My name is Eric Meier, and I make a stringed musical instrument called the bowed psaltery. Whether this is your first time hearing of a bowed psaltery, or if you already own one (or more), I hope that by the time you leave my site, it will be with a new-found desire and intrigue for this unique instrument.

This is the blog of my main website, Phantasy Psalteries. On this blog you will find my everyday thoughts and musings on building bowed psalteries. Think of it as a behind-the-scenes look as to what goes on in my little shop.

Psaltery Info:

A psaltery is a stringed musical instrument, appearing in many different forms and styles throughout history. On some psalteries the strings were plucked, on others they were struck, and still others they were bowed. Plucked psalteries are probably of the oldest variety of psaltery, being very similar to a small harp or zither. Look at this reference from thousands of years ago in the Bible:

“Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.” -Psalm 33:2

But though the plucked psaltery dates far back in history, the bowed psaltery is a much more recent invention. There are numerous historical claims as to when the first bowed psaltery was actually introduced, but I believe that it was probably not until the early to mid 20th century that there was such an instrument in the form that is seen and played today. That is to say, a fully chromatic psaltery in a triangular shape, played with a bow, with strings running down both left and right sides.

Regardless of the exact date, it is clear that the bowed psaltery is still being continuously developed and improved upon. This freshness and openness is part of what I love about the bowed psaltery; and with a little luck, I hope to play if but a very small part in this developmental process.

To read more on the specifics of the bowed psaltery, including an anatomy chart with all of the parts labeled, and a brief overview of how to play and tune the bowed psaltery, please visit my entire page entitled: What is a Psaltery?