Richard Krueger Psaltery

motormike
@motormike
3 months ago
16 posts

Yes strumelia, playing with a very nice bow that came with the psaltery and assumed to be original to the piece. Learning bow technique now, experimenting with bow positions, chops and drawing speeds. I pluck when tuning as recommended by Jean Schilling. Have not yet tried to play it with plucking, but the thought has crossed my mind. I'm really not very fond of using picks and have grown very comfortable as a strummer when playing autoharp and uke.Thanks for the link, will take a look.


updated by @motormike: 02/08/24 07:32:18PM
Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
3 months ago
2,255 posts

@motormike - are you bowing your bowed psaltery, or plucking the notes like a plucked psaltery? (do you have a bow for it?) Yours is intended to be bowed (it produces an incredible haunting sound when bowed, bow it on the outer sides of the instrument, right next to the pin to sound each string), but there's no law saying you can't pluck it if you like!

Bowed psalteries are made for various keys and scales, they are not all tuned or strung alike.

There are some wonderful bowed psaltery videos here on FOTMD, btw:
https://fotmd.com/search/results/jrVimeo,jrYouTube,jrVideo/1/25/search_string=bowed%20psaltery




--
Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
shanonmilan
@shanonmilan
3 months ago
62 posts

Ken Hulme:

That's a Bowed Psaltery, not a plucked psaltery.  And a very nice BP it is too! 

The BP was supposed developed in post-WWII Germany by a violin teacher trying to get his students to bow correctly.  Whatever the truth, they are nice instruments, and you don't need a full sized bow to play them.  A simple 18" or so bow will work jut fine.  Several years ago I was gifted a BP and made some simple bows to play it with, using all sorts to waxed string other than horsehair/

 

It's amazing how innovations can arise from the need to address specific challenges, like encouraging proper bow technique in students. And it's great to hear that you've had the opportunity to explore playing the BP with custom-made bows using alternative materials.

motormike
@motormike
3 months ago
16 posts

Something I notice that has me a bit puzzled.
In the Schilling book of instruction and song,
the pin configuration and tuning on the psaltery
that is illustrated is quite different compared
to my psaltery. Mine has fewer strings, and the tuning starts
and ends with F on the natural side, whereas the sharps and flats
side omits all the B's and E's.
   Anybody see something that I am not educated enough to understand ?
I might mention this, the shorter strings are much harder to achieve a good tune.
The longer strings seem to fall right in place.
I would say that these strings are original and show slight discolorations throughout.
  

Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
3 months ago
2,126 posts

That's a Bowed Psaltery, not a plucked psaltery.  And a very nice BP it is too! 

The BP was supposed developed in post-WWII Germany by a violin teacher trying to get his students to bow correctly.  Whatever the truth, they are nice instruments, and you don't need a full sized bow to play them.  A simple 18" or so bow will work jut fine.  Several years ago I was gifted a BP and made some simple bows to play it with, using all sorts to waxed string other than horsehair/

ocean-daughter
@ocean-daughter
3 months ago
45 posts

Wow!  Looks like a psaltery fit for a king!  Or a queen! 

I have a bowed psaltery from Song of the Wood, which I have been known to play.  It is made with that beautiful red-purple wood (by my request).  I actually took a (virtual) class with Bill Schilling during the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Association virtual festival in November (NGFDA, a great organization and wonderful festival!). 

Bill is great, and the class was a lot of fun.  It was on playing rounds in minor keys.  I'm hoping to keep inspired to play my psaltery more.  I even tuned it before the class, for the first time since I got it....

whistle giggle2

motormike
@motormike
4 months ago
16 posts

As promised, psaltery arrived today and pix are up.
Maker Richard Krueger (deceased) sure did a bang-up job on this one.
I'm thinking the dark wood is walnut, and the light wood is rock maple.
The inlays are well-done, both wood and mother-of-pearl.
It's a work of art as well as an instrument. I am thrilled ! !
Condition of psaltery and bow appear to have little or no use.
Age is at least 25 years. Included is a songbook compiled by Jean & Lee Schilling.
I've run across their names before. Maybe they have also done some autoharp material.
There's a bit of irony here as the Schillings are in Cosby, TN.
and my girlfriend of 5 years (now ex) is also from there.
Update: Did some reading and find that Jean Schilling actually related to ex-girlfriend...lol

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updated by @motormike: 01/12/24 01:33:08AM
Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
4 months ago
2,126 posts

Yep,  build and play psalteries of several kinds.

motormike
@motormike
4 months ago
16 posts

Sure, it promises to please, adorned with inlays of wood, pewter, and mother of pearl.

Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
4 months ago
2,255 posts

We'd enjoy seeing a couple of pix!




--
Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
motormike
@motormike
4 months ago
16 posts

Hello all...having just won an auction for a gorgeous psaltery,
I'm anxious for it to arrive. I'm not totally new at psaltery,
but didn't get a very long period to play mine before gifting it
to a grandaughter. If you play psaltery, I'd love to hear from you.
Pix to follow.