yo! this is awesome! ps: have you ever wondered what you and phil x could do with the bouzouki and lyra? i mean, that would be something special. rock-on!
Man, Dimitrios, thank you! Some of these songs really pulled at my heart strings. Such melancholy, such zest. I really got to find a proper PARTY next time I'm on Crete. ❤
love the greek instrument and player too! wish he also makes some videos with traditional turkish instruments! have to admit greek beat us in this one!!
I'm loving Rob showing off unique instruments from all over the world. Not only do we get history lessons and cultural appreciation, but beautiful msuic.
I love the connection this comment brings. I'm always so sad to see people (mostly in food videos) argue over which country the recipe originated from like it even matters. Food is supposed to bring people together, to connect, the same as music. Let's try to connect more!
However in Hamshen and other Black Sea regions Armenians used the Pontic Kemenche which is also used by Pontic Greeks, Turks, etc. It has more of an oblong shape. The lyra shown here is a Cretan lyra which is more similar to the Constantinople lyra. It was not used much by Armenians in this form, except maybe musicians in Constantinople. There is also a third lyra called "kemanes of Kappadokia". This one was played by Greeks in Central Anatolia (Cappadocia) as well as by Armenians in that region and further East into Historic Armenia. Some of the Armenian folk fiddles from other areas of historic Armenia (Eastern Anatolia) resemble something between the Cappadocian lyra and the Pontic lyra.
@@harrykezelian8009 thanks for elaborating. Nevertheless, these are instruments that come from the same family and I find it beautiful how the two nations share them
If you haven't already, make sure tk check out the local greek metal and rock scene. There are a lot bands that implement greek sounds in them. As someone mentioned already, the Villagers of Ioannina City slap.
Lyra is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world and originated in Greece. Then Greeks used it during the Byzantine times and the instrument traveled all throughout the known world. There are many iterations of Lyra around Greece. It is amazing that you were curious enough to learn about music roots. Warm thanks and Χαίρε from Ελλάς!
For anyone interested in the lyrics at 13:06 - I've made the decision, to wear another heart - To wear another heart, to be more strong (the heart), to love you more - To be more strong (the heart), to love you more
He's quite the poet! That's amazing. We can all learn a lot from him! :). I mean you don't have to. But I think his positivity and warm energy are really contagious. That's such a lovely thing. I feel it's quite rare and we need people like him!
i love that moment of Rob being like "maybe the video should just be about the instrument and this culture" and Dimitrios is like "doesnt matter" so wholesome and real!
In western music we call it Phrygian Dominant whereas in Greek they call it Hijaz or in Turkish Hicaz. Look up Hijaz or Hicaz Taxim or Taximi which are improvisations using the scale.
The Greek Lyra is, in concept, very much similar to the old-timey country banjo music you'll see on movies sometimes, that's the best I can describe it to Americans. You know the scene, when the banjos come out and one guy starts singing "gather right round and dance along" and then it's about stepping right and left and everyone's just having fun and laughing? That's basically the Lyra. Of course, much like the banjo, we accompany it with other instruments like the lute. Or more modern; guitar. Lyra players and singers also tend to have great singing voices (as you might have noticed from Dimitrios) and tend to be very witty since they often have to improvise lyrics and short poems on the fly. There are 'set songs' of course, but you'll often see them improvise on the fly. If that's the kind of 'community party' you're into and you don't mind sinking in some time to learn, it's a very interesting instrument to learn.
I definitely got a banjo-like vibe from the description of the instrument, its use, and some of the tones even. Good to see I wasn't off-base with that.
I left Crete and came to Athens 9 years ago. I'm tearing up hearing a cretan lyra 7000kms away while im here 300kms to the north and going again in a month. Thank you, Rob, there isn't a single Cretan alive that doesn't appreciate what you did in this video (and all others)
Γεια σου πατριώτη Δημήτρη!!! Φιλιά από την πατρίδα, κουράγιο εκεί στα ξένα! I am Greek as well and I got the chills listening to Dimitris pouring emotions out of his lyras! Rob, I was surprised that you instandly got into the particular greek rythms on the guitar. The Pontian songs and dances have fierce war-like themes and fast rythms, close enough to the metal chugging. I think you could experiment more with that to match those genres and do your kind of thing. Cheers from Greece!
Ok, HUGE props to Rob for actually showcasing the amazing lyra to the whole world and having Dimitris, such a fantastic person to be the ambassador! Χαιρετίσματα απο Γιάννενα αδερφέ!
I'm always extremely suspicious of betterhelp after I heard about some sketchy stuff going on there a while back, I don't know if things have gotten better But I did appreciate hearing Greg in the background of the sponsored section lol
Liking this comment so it gets more of a spotlight, they are literally in the middle of a lawsuit for basically being a scam, not to mention having poor history with their "licensed therapists". I understand that Rob likely has a contractual obligation, but I also think he is at a point where he should be more responsible with his sponsor deals.
Yeah, at one point there was a company called caredash connected to betterhelp through a few shell companies that would impersonate therapists, say that they had no openings, and then direct people to betterhelp, very sus. They got shut down by either the FCC or FTC, cant remember.
Fellow Balkan here (except i'm slavic), how similar are the greek and northern turkish cultures? I found it really fun how he described a lot of generally balkan traditions in this vid, it's funny how similar we all are down here.
