Hi and welcome!

My name is Ann. I have always wanted to play a musical instrument. When I was a child, my parents paid for guitar and then piano lessons to no avail. I was hopelessly musically challenged.

Over the years I've tried different instruments to see if I had outgrown this affliction and each time I was reminded that I hadn't.

Then while wandering the internet, I discovered the Bowed Psaltery.
This instrument seems to be made for the musically challenged like me!

Click here to see a video about the bowed psaltery and this book.

The Bowed Psaltery is a simple stringed instrument. It sounds a bit like the violin with the droning quality of the bagpipes. If you love Celtic music or any music that stirs the soul, you'll love the sound of the Bowed Psaltery.
 
You don't need to coordinate the left and right hand (less complication for the musically challenged!) On the violin you hold down the strings with the left hand to get different notes. The Bowed Psaltery does that for you by already having the strings at different lengths. Then all you have to do is use the bow on the correct string. To overcome that obstacle, I marked the letters next to the strings. And I marked the letters next to the notes on the sheet music. (This is easy and I'll show you how in the book.)
 
Now all I have to do is match the letters and count!
Yeah! I'm playing music!
Well, okay, it's not something that will get me a recording contract but then no one went screaming from the room either! And I have fun which is even more important!
 
Since I'm an engineer and tend to research things in great depth, I have a lot of information that I've collected on how the beginner can teach herself to play the Bowed Psaltery.
I've been where you are. I took notes and photos. And I want to share them with you so you can learn how to enjoy playing this wonderful instrument.