Austin S.
It's been so fun playing it! First time tuning it up took several times of tuning it all up to get it tune as the strings are new.
Stella
I love my new lyre! The wood, as you can see from the picture, is darker than on the one in the product pictures, but I like it even better like this. The sound, after some careful tuning, is very good (even my mother says so and, unlike me, she's a musician and actually knows something about this). It was said before in a review here but I can only stress it again: Go to Youtube and look for the Kalimba tabs of songs you want to play! The number tabs are exactly the same, and the little booklet, that comes with the lyre, tells you which tone is what number and where it is on the harp. Once you got that down, you can play any song with kalimba tabs and there are heaps of materials on the web to choose from. Have fun!
Ross
I am not a lyre harp expert, but I play guitar, bass, banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, and violin. I can hear quality and recognize good tone. When you play a tuned lyre harp (and tuning is not difficult, just takes more time to tune multiple strings) even simple songs become soothing and well, kinda mythical.
This instrument should not intimidate beginners at all. No fretting or learning finger positions to play chords. You'll have to remember which string is which note, but that comes quick with a little practice.
Came fully assembled with a tuning wrench and spare set of strings. You can use a pick, or not. One hand will get you through most songs you find online, but you can split duty between two hands for easy access to both octaves and still comfortably hold the instrument whlie landing all the beautiful dyads and triads you want.
Pretty sure you could summon a unicorn if you play this thing in the right shaded forest. Lol seriously you're going to dig this.
Oh, if you like music for the holidays a lyre harp will enchant guests, and make for some great revelry accompaniment. You still have lots of time before December to pick up a few of your favorite songs!
MGT
So I've been fidding with my lyre everyday since I got it and I am quite a fan. Overall tuning is pretty simple, I just wish it would stay in tune better, but once the strings stretch I imagine it will improve. I chose to tune my lyre diatonically (half step notes) instead of pentatonically (only whole step notes) like the booklet said and I've been able to learn quite a few songs as long as they fall within my limited range of an octave and a few notes. (I tuned it from G3-Bb4) It makes me wish for a bigger lyre! My biggest complaint is that not all the notes are accessible from both sides of the lyre, making it difficult to decide which hand to play which notes with. The lyre also is very soft, which is fine for just quietly practicing, but if you try to play louder the notes quickly become very twangy. I'm hoping to figure out what gauge of nylon strings I need and restring it. For how cheap it was, I think it is still a very well made instrument and I hope to buy another lyre with more strings someday.
D. D.
My favorite thing to do is play the guitar finger picking style. I purchased this instrument so that I can do the same finger picking on it as I do with my guitar and get a completely different sound. And what a sweet sound it is! I'm going to enjoy playing this! But you don't have to finger pick if you don't want, you can just strum. The instrument is wonderfully made. Came in a study gig bag with all the accessories you can need. This will be a wonderful addition to my music room.
Mary D.
I love everything about this, it’s sounds beautiful and I haven’t even tuned it yet, I can’t wait %^))
CH
Overall, this is a good basic Lyre if you are a beginning (like myself).
jeff b.
very nice little instrument. A fabulous deal. I am very happy!
Emory M.
I am impressed by the quality of the instrument. The seam of the wood is barely detectable. Plays well, sounds good, overall excellent value.
Huma G.
Sounds beautiful! Not an intimidating instrument to play, great for a newb like me!
Autotater
This is my first lyre harp, and it is delightful. It is much easier to tune than my trapezoid-shaped "lapharp" (zither), almost as easy as tuning a guitar or ukulele. The tone quality is beautiful. I watched the videos people have uploaded and noticed the variety of ways this can be played, such as held with one hand and plucked with the other, lain on a table and plucked with a pick, or balanced in the lap and played two-handed, all of which I have done with good results. If you balance it to play two-handed, the hand on the back side can secure it with the pinkie finger; that hand cannot reach the bottom and top two strings, but if you are creative about it, you can play melody-plus-accompaniment on many tunes within its range. This is a diatonic harp tuned in C major. I have not experimented with sharping the F's because I do not know what effect the change in tension will have on the instrument, but I imagine it would work. As-is, though, you have C major, A minor and D-Dorian ready-to-go. The strings are not color-coded red and blue, but the lower octave has coiled strings and the upper octave has uncoiled, which helps. The distance between strings feels similar to a ukulele or guitar. The metal strings have not hurt my fingers like they do on a guitar for some reason. This harp came bundled with a very nice case that allows room for an instrument stand and/or a tablet or books and has a pocket in front with tuning wrench, extra strings, pick and starter booklet. Excellent value.