@@nicreven I'm Greek. There was a LOT of bleed-over from the centuries of the Ottoman Empire. For instance, the cuisine; we make a lot of desserts that are more Turkish in origin. Some of our habits and customs. Names, in a lot of cases. Coffee, is another example. As for the Balkans; a lot of it was part of the Byzantine Empire, so I'm fairly sure there's quite a bit of influence that way. Not to mention the Ottoman Empire really did spread quite a lot and held power for several centuries.
@@lyravain6304 Right yeah, a lot of Serbian food and words are Turkish too. I think it's neat. :] What's also interesting is that Serbian minus the Turkish influences is just Croatian basically.
@@nicreven I'm a Slavic too and I'm living Turkey, our cultures really mixed so well that only barrier we have between us is language and even that isn't that much problem because of similarities. I wish I can visit all the Balkans in the future, I love the history and architecture of Balkans so much.
First heard Dimitrios Dallas in his collabs with Farya Faraji on Byzantine-themed music. His lyra is absolutely stunning, just out of this world. Glad that Rob invited Dimitrios for this clear demonstration of these wonderful instruments.
It would be really cool if these videos ended with recommendations for albums and artists that feature these instruments. For people that want to explore the sound, but don't know where to start
If you're talking about cretan music, then antonis martsakis and nikos zoidakis serve as good starting points for violin and lyra, respectively. If you're looking for music from other parts of Greece, just type "X place traditional songs" and you're probably good.
@@ΣτελιοςΠεππαςThank you, I'll check it out! It would however be cool to have those recommendations in the actual video, and for every new instrument☺️
Hello Rob I am Kostas from Crete Greece and I'm really happy that you posted a video about the Greek lyra cause the first lyra Dimitris show you was one of the most popular traditional instruments in Crete and i actually know how to play this instrument that's why I am really happy about this video and I would be even more happy if you got a chance and come to Crete at the first 10 days of July in a place called Dafnes of Herakleion in Crete where we doing a festival called Wine festival and hear a lot of this instrument and the other popular traditional instruments of Crete
@@KKIcons If you write Γιωρτή κρασιού Δαφνές (wine's festival Dafnes) in Greek on RUclips's search you can see what happens the first ten days of July every year
Every single one of these videos ends with me having a big smile. Beautiful music, beautiful instrument, beautiful culture. Thank you for showing us this, this was just, wonderful.
Probably a patreon perk to see it early, or else the commenter stumbled onto an unlisted video somehow. The epilogue was cool to show some context - the full band, and the type of dancing. Thank you to the hosts and guests there, for inviting us to share in that moment from their community.
@@Arsenicsquirrel if a channel has a Patreon, 9 times out of 10 they'll post a video and make it private, and provide the link to Patreon supporters to see the video a few days early. If you go to any major channel with a Patreon you'll see comments from several days, and sometimes even a week, before the video was "uploaded," or made public.
I legitimately would love to see a longer video with Rob in a greek rager/party where they're playing the lyra. Make him partake in the jam session and dancing. Also it would really be cool to see future or past instruments played in their natural social setting like the lyra was.
For anyone looking for the Cretan Lyra being used in traditional scales but a more modern setting, I'd recommend listening to Yiannis Kapetenakis. Smyrna (2022) or Minoa/Prayer of the Lyra are well-produced and has a lot of his layering to create some awesome tracks.
After all the times that Rob has picked up an instrument and played it perfectly, it's reassuring to find him sounding merely like a kid who has been playing the violin for a few years on picking up a new instrument. All the more kudos to Dimitrios for his expertise!
I am from Crete, where the very first lyra he demonstrates comes from. I am a regular viewer and subscriber of Rob for like 10 years now. I could NEVER imagine Rob playing the instrument I grew up with. Being outside of the fancy countries like the USA, the UK, Japan, India or whatsoever makes you feel unimportant, especially when you mostly consume content from more popular (and populated, of course) countries. This video made me soooo happy. Thank you Rob, for showing us all these different and unique instruments from around the world.
It's amazing to see the Greek Lyra to your channel Rob!This is the most famous and lead instrument in traditional Cretan (folk) music .Cretan music comes from Crete, the biggest island in Greece and they have great tradition to it!After listening to it everywhere,it can get very annoying,especially for rock/metalheads,but if you are not biased and see it objectively, it's an amazing instrument that can create great emotions.Some people get annoyed by the Cretan music because the they(we) are biased because of the general culture of Cretans at the villages that are known for being very regressive and unprogressive and have big egos.We even have jokes like "Which car has priority on a street?The farming truck one with the tinted windows". It's a great instrument though and I have one, it takes some serious skill to master it.
