[michelleklu]

Has anyone put together a kinderlyre kit? I would rather buy the kit and save some money, but if it is difficult then I will go ahead and buy the assembled one.

 

[njsummer01]

We just did one this winter and it turned out great! It was actually sold as a second from Harps of Lorien, but I still don't know why as I can't see any mistakes on it. All we basically had to do was sand it with different grades of sandpaper (which did take quite a while to get a perfect finish) and then we just oiled it and strung it up. The stringing was probably the hardest part, but not too bad at all.

We just love the finished lyre - it's beautiful and so easy to play. I've mostly been using it to help me learn the songs from our Wynestones books, etc. I'd recommend getting an extra string set, it case one breaks and I had a hard time tuning it right until I got the electronic guitar tuner which makes tuning a breeze. Harps of Lorien sells the tuner too and Raphael give such sweet customer service.

So I say, go for it! Making something yourself makes it extra special.

 

[michelleklu]

Thanks for replying! I was talking to Raphael about purchasing a second. Luckily he had one imperfect kit in stock. Apparently when sanded, you can see the holes on the other side. Well, if its saving that much money than its fine.

Do you have the pentatonic music books he sells? Contemplating on getting one.

 

[Mama Shifra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by michelleklu Do you have the pentatonic music books he sells? Contemplating on getting one.

I have Familiar Songs for Pentatonic Playalongs that I believe Harps of Lorien includes with all their kinderlyres and kits. Most of the other pentatonic songbooks to my knowledge have songs composed by the author, not folk songs; I, on the other hand, believe that young children are better off learning folk songs as much as possible because folk songs steep them in our culture around us.

Familiar Songs for Pentatonic Playalongs has the following songs:

Tom Dooley
There's a Hole in the Bucket
The Farmer in the Dell
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Rabbit Ain't Got noTail at All
Merrily We Roll Along
Amazing Grace
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
Alouette (Canadian French version)
Little Lark (English version)
I Gave my Love a Cherry

Familiar Songs for Pentatonic Playalongs also includes card that you can tear out of the book (it's spiral bound) that you put under the strings of the lyre and just play following the dots, if you cannot read musical notation. There is a guide to musical notation at the back of the book also.