Chords for Ancient Greek Music by Prof. Stefan Hagel

So [G] would you please stop breathing for the rest of this evening?
_ _ [B] _ _ [C] _ _ [F#m] _ [E] _
_ _ _ [C] So, _ [E] _
we may of course pluck them, _ as is shown in those Near Eastern depictions,
that the Hittite [F#] giant lyre, which we are just_
_ [A] _ _ [D] _
_ [Em] _ _ _ _ But [D#] that's not the Greek way.
_ _ The Greek way _ is to have a massive plectrum in the right fist.
_ And it's too [E] strong.
So in very often defined depictions where _ people are strumming right across all of the strings,
which doesn't give a very harmonious sound, because the strings are [B] tuned to several pitches. _
_ So to get something else out of it, we would have to stop those strings which are not to sound.
So it's a kind of negative play. _ _ _
[Am] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ [E] _ _
_ _ [F#m] _ _ _ [A] _ _ _
_ _ [F#m] _ _ [C] _ _ [Dm] _ _
_ [C] _ _ [F#] _ _ [Am] _ _ _
[E] _ _ _ _ _ [F#] That's also seen in [E] this Egyptian representation,
where here the strings are much too close together to pluck them individually.
They meet [G] almost in one point, where the Suhain lyre.
The same, but there's also the possibility of plectrum [B] plucking here. _
Achilles is taught by the centaur Chiron to play the lyre.
_ _ _ The centaur wields the plectrum, so he obviously shows how to pluck individually.
_ _ _ [A] _ _ _ _
Strings.
[D#] And this was _ evidently developed to a common technique in classical times,
because here the strings are much further apart than on the very early _ lyres.
Also the same here, this lady plays in the upper range where the strings are further apart.
Then there's left hand plucking.
You probably can't see it with the lights on, but this lady [Em] got a plectrum dangling down from her hand.
But she's walking, and probably walking for quite a time,
so she got tired and supports the lyre with her right hand as well,
but her left hand is still in playing position and [Am] can go on producing some sound. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [F#] And all these techniques, [B] of course, can also be combined.
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