This episode, brought tears of happiness to my eyes. As a greek with roots, from both Crete and Pontos, where the two Lyra instruments hail from, this episode is just so precious! Cretan greek music culture and Pontic Greek music culture, are so distinct and interesting, that are worth exploring! There is a famous Irish musician called Ross Daily, that chose to make the island of Crete, his home decades ago. He is an expert in all kinds of stringed instruments from all over the world. He has a museum in the village Houdetsi, in Heraklion of Crete. He teaches there at his school, world famous ethnic musicians from around the world. You should all check out his work. He plays like Apollo himself! If you are interested in ethnic folk music of Greece, the southern balkans, and Middle East, you should definitely check him out. Other than that, famous Cretan Lyra players are : A) Mountakis (song: "Voskaroudaki" ), B) Nikos Xylouris (the most famous player, songs: 1)"Agrimia ki agrimakia mou" an actual song used by resistance fighters during the WW2. 2) "Erotokritos", the melodified version of an epic poem of the 17th century by Vincenzos Cornaros.). C) Psarantonis/Ψαραντώνης : (songs: 1)"Tigri" / Τίγρη / Tiger). 2) O Dias / Ο Δίας / Zeus
Woohoo! The Lyra sounds majestic! It makes me so sad to hear that this music is getting lost! I know this music is different and not for everyone. I don't want such beautiful and vibrant music to be lost. I can tell Dimitrios is very enthusiastic about keeping the music alive!! Classical music and jazz will be lost too if younger generations don't at least give it a try and be open to listening and enjoying these genres. It's never too late to pick up an instrument! Dimitrios is so enthusiastic and full of joy! It makes me want to learn the Lyra . Thank you so much for the video! I'm always learning something new. It's so important to keep yourself exploring multiple genres of music and music from different cultures. A healthy diet of music needs to be nutritious like the food you eat. So mix in lots of genres! Though I admit most of my favourite music is either prog metal, prog rock, metal or alternative. I am also a fan of jazz, fusion, classical and plenty of other styles. Thank you again for the video! :) If I was to learn another instrument it would probably be a harp or the Japanese koto though I suspect both are really difficult I love how they sound. I know harp guitars exist so maybe I should check one out. I really like your acoustic playing Rob! It is a wonderful accompaniment for the Lyra. It's hard to be a great rhythm player but you do it for sure!
As a greek myself I'm so happy that Rob made this video! This instrument is in lots of greek music especially in traditional (dance) music and it's nice seeing people learning to play and understand the instrument and the greek music culture/language!
for those who wonder he sang this is a translation word for word. the order might seem of, but i will translate it in the order that the words are in greek. i dont know what is he on about the stars or the moon after the song in his translation though, the lyrics are the following: 13:00 i made the decision, another heart, to put on another heart to put on, that, it would be a stronger one, so i can love you more. that it would be a stronger one, so i can love you more.
As a Serb, I found it really fun just how many of the things he described applied to us as well. If you didn't tell me that party at the end was Greek I would've assumed it was one of ours (minus the instruments being different) xD It's cool how similar yet different we are here on the peninsula
The Balkans are just several different ethnicities with very similar cultures who argue about who invented what food and what it should be called. (And historically have fought bloody wars to try and control more of the land)
@@rdrrr I guess so I'm personally not at all a fan of anything serbian for the most part, musically or otherwise, but I have been exposed to it Brass and accordion are pretty big, but also like historically flutes were a big deal apparently
Pontic lyra is THE instrument for me. Beautiful sound, beautiful and somewhat nostalgic repertoire. And it always makes my day when I hand it over to a violinist and see their quiet frustration with that tensioned with fingers bow :) Shame it didn't get more exposition, but I understand it's meant for a different kind of party
These instrument interviews are always an instant watch for me. Some of the most interesting music content out there period. You need to try claw hammer banjo sometime.
@@ifer1280 i commented this in like the first 3 minutes of the video or sometime before Dimitris invited this. Our greek brains had the exact same thought. The dude was vibing instantly. i hope he gets to listen to bouzouki at some point too.
what an amazing video!! i love the vibe between Rob and Dimitris sharing their love and knowledge for music and just having fun. We have to create more moments like this in the world and just be united.
That first tune sounded just like any Swedish traditional song, played on fiddle and nyckelharpa. Amazing that you can just use your nails to "fret" it. I want one now.
that last little jam was beautiful. That Lrya is crying from the soul. Thanks for sharing Rob. Its those special moments of jam that make these videos so awesome!
10:00 and thats whats so cool about this channel and what Rob does! He helps introduce new audiences to unheard of instruments, even teaching the guests some guitar too! No i would have not known what a Theorbo or Glass Armonica and etc is if i didnt see it on this channel, so thank you Rob for the education and the very entertaining entertainment!
Thank you, Rob, and many many thanks to Dimitrios. My fondest memory of Greece was running across a Lyra player on our way back from the Acropolis. Thank you. This was a real treat. Rob, go a little farther east and feature the oud too! :)
Perhaps someone has already mentioned it, but just in case Hijaz (Χιτζάζ) is like Phrygian Dominant (or Phrygian Major), aka the 5th mode of the harmonic minor scale. Cheers
I been following this channel for what seems like centuries now and I've watched every single video. Never did I even think the lyra could be featured here and I'm shocked it didn't cross my mind. Hearing the sounds of my childhood in this channel really hit a chord in me. Keep up the good work. This really is a fun part of the internet.
get your dollar, but better help messed me up, my therapist tried recruiting me to some sort of cult that would give me quote "star wars force powers" and that wasnt an analogy for anything, he meant lifting things with my mind
Sketchy Therapists are but one of Better Helps MANY problems. On top of it already being morally grey to "advertise" therapy, Better Help has a history of hiring unlicensed specialists, lying about HIPAA certifications, selling private information, using said sold information in conjunction with Facebook to target advertisements towards the unstable, scripting therapy sessions, and instructing "therapists" to lie to clients about scripting sessions, just to name a few of the things I've heard.
I am so happy to see an instrument from my home island be featured and it is awesome to see that even in the states the Greeks are still preserving our history.
Proud of that beautiful Cretan (Greek) music heritage! Wonderful instruments, people, delicate sounds and lots of fun.. One of the few places where tradition is so rich and alive
Rob, you're reading my mind! From time to time I get back to Cretan music for inspiration and once Cretan lyra crossed my mind - I see your new video! Mindblowing!
