Geyerleier

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A whirlwind

The Geyer gurdy (also vultures lyre ) is a new musical instrument to the family of composite chordophones , more precisely the box necked lutes counts. In terms of playing style, the instrument designed by Stuart M. Bilcock is a plucked instrument . The Geyerleier stands out from comparable instruments such as the cister mainly because of its characteristic design .

history

The Geyerleier was one of the first in-house developments by the instrument maker and inventor Stuart Malcolm Bilcock. The unusual name originated in the development phase of the instrument around 1999 and goes back on the one hand to the vulture- like head shape of the original instrument, on the other hand to the name of the place of origin Hof Geyerslay .

construction

Archetype

In its original form, the Geyerleier consists of a body that serves as a resonance body and is connected to a neck. The soundboard is made of spruce or birch wood, the remaining components (back, sides) of rosewood or birch wood. The neck of the Geyerleyer is provided with a chromatic fingerboard, over which eight strings are stretched as choirs, but in contrast to the cister it is partly connected directly to the body in parallel. The head of the instrument was similar in shape to that of a vulture - but today's versions have nothing in common with this shape.

Special forms

The Geyerleier has experienced several developments and thus deviations from the original form since its creation. Have special shapes:

Geyerleier "Subway To Sally"

The Geyerleier named after the band "Subway To Sally" is built with a solid wood ceiling and is characterized by a larger and therefore louder sound body, as well as an additional piezo pickup and a 4-band equalizer .

Geyerleier "Lindsay"

The also electro-acoustic Geyerleier "Lindsay" has an inclined headstock, is provided with side mechanisms and has a smaller, shortened body.

"Geyerleier" Renaissance "

The Geyerleier "Renaissance" with a solid spruce and rosewood top is most reminiscent of a zither-like instrument. It stands out from the other types, among other things, through the characteristic soundhole rosette. It is played exclusively "unplugged" - without electrical amplification (but can be retrofitted with a shadow pickup). The Geyerleier "Renaissance" was developed and produced in cooperation with the Hamburg instrument makers and dealers folkfriends .

Geyerleier guitar "Divan"

The Geierleier model called "Divan", which also has a pickup, is the only special shape of the Geierleier that is reminiscent of an (electric) guitar and can therefore also be referred to as a Geyerleier guitar. In this model, the body is no longer connected in parallel to the neck - this characteristic feature of the Geyerleyer is only rudimentarily present in the "Divan".

classification

Regarding the instrumental classification of the Geyerleier according to the Hornbostel-Sachs systematics , the Geierleier is not a lyre, despite the name, and despite the visual and structural similarity to the zithers ( e.g. Scheitholt or Dulcimer ) rather a box- neck lute . The box-shaped resonance body organically connected to the neck or fingerboard does not completely enclose the neck, which can be grasped (from below) like a lute. In contrast to zithers, the neck is the only string carrier of the instrument.

Mood and sound

The Geyerleier, which has four taut strings (three bass strings with an octave string upwards, one string with unison choirs), can be tuned in different ways. The most common tuning of the strings is a dDaAddaa or EHeh tuning. Mandolin and bouzouki players, on the other hand, tend to tune the geysers on GDAE. The sound of the Geyerleier, which is particularly rich in overtones in the middle and upper range, is comparable to that of the bouzouki or the oud (Arabic lute). Due to the choirs of the strings, the Geyerleier is also characterized by a floating, full sound.

Style of play

Regarding the playing techniques possible on the Geyerleier, there is a strong similarity to comparable box-neck lutes such as the cister or the guitar: One hand is responsible for plucking or striking the strings (with or without a pick ). The common guitar techniques, such as dampening (or palm mute ) or tremolo playing , can also be performed with the touch of the hand. The gripping hand, on the other hand, operates the instrument's chromatic fingerboard. All playing styles are conceivable here that are also possible with comparable box-neck sounds (e.g. vibrato , bending , glissando , hammering , pull-offs). Regarding the position of the instrument, it should be noted that the Geyerleier is not only parallel to the body axis when sitting (supported on a thigh) or standing (hanging around the back), as in the case of box-neck lutes, but also perpendicular to the body axis (lying on a table , comparable to a zither) can be played.

Comparable instruments

Comparable instruments can be:

Sources and individual references

  1. ↑ The following information is largely a telephone interview with Stuart Malcolm Bilcock, the inventor of the instrument, as well as its website http://www.cassandraelk.de/ taken
  2. ^ Journal of Ethnology. Volume 46, 1914, No. 4-5, pp. 553-590

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