Ringing Strings
Bowed
Psalteries
handcrafted by
Rick Long
Clinton, Tennessee
(865) 660-4026
ricklong@ringingstrings.com
WELCOME
Here in our little corner of the "web" you will find -
- Handcrafted Bowed Psalteries
- Accessories
- Helpful Information
- Pride in Workmanship and Service
Rick has been making bowed psalteries for the past 29 years. A love of music and woodworking began at an early age. At his fathers side, he became familiar with walnut, cherry, cedar and other native American woods. The projects they completed provided the skills required for creating the beautiful instruments you find here today. Quality and service are top priorities.
Please take a moment to browse the site. See the variety of figured woods used. Listen to the samples of Rick's recordings. Visit the workshop and see where these wonderful instruments are made.
We look forward to the opportunity to serve you.
Please use the word "psaltery" in the subject of your e-mail. Also include a phone number as a second way for me to contact you.
Updated on 6-30-2009
Hi folks, it's been a while since I updated the site. I have been taking a break and visiting several music festivals. Time to get back to work. I have been working for the past several weeks building many new psalteries that I need to make available on the web site and also the Asheville, NC Southern Highlands Craft Fair coming up in July. I have many soprano and tenor psalteries in progress and some are finished and ready to go. I'll be adding them to the web site very soon. I have a few special orders to fill. I have tripod plates available for the two spruce/maple tenor psalteries still available. One of these and an extra bow would add $50 to the price.
All of the soprano psalteries that are listed on the site have now been sold. More are on the way soon, I am putting strings on new ones each day.
I have updated the Events page. These are the places I'll be throughout the year. I'll be demonstrating how to play the psaltery and you will have an opportunity to see the psalteries I have in stock. This is where you will be able to try one for yourself. I look forward to meeting you and showing you all about them.
Exciting News about the Bowed Psaltery on the Tenor Page
I have finished my first prototype of an adjustable tripod holder that can be made to fit most bowed psalteries up to 25" long. This will enable you to double bow or give you a way to hold your psaltery if you have problems physically holding the psaltery to play. Double bowing adds a whole new aspect to playing the bowed psaltery and you can add anything form a simple drone behind the melody to some very elaborate combinations of melody and harmony. I am working on building these in different kinds of wood and should be able to build them out of maple, cherry, or walnut.
I was at Cumberland Gap park for a craft demo back in the winter, and my friend, Terry Lewis, came by for a jam session. I recorded it and have added some clips of some of the songs we played. I placed these on the Tenor page because I was playing my quilted maple and walnut tenor bowed psaltery in the jam. You can hear the bowed psaltery used in a real life situation. There were a lot of people there, so there's noise from them. You will also hear us answering questions about the bowed psaltery and Appalachian dulcimer. I hope you enjoy the tunes.
I have a new "D" psaltery that I will be adding to the web site soon. It is designed to play only in the key of "D", and will be great to play along with Appalachian dulcimers. It has a diatonic scale and the strings only run along one side. You can also use dulcimer tab to play this psaltery. I am waiting on the instructional DVD for this psaltery to be finished to add it to the site. I hope to have that finished soon.
I offer Private Lessons on learning to play the bowed psaltery.
More videos on the How to Play Page
Photo by Robert Batey
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