These are always my favorite videos of yours, don’t get me wrong, I love all your stuff, but it’s so fascinating how many awesome instruments are just no longer mainstream, it’s so cool to learn about them, keep up the great work Rob!
@16:25 you guys really get into some secret chiefs 3 type of shit. love it. love this video. love how you're not afraid to fuck up a bit in the videos as you show how you're learning. feels real. love to see your actual progress on a new instrument over the course of a video. super real. as someone who tries to play any instrument he comes across, i 100% know how rarely you can get something right first try. but you gotta keep trying. also, just love this instrument, gotta get me one. then again, i'm just a sucker for bowed instruments. in closing, love your videos, dude, never stop kicking ass.
I am glad that our small island starts slowly to get more and more popular from it's great culture. Also as a lyra player i enjoyed that video more than someone who doesn't play lyra would 😅😂 συγχαρητήρια
i just realized. Rob should really do an episode of this on genuine flamenco guitar and how it accompanies dance and singing. he alludes to flamenco guitar a lot so it would be cool to see the full circle finally complete
Need a microtonal guitar to play with the Lyra... Thanks for this fun video! It's great to learn about so many different instruments from around the world
@16:25 you guys really get into some secret chiefs 3 type of shit. love it. love this video. love how you're not afraid to fuck up a bit in the videos as you show how you're learning. feels real. love to see your actual progress on a new instrument over the course of a video. super real. as someone who tries to play any instrument he comes across, i 100% know how rarely you can get something right first try. but you gotta keep trying. also, just love this instrument, gotta get me one. and, in closing, love your videos, dude. never stop kicking ass.
Great Greek music history presentation in this one! Thank you for taking the time and approach one of the most characteristic instruments of our country. And to Dimitris I want to say: Yia sou patriotaki! Efharistume!
3:22 The Cretan Lyra's Tuning (from High to Low) is A4, D4, G3, the same as the Lowest 3 strings of a Violin (There are 4 string Lyras which add on an E String for more notes). Alot of older music on the Island of Crete they were playing Violin.
Thank you Rob and Team for this great honor. Loved being part of this video and seeing the beautiful outcome!
yo! this is awesome!
ps: have you ever wondered what you and phil x could do with the bouzouki and lyra? i mean, that would be something special.
rock-on!
Man, Dimitrios, thank you! Some of these songs really pulled at my heart strings. Such melancholy, such zest. I really got to find a proper PARTY next time I'm on Crete. ❤
@@balaenopteramusculus thank you for watching!!
@@christopher-miles I agree as a Greek. Would like to see that. I do think Phil X is too good. He wouldn’t be able to shred on a bow hahaha.
Μπράβο σου φίλε, είσαι σπουδαίος εκπαιδευτής
I'll always appreciate Robs ability to give Midwest emo vibes with any and all instruments
Is truly an talent
😂😂😂😂 alwayassssss
As always 😂
Rob now you are officially Rob Scallontakis congrants
As a Greek myself I can confirm
scallonopoulos
Ρωπβ Σκάλονεις
congrants
love the greek instrument and player too! wish he also makes some videos with traditional turkish instruments! have to admit greek beat us in this one!!
I'm loving Rob showing off unique instruments from all over the world. Not only do we get history lessons and cultural appreciation, but beautiful msuic.
it's one of my favorite things on the internet. Such a cool look into a world I'd never know about.
For sure! This series is one of the best things I've ever seen. Hopefully they keep making more.
And fun !
I've honestly learned more about instruments from Rob than I did back when at school, and I had a pretty solid music teacher
Agreed, this is my favorite series ever!!! Please continue making these!
What a beautiful instrument! We, Armenians, (particularly from Hemshin) are very fortunate to share this instrument with our Greek brothers 🇦🇲❤🇬🇷
And your bougatsa ❤
❤❤❤❤ Armenia
I love the connection this comment brings. I'm always so sad to see people (mostly in food videos) argue over which country the recipe originated from like it even matters. Food is supposed to bring people together, to connect, the same as music. Let's try to connect more!
However in Hamshen and other Black Sea regions Armenians used the Pontic Kemenche which is also used by Pontic Greeks, Turks, etc. It has more of an oblong shape. The lyra shown here is a Cretan lyra which is more similar to the Constantinople lyra. It was not used much by Armenians in this form, except maybe musicians in Constantinople. There is also a third lyra called "kemanes of Kappadokia". This one was played by Greeks in Central Anatolia (Cappadocia) as well as by Armenians in that region and further East into Historic Armenia. Some of the Armenian folk fiddles from other areas of historic Armenia (Eastern Anatolia) resemble something between the Cappadocian lyra and the Pontic lyra.
@@harrykezelian8009 thanks for elaborating. Nevertheless, these are instruments that come from the same family and I find it beautiful how the two nations share them
The video ending with Rob attending a Greek dance party is the most wholesome thing I've ever seen.
And being a bit of a wall flower haha. I'm sure he got dragged into the circle at some point.
10:41 The sounds of Pontus right there..goosebumps
The sounds of ancient Greece, well preserved with love and respect.
? crete?... yeah ok
Pontic lyra best lyra
@@S-Nova0 no
@@giorgosglyko4698 yes
This is one of those instruments where you hear it and instantly go “OH that’s what makes that sound”
As a Greek watching this channel for the past 10 years, this video really cheered me up!