Juniper
I have only ever played wind instruments before, but I wanted a small, relatively quiet instrument to play at home to enjoy music without bothering neighbors. This lyre is a perfect match! It is fun and easy to learn - and fun to just improvise on as well. At first I wasn't sure how to hold it (regular harps have the higher notes closer to the body) but ended in most comfortable with the low notes toward me and the base resting in my lap. Very grateful that it came with extra strings as well :)
Unfortunately sheet music is hard to come by for this guy (I think most folks buying lyres don't read sheet music) but I can easily transpose some of the many tabs you can find online, since the notes all fit comfortably on a treble staff.
Angel O.
Beautiful exactly what I needed
Ree
Love this. The sound is lovely. Easy to play.
J. Kelly
Once I learned to tune it, I like it very much. Pretty sound.
--
Wonderful little plinker. A little difficult to tune, and it needs to be tuned a bit every other day, but it has a pleasant tone and feels nice to hold.
It even comes with a set of extra strings, a tuning wrench, a nice bag, and a small song book. You can't beat it at this price.
Milla E.
Bought this as a gift for my mother and she loved it.
David F.
The lyre was beautifully made. Easy to tune and sounds wonderful
Sarah
Great, eccentric and unique instrument. It’s easy to play and made beautifully, too!
Yasemee
This is a great instrument for beginners! I’ve never played before and it’s beautiful with a great sound! No complaints!
If someone is a man advanced lyre player they may want to find a lyre from an actual instrument company but this is just perfect for beginners!
bi
Beautiful sound and great craftmanship! Fun to play with the kids and easy to learn! You need to tune it first before you play it.
Alexandra
Amazing, I took it to a Violin professional to tune as I know nothing about tuning. Love this instrument, it is beautiful and sounds amazing! Bought for my daughter and she loves it!
B.J. Ryan
I really like this lyre. It’s easy to hold and sounds nice. The wood is beautiful! I wish it was strung the other way, with the thicker ones away from my body when I hole it in my left hand. I think it’s going to be fun to learn on!
Diane R.
Just 30 minutes I was playing 4 different hymns on it!!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!! Beautiful sound and look. I’m going to KEEP it and play it every day! If you’re trying to decide,,, get one. You won’t be sorry. PS. I ordered some small alphabet stick-ons to place under the strings at the top of the lyre to make it easier to find the right notes.
Path Journeys D.
You must take the time to tune it when you get it out of the box. After tuning it is very beautiful and I love it. Tiny, itty-bitty turns on the keys will change the tone, so you must go very slow to tune it, but it is worth it. Relaxing to play.
Yuduo Zhang f.
The sound has some good sustain to it, thanks to the solid mahogany body and sound bar. Strings stay in tune pretty well. I enjoyed this instrument.
James R. f.
I'm a musician by trade and play all kinds of instruments. I've never played a Lyre, but I've mic'd them in a production environment and I was always intrigued by the sound - very cool with some verb and a short tail delay. So I bought this to add to my collection of instruments and I am not disappointed. It came well packaged in a nice case, with a tuning tool and even an extra set of strings. As far as tone and playability, I have nothing to compare it to but I can say that I'm very happy with the natural sound and it's already sparked some ideas for future songs. Worth every penny that I paid for it!
CeliaThorne f.
Such a great value! I was looking for an instrument or two to learn as a hobby and I came across this gem. The instrument looks quality made. It arrived way out of tune but I followed the directions in the booklet it came with and downloaded the app insTuner, had it tuned in no time. Sounds amazing! Literally any string you pluck together sounds like a beautiful song. I’m very happy with my purchase.
Marti Thigpen D.
After deciding that I would like to learn how to play the lyre, I started shopping around. I was impressed with the look and price of this particular lyre. I have not been disappointed at all. The look and feel is wonderful. I'm very pleased with the sound as well. I would recommend this to anyone.
