the triangle, creating a trapezoid. Measure 1/2 inch into the rest of the triangle, beginning at the top of the trapezoid and mark it. Measure 1/2 inch down from the top point of the triangle and mark it. Use a pencil and a ruler to connect these new marks.

3. Cut out all of these shapes, leaving a small triangle from the middle. Discard the small paper triangle. Measure 1/2 inch from the top of the paper triangle outline. Cut the shape apart at this measurement. You now have three shapes of butcher paper.

4. Lay the butcher paper shapes on top of the rock maple. Use a handsaw to cut around the paper, so that each piece of wood is identical to its paper form.

5. Adhere the rock maple pieces to the triangle with wood glue. These pieces fit along the border of the triangle to form the base and frame of the psaltery.

6. Drill a hole that is 1 inch in diameter in the lower half of the faceplate plywood triangle. Glue the faceplate to the base and frame so that it sits on top of the rock maple pieces.

7. Mark the position of the endpins on the faceplate with a pencil. Make each measurement from the top point of the triangle. Measure 16.5 millimeters (mm) down from the top and mark it. Mark measurements 50 mm and 124.5 mm down from the top on the right side. Measure 101.5 mm and 145 mm down on the left side and mark each.

8. Drill a hole at each of these markings. Only drill through the faceplate, not the entire instrument. Insert the endpins.

9. Measure 1 and 7/8 inches from the bottom left and right corners of the faceplate. Mark this. Make 3 equally-spaced marks between these points. Drill a hole at each of these marks. Insert the tuning pins.

10. Wind one piece of music-wire around each tuning pin twice. Wrap each piece of music-wire around an endpin and tie it tightly. Do not allow the wires to cross. Adjust the tone of each wire by twisting the tuning pins.

Tips & Warnings

• Pluck the strings with your fingers or use a bow from any string instrument to play the psaltery.

References

• A Psimple Psalter: Let's Build One
• Dennis Havlena: Make a Bowed Psaltery
• Iowa State University: The Psaltery