16:06 As a greek metalhead, I always wanted to hear tradional greek instruments to be blended with metal. So thanks for that part !
I know I'm two weeks late to the party but please check out the soundtrack to the game Hades!
@@theErinyes3 just wanted to say this haha
Villagers of Ionnina City
listen to the soundtrack from the game Hades bro you won't be dissapointed
also play the game its amazing
If you haven't already, make sure tk check out the local greek metal and rock scene. There are a lot bands that implement greek sounds in them. As someone mentioned already, the Villagers of Ioannina City slap.
As a metal guitar player that also plays Greek bouzouki, that jam session with the metal chugs and the traditional Greek Lyra was really amazing
It reminded me of Apocalyptica.
You know he's a class A musician when at 16:06 Rob changes it up to be a bit more metal, and he just goes "Okay..." and switches it up
Lyra is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world and originated in Greece. Then Greeks used it during the Byzantine times and the instrument traveled all throughout the known world. There are many iterations of Lyra around Greece. It is amazing that you were curious enough to learn about music roots.
Warm thanks and Χαίρε from Ελλάς!
wow his voice is amazing too
Thank you!
For anyone interested in the lyrics at 13:06
- I've made the decision, to wear another heart
- To wear another heart, to be more strong (the heart), to love you more
- To be more strong (the heart), to love you more
Thank you for the translation!
What a Lovely thing to come up with on the spot!
He's quite the poet! That's amazing. We can all learn a lot from him! :). I mean you don't have to. But I think his positivity and warm energy are really contagious. That's such a lovely thing. I feel it's quite rare and we need people like him!
i love that moment of Rob being like "maybe the video should just be about the instrument and this culture" and Dimitrios is like "doesnt matter" so wholesome and real!
16:08 I love that moment. No words said but both on the same page about what's happening. He nailed that darker atmosphere perfectly.
That's my absolute favorite part of the video too!
Sound a bit like some of battlestar galactica soundtrack
In western music we call it Phrygian Dominant whereas in Greek they call it Hijaz or in Turkish Hicaz. Look up Hijaz or Hicaz Taxim or Taximi which are improvisations using the scale.
Absolutely, also that was an intense song lol
check villagers of ioannina city if you liked that.
The Greek Lyra is, in concept, very much similar to the old-timey country banjo music you'll see on movies sometimes, that's the best I can describe it to Americans.
You know the scene, when the banjos come out and one guy starts singing "gather right round and dance along" and then it's about stepping right and left and everyone's just having fun and laughing? That's basically the Lyra.
Of course, much like the banjo, we accompany it with other instruments like the lute. Or more modern; guitar.
Lyra players and singers also tend to have great singing voices (as you might have noticed from Dimitrios) and tend to be very witty since they often have to improvise lyrics and short poems on the fly. There are 'set songs' of course, but you'll often see them improvise on the fly.
If that's the kind of 'community party' you're into and you don't mind sinking in some time to learn, it's a very interesting instrument to learn.
Thanks!
I definitely got a banjo-like vibe from the description of the instrument, its use, and some of the tones even. Good to see I wasn't off-base with that.
@@Gwunhar What banjo is to the guitar, the lyra is to violins. And they're used in very much similar settings; community celebrations and parties.
It's like a fiddle to me.
Loved this collab, could watch these two jamming for hours, please bring Dimitrios back!
Rob Scallon at a Greek party!? HELL YES!
I just imagine him getting absolutely plastered because everyone is getting him drinks and telling him to come and dance.
I left Crete and came to Athens 9 years ago. I'm tearing up hearing a cretan lyra 7000kms away while im here 300kms to the north and going again in a month. Thank you, Rob, there isn't a single Cretan alive that doesn't appreciate what you did in this video (and all others)
Γεια σου πατριώτη Δημήτρη!!! Φιλιά από την πατρίδα, κουράγιο εκεί στα ξένα!
I am Greek as well and I got the chills listening to Dimitris pouring emotions out of his lyras!
Rob, I was surprised that you instandly got into the particular greek rythms on the guitar.
The Pontian songs and dances have fierce war-like themes and fast rythms, close enough to the metal chugging. I think you could experiment more with that to match those genres and do your kind of thing.
Cheers from Greece!
Γεια σου πατρίδα!!!
Περίμενα να δω πολύ περισσότερους Έλληνες στα σχόλια
Hijaz (Χιτζάζ) is phrygian dominant btw
nah its jazz with drugz
Ahahaha
Well, hijaz is a lot more than just a phrygian scale...
Ok, HUGE props to Rob for actually showcasing the amazing lyra to the whole world and having Dimitris, such a fantastic person to be the ambassador! Χαιρετίσματα απο Γιάννενα αδερφέ!
Να είσαι πάντα καλα φιλαράκο!!!
Και απ' την Άρτα! Συγχαρητήρια για το υπέροχο βίντεο!
@@Gekiko7167 ευχαριστώ! χαορετισμους από Chicago!
I'm always extremely suspicious of betterhelp after I heard about some sketchy stuff going on there a while back, I don't know if things have gotten better
But I did appreciate hearing Greg in the background of the sponsored section lol
from what i've looked up so far, it's still a scam even 6 years later
Liking this comment so it gets more of a spotlight, they are literally in the middle of a lawsuit for basically being a scam, not to mention having poor history with their "licensed therapists". I understand that Rob likely has a contractual obligation, but I also think he is at a point where he should be more responsible with his sponsor deals.