Green L.
It is a lovely instrument, I’ll probably buy a second one at some point. I’m hoping once I learn to play it well, it’ll help me learn to play the Celtic harp. So far I’m mostly learning to play Irish folk songs.
TSW
I was very impressed by this Lyre. Good quality for the price. I’m a beginner and it seems to be a good place to not only start but for all levels of playing.
RAY
There’s nothing bad that I can say about this instrument; with that being said I will say that this instrument is well made and it has a wonderful sound that is pleasing to the ear and I would recommend it to anyone who loves the sounds of string instruments!
Dan M.
Nice instrument, delicate tuning. I recommend you ditch the tuning app on the phone and buy something like a korg chromatic tuner $20 +-. I have hearing loss so tuning isn't as easy as in the past but the phone app is not very accurate for me, maybe for you. I struggled with the app for several attempts at tuning, I'm no novice with 20+ years guitar, but as soon as I used the real tuner it was magic how beautiful this little Harp sounded.
Larry
I absolutely love my beautiful lyre! I can't even begin to tell you how this sweet sounding little instrument has enriched my life. I play when the mood strikes, and because it sounds so lovely, that mood is often. I also play right before turning in for the night, and the daytime stress just melts away. I'm having a fantastic time picking out Celtic tunes and making up my own songs. It's now staying in tune longer. It took about a week or so but even if a string needs to be tuned, it's extremely simple to do - you just have to take care turning the pegs so you don't pop a string. I have a musician friend who turned it perfectly so I recorded it just after he did and go with that each time I have to tune it. It's aesthetically gorgeous too. I simply can't say enough nice things about this magical sounding instrument. I just wish I had bought one sooner! Get one, you won't regret it!
Yuduo Z.
The packaging was solid. Tightly packed, thick cardboard box, the hap was contained in a lightly padded nylon softshell case.
It was not tuned out of the box but with a tuner and included tuning wrench, I was able to tune the 16 strings in under 15min. Sounds close to a Celtic harp. The Soundbar was made from what looks like brass or bronze that is textured and handmade.
They included a manual for tuning instruction and some songs that you can play but your journey doesn't end there. With some minimal music-theory, you can even tune it differently to have minor keys mixed in though it might not be recommended.
The sound has some good sustain to it, thanks to the solid mahogany body and sound bar. Strings stay in tune pretty well. I enjoyed this instrument.
D. D.
My favorite thing to do is play the guitar finger picking style. I purchased this instrument so that I can do the same finger picking on it as I do with my guitar and get a completely different sound. And what a sweet sound it is! I'm going to enjoy playing this! But you don't have to finger pick if you don't want, you can just strum. The instrument is wonderfully made. Came in a study gig bag with all the accessories you can need. This will be a wonderful addition to my music room.
Zaazon
Amazing quality! This is the first instrument I've picked up in five years and it's been a pleasure to learn. I love the resonant sound of the hollow body and the brass saddle makes a lovely ring.
The instruction manual is very helpful, in the video I've played the song included in it. This was only my third day, so it's not a masterful rendition but hopefully gives a good sound sample. The tuning wrench is also sturdy.
Overall, a great investment!
Josh A.
This is a nice little instrument, tuning it is very time consuming and difficult, but otherwise sounds beautiful.
Contessa L.
So, I picked this up on a whim honestly (never played a lyre harp before), b/c it seemed kind of fun.
The instrument itself is well made. It has a nice wood grain to it, and a nice satin finish to the wood. The hardware all seems solid, and the tuning pegs hold tuning well. I'm still figuring out how exactly how to play it, but once you get it tuned up, it is really fun to just pluck around on.
The accessories that come with it (bag, tuning wrench, ect) all seem well made and do the job.
Robby Morais P.
First of all the Donner Lyre Harp is a beautifully crafted instrument. A sure conversation starter. Very resonant, clear and loud sound. Light and easy to handle. Comes with a very nice, sturdy and well padded carry case. It even came with an extra set of strings. A++
Jake P.
My son been wanting to get one of this. He is happy to finally get one. Easy to learn and very comfortable while holding it.
Jess Garcia P.