I think the lawsuit also pertains to some selling your info
+
Yeah, at one point there was a company called caredash connected to betterhelp through a few shell companies that would impersonate therapists, say that they had no openings, and then direct people to betterhelp, very sus. They got shut down by either the FCC or FTC, cant remember.
Love it! I'm from northern Turkey and Lyra (and it's various forms) is a great cultural icon we share. Hearing rob experience its tunes was awesome!
Fellow Balkan here (except i'm slavic), how similar are the greek and northern turkish cultures?
I found it really fun how he described a lot of generally balkan traditions in this vid, it's funny how similar we all are down here.
@@nicreven I'm Greek. There was a LOT of bleed-over from the centuries of the Ottoman Empire.
For instance, the cuisine; we make a lot of desserts that are more Turkish in origin. Some of our habits and customs. Names, in a lot of cases. Coffee, is another example.
As for the Balkans; a lot of it was part of the Byzantine Empire, so I'm fairly sure there's quite a bit of influence that way. Not to mention the Ottoman Empire really did spread quite a lot and held power for several centuries.
@@lyravain6304 Right yeah, a lot of Serbian food and words are Turkish too. I think it's neat. :]
What's also interesting is that Serbian minus the Turkish influences is just Croatian basically.
Yup I'm Bulgarian and we have a very similar instrument called "gadulka" very similar form factor and sound
@@nicreven I'm a Slavic too and I'm living Turkey, our cultures really mixed so well that only barrier we have between us is language and even that isn't that much problem because of similarities. I wish I can visit all the Balkans in the future, I love the history and architecture of Balkans so much.
Rob finally found an instrument that he's not instantly a pro with.
At long last, A CHALLENGER APPEARS!
The theremin be like
First heard Dimitrios Dallas in his collabs with Farya Faraji on Byzantine-themed music. His lyra is absolutely stunning, just out of this world. Glad that Rob invited Dimitrios for this clear demonstration of these wonderful instruments.
It would be really cool if these videos ended with recommendations for albums and artists that feature these instruments. For people that want to explore the sound, but don't know where to start
Yes!! Great idea!
If you're talking about cretan music, then antonis martsakis and nikos zoidakis serve as good starting points for violin and lyra, respectively.
If you're looking for music from other parts of Greece, just type "X place traditional songs" and you're probably good.
@@ΣτελιοςΠεππαςThank you, I'll check it out! It would however be cool to have those recommendations in the actual video, and for every new instrument☺️
ruclips.net/video/QAgilKt2nUc/видео.html
definately look up Paris Perisynakis if you can, he is taking the cretan lyra to another level
Hello Rob I am Kostas from Crete Greece and I'm really happy that you posted a video about the Greek lyra cause the first lyra Dimitris show you was one of the most popular traditional instruments in Crete and i actually know how to play this instrument that's why I am really happy about this video and I would be even more happy if you got a chance and come to Crete at the first 10 days of July in a place called Dafnes of Herakleion in Crete where we doing a festival called Wine festival and hear a lot of this instrument and the other popular traditional instruments of Crete
Yes I hope he makes it to that. Maybe someone can record good songs from it and post to YT meanwhile.
Hope you are having a blast atm Kostas!
@@KKIcons If you write Γιωρτή κρασιού Δαφνές (wine's festival Dafnes) in Greek on RUclips's search you can see what happens the first ten days of July every year
13:00 need a full version!
Every single one of these videos ends with me having a big smile. Beautiful music, beautiful instrument, beautiful culture. Thank you for showing us this, this was just, wonderful.
That little epilog made me smile
How is this comment from three days ago?
@@Arsenicsquirrel yeah wtf?
Bro got time travel wtf
Probably a patreon perk to see it early, or else the commenter stumbled onto an unlisted video somehow.
The epilogue was cool to show some context - the full band, and the type of dancing. Thank you to the hosts and guests there, for inviting us to share in that moment from their community.
@@Arsenicsquirrel if a channel has a Patreon, 9 times out of 10 they'll post a video and make it private, and provide the link to Patreon supporters to see the video a few days early. If you go to any major channel with a Patreon you'll see comments from several days, and sometimes even a week, before the video was "uploaded," or made public.
I legitimately would love to see a longer video with Rob in a greek rager/party where they're playing the lyra. Make him partake in the jam session and dancing. Also it would really be cool to see future or past instruments played in their natural social setting like the lyra was.
one of my favorite things is just watching rob's brain work as he figures out new instruments
For anyone looking for the Cretan Lyra being used in traditional scales but a more modern setting, I'd recommend listening to Yiannis Kapetenakis. Smyrna (2022) or Minoa/Prayer of the Lyra are well-produced and has a lot of his layering to create some awesome tracks.
Beautiful instrument. And this dude is just all about the vibes. Love it.
Ευχαριστούμε Δημήτρη που μοιράζεσαι την κληρονομιά μας με σεβασμό, αξιοπρέπεια και περηφάνια. Εύγε!
After all the times that Rob has picked up an instrument and played it perfectly, it's reassuring to find him sounding merely like a kid who has been playing the violin for a few years on picking up a new instrument. All the more kudos to Dimitrios for his expertise!
I am from Crete, where the very first lyra he demonstrates comes from. I am a regular viewer and subscriber of Rob for like 10 years now. I could NEVER imagine Rob playing the instrument I grew up with. Being outside of the fancy countries like the USA, the UK, Japan, India or whatsoever makes you feel unimportant, especially when you mostly consume content from more popular (and populated, of course) countries. This video made me soooo happy. Thank you Rob, for showing us all these different and unique instruments from around the world.
It's amazing to see the Greek Lyra to your channel Rob!This is the most famous and lead instrument in traditional Cretan (folk) music .Cretan music comes from Crete, the biggest island in Greece and they have great tradition to it!After listening to it everywhere,it can get very annoying,especially for rock/metalheads,but if you are not biased and see it objectively, it's an amazing instrument that can create great emotions.Some people get annoyed by the Cretan music because the they(we) are biased because of the general culture of Cretans at the villages that are known for being very regressive and unprogressive and have big egos.We even have jokes like "Which car has priority on a street?The farming truck one with the tinted windows".
It's a great instrument though and I have one, it takes some serious skill to master it.
P.S The scale he was referring to as Hijaz is the same as we call Phrygian Dominant and we also use Ussak ,which is what we call as Phrygian.
This episode, brought tears of happiness to my eyes. As a greek with roots, from both Crete and Pontos, where the two Lyra instruments hail from, this episode is just so precious! Cretan greek music culture and Pontic Greek music culture, are so distinct and interesting, that are worth exploring! There is a famous Irish musician called Ross Daily, that chose to make the island of Crete, his home decades ago. He is an expert in all kinds of stringed instruments from all over the world. He has a museum in the village Houdetsi, in Heraklion of Crete. He teaches there at his school, world famous ethnic musicians from around the world. You should all check out his work. He plays like Apollo himself! If you are interested in ethnic folk music of Greece, the southern balkans, and Middle East, you should definitely check him out. Other than that, famous Cretan Lyra players are : A) Mountakis (song: "Voskaroudaki" ), B) Nikos Xylouris (the most famous player, songs: 1)"Agrimia ki agrimakia mou" an actual song used by resistance fighters during the WW2. 2) "Erotokritos", the melodified version of an epic poem of the 17th century by Vincenzos Cornaros.). C) Psarantonis/Ψαραντώνης : (songs: 1)"Tigri" / Τίγρη / Tiger). 2) O Dias / Ο Δίας / Zeus
Woohoo!
The Lyra sounds majestic! It makes me so sad to hear that this music is getting lost!
I know this music is different and not for everyone. I don't want such beautiful and vibrant music to be lost. I can tell Dimitrios is very enthusiastic about keeping the music alive!!
Classical music and jazz will be lost too if younger generations don't at least give it a try and be open to listening and enjoying these genres. It's never too late to pick up an instrument!
Dimitrios is so enthusiastic and full of joy! It makes me want to learn the Lyra . Thank you so much for the video! I'm always learning something new. It's so important to keep yourself exploring multiple genres of music and music from different cultures. A healthy diet of music needs to be nutritious like the food you eat. So mix in lots of genres! Though I admit most of my favourite music is either prog metal, prog rock, metal or alternative. I am also a fan of jazz, fusion, classical and plenty of other styles. Thank you again for the video! :)
If I was to learn another instrument it would probably be a harp or the Japanese koto though I suspect both are really difficult I love how they sound. I know harp guitars exist so maybe I should check one out.
I really like your acoustic playing Rob! It is a wonderful accompaniment for the Lyra. It's hard to be a great rhythm player but you do it for sure!
This music is not getting lost...
5:10 ... such lovable tones there ❤
As a greek myself I'm so happy that Rob made this video! This instrument is in lots of greek music especially in traditional (dance) music and it's nice seeing people learning to play and understand the instrument and the greek music culture/language!
for those who wonder he sang this is a translation word for word. the order might seem of, but i will translate it in the order that the words are in greek.
i dont know what is he on about the stars or the moon after the song in his translation though, the lyrics are the following:
13:00
i made the decision,
another heart, to put on
another heart to put on,
that, it would be
a stronger one,
so i can love you more.
that it would be a stronger one,
so i can love you more.
As a Serb, I found it really fun just how many of the things he described applied to us as well.
If you didn't tell me that party at the end was Greek I would've assumed it was one of ours (minus the instruments being different) xD
It's cool how similar yet different we are here on the peninsula
I'm eagerly awaiting the day Rob Scallon does something regarding the Yugo-Mex genre
The Balkans are just several different ethnicities with very similar cultures who argue about who invented what food and what it should be called.
(And historically have fought bloody wars to try and control more of the land)
@@DJKr15py Yeah the bloody wars bit sucks but I like having sarma at least.
When I think Serbia I think trumpets. You guys really seem to love brass instruments. Apparently Miles Davis was impressed.
@@rdrrr I guess so
I'm personally not at all a fan of anything serbian for the most part, musically or otherwise, but I have been exposed to it
Brass and accordion are pretty big, but also like historically flutes were a big deal apparently
14:30 The Ravioli has come full circle. Or full square, perhaps.
I won't pay those high prices for that ravioli, ravioli-oli now!
Pontic lyra is THE instrument for me. Beautiful sound, beautiful and somewhat nostalgic repertoire. And it always makes my day when I hand it over to a violinist and see their quiet frustration with that tensioned with fingers bow :) Shame it didn't get more exposition, but I understand it's meant for a different kind of party
I prefer the cretan one, more melodic, deeper, sound.
@@lefterismagkoutas4430 i like the emotional sound of the pontic more
These instrument interviews are always an instant watch for me. Some of the most interesting music content out there period.