I Wanted to learn how to play a new instrument I know how to play guitar so maybe that's why this was easy for me to pick up n learn pretty fast . It came with a a good quality carrying case along with instructions on how to tune the instrument ,you can download a tuning app that it suggests and it's free in the app store . It also came with extra strings n accessories overall I love this instrument it's so relaxing to play and it sounds so beautiful and angelic definitely reccomend if you want to learn how to play a unique instrument I got the 16 string cuz it has more range and has 2 octaves it's amazing!
Justin Hamel f.
The Donner DLH-003 Lyre Harp is a really fun little instrument. The DLH-003 has 16 strings, and it was pretty easy to tune. I'm a guitar player, but I like to futz around with other instruments, especially stringed instruments. I used the Tunable app on my Android phone to help me tune all the strings to their proper note and octave.
The build quality seems very solid, and it is nicely finished. The description says that the bridge is copper. This isn't exactly true. Rather, the bridge seems to be made from brass. The tuners are steel. I really like the shoulder bag they include, and I was honestly surprised that Donner included an extra set of strings. I wasn't expecting that, but that's really good because I can imagine someone with less experience breaking a string while attempting to tune up this instrument for the first time. A tuning wrench, a polishing cloth, and a helpful instruction booklet were also supplied.
My goal, with instruments such as these, is to give my kids the opportunity to play music whenever inspiration strikes. I didn't have that opportunity growing up, and I can already see that parenting philosophy paying off. While this Lyre is not a child's instrument, I can certainly attest to the fact that kids love it. It sounds so pretty, even with a lack of training. My kids loved it immediately and took turns playing it.
It's also worth noting that the Donner DLH-003 looks really good as a piece of wall art. I can imagine it being a conversation starter as friends come over to visit and want to try it out for themselves.
C. Grice f.
I love finding inexpensive and "alternative" instruments to learn and play. This is definitely under that category! I have a couple of psaltries and a small harp and a rather larger harp that I can't play yet, but this is a small-medium harp that I can easily hold in my lap and can tune easily. It's really easy to play, and I'm having fun experimenting with playing different tunes. It's got a good range and a nice woody sound and reverbs very well. Very pleasurable to play. And I absolutely love the case that it comes with! Plenty of room for extras and I'm impressed that this actually came with an entire extra set of strings, a tuning lever, a pick (which I probably won't use as I prefer to pluck with my fingers), and a nice cleaning cloth. The entire set is just beautiful and worth every penny.
Amarie
It’s amazing how good this instrument sounds, even when you’re merely improvising. No matter what string(s) you play, it’s all good! The lyre harp arrived quickly and included a great carrying case, along with picks, a tuner and a whole set of replacement strings.
Although it comes fully stringed, it did need tuning right out of the box; however, it’s not difficult and just tiny turns will do it (and there’s a little manual included to help you get started.) It may take a few days for the strings to totally settle but once you have it tuned to your liking, it’s easy to maintain.
The sound resonates wonderfully and it’s very relaxing to play. I’m very pleased that I got the 16 string model because of all the possibilities it presents. I’d recommend this for people who enjoy making music regardless of their musical background.
Joy
I have always wanted a harp, but due to the size, it is just not feasible; however, when I came across this lyre-harp, it intrigued me, and I am really glad it did. It is a really pretty instrument and not a bad piece of décor/conversation starter. I really like the sun design and the color of the wood. The lyre has 16 strings, which at first glance can appear daunting, and this is the first time I have used a 12 frequency tuner (well at least an app version). I really cannot stop putting it down, and I have been playing it multiple times a day. It is a lot of fun and surprisingly relaxing. This really is one of the easiest instruments to learn, and is probably appropriate for most ages other than small and young children. The harp comes with a case, a booklet/tuning guide, tuning wrench, picks/polish cloth, and an extra set of strings. My only complaint, is that I wish there was an electric version. I love my little harp!!!!
Donner has always been committed to showing the different musical cultures of the world to our customers. Lyre Harp is a string instrument known for its use in Greek classical antiquity and later periods. Playing the lyre is an important way for students of ancient Greece to study music and poetry. Donner lyre harp offers warm, vibrant, sound and it is easy to learn. If you're looking for a new instrument, this is a great choice!