You need to try claw hammer banjo sometime.
With a gourd banjo!
Yes! I’ve started learning clawhammer and it’s so great. I feel like Rob could finger it out pretty quick with his right hand guitar skills
Bring rob to a greek party. The way he instantly vibed he is going to love it
The outro has got you covered
@@ifer1280 i commented this in like the first 3 minutes of the video or sometime before Dimitris invited this. Our greek brains had the exact same thought. The dude was vibing instantly. i hope he gets to listen to bouzouki at some point too.
what an amazing video!! i love the vibe between Rob and Dimitris sharing their love and knowledge for music and just having fun. We have to create more moments like this in the world and just be united.
Proud of you, Rob! It's amazing to see the Instruments of my island in such a big RUclips chanel. Keep it up, you will learn how to dance!
I have never wanted an instrument more in my entire life.
That first tune sounded just like any Swedish traditional song, played on fiddle and nyckelharpa. Amazing that you can just use your nails to "fret" it. I want one now.
Precis vad jag tänkte. Nyckelharpa eller hardangerfela
God, I love this video so much. Love from Greece, mates! Cultures come together!
that last little jam was beautiful. That Lrya is crying from the soul. Thanks for sharing Rob. Its those special moments of jam that make these videos so awesome!
Ive been waiting for this moment since i was little . I play lyra for 10 years now and its magic needs to be seen worldwide!
10:41 goosebumps
16:06 Apocalyptica entered chat.
So true! 🤣
Check out Ne Obliviscaris, because it sounded EXACTLY like their song "And Plague Flowers the Kaleidiscope"
Indeed!!
Ahahaha 😂
Literally my first thought also! :D
10:00 and thats whats so cool about this channel and what Rob does! He helps introduce new audiences to unheard of instruments, even teaching the guests some guitar too! No i would have not known what a Theorbo or Glass Armonica and etc is if i didnt see it on this channel, so thank you Rob for the education and the very entertaining entertainment!
Thank you, Rob, and many many thanks to Dimitrios. My fondest memory of Greece was running across a Lyra player on our way back from the Acropolis. Thank you. This was a real treat. Rob, go a little farther east and feature the oud too! :)
Perhaps someone has already mentioned it, but just in case Hijaz (Χιτζάζ) is like Phrygian Dominant (or Phrygian Major), aka the 5th mode of the harmonic minor scale.
Cheers
That was truly beautiful. Do not let beautiful instruments die. Mix and match them with whatever you love, just never let their magic be forgotten.
This series has become one of my favourite of all time, not just youtube, in generals
13:05 ... I'm feeling that time backs Middle Age era of Europe ❤
I been following this channel for what seems like centuries now and I've watched every single video. Never did I even think the lyra could be featured here and I'm shocked it didn't cross my mind. Hearing the sounds of my childhood in this channel really hit a chord in me. Keep up the good work. This really is a fun part of the internet.
4:20 sounds like you need to give Brandon Acker a call for the next video!
He's been on several!
@@pietje32 oh I meant get him to play with the Lyra guy
get your dollar, but better help messed me up, my therapist tried recruiting me to some sort of cult that would give me quote "star wars force powers" and that wasnt an analogy for anything, he meant lifting things with my mind
what the fuk
Commenting for exposure. BH is really dangerous!
Commenting for exposure. BH is really dangerous!
WTF
Sketchy Therapists are but one of Better Helps MANY problems.
On top of it already being morally grey to "advertise" therapy, Better Help has a history of hiring unlicensed specialists, lying about HIPAA certifications, selling private information, using said sold information in conjunction with Facebook to target advertisements towards the unstable, scripting therapy sessions, and instructing "therapists" to lie to clients about scripting sessions, just to name a few of the things I've heard.
I am so happy to see an instrument from my home island be featured and it is awesome to see that even in the states the Greeks are still preserving our history.
Rob. You can play with anyone on anything. Your empathy and your skill and your listening ear are legend. Dimitrios you are a joy, thank you.
I like that Rob keeps exploring unfamiliar instruments and ideas.
He will end up with one of the most well rounded musical educations possible.
No wonder this was so prevalent and it saved so well! It sounds like pure happiness.
Oh, the footage of the actual party is such a TREAT!
Proud of that beautiful Cretan (Greek) music heritage! Wonderful instruments, people, delicate sounds and lots of fun.. One of the few places where tradition is so rich and alive
Rob, you're reading my mind! From time to time I get back to Cretan music for inspiration and once Cretan lyra crossed my mind - I see your new video! Mindblowing!
16:08 Rob decided to turn it into a battle theme and I love it.
These are always my favorite videos of yours, don’t get me wrong, I love all your stuff, but it’s so fascinating how many awesome instruments are just no longer mainstream, it’s so cool to learn about them, keep up the great work Rob!
You have no idea how happy I am to see one of my favorite and familiar instruments being in the spotlight in this channel!
I want a full vid of the party... please :) Great video, Rob!!! Lovely Greek music!
Nothing prepared me for that ending. I love this channel man.
Δώσε ρε Ελλαδάρα!🇬🇷 Thanks Rob 🙏
@16:25 you guys really get into some secret chiefs 3 type of shit. love it. love this video. love how you're not afraid to fuck up a bit in the videos as you show how you're learning. feels real. love to see your actual progress on a new instrument over the course of a video. super real. as someone who tries to play any instrument he comes across, i 100% know how rarely you can get something right first try. but you gotta keep trying. also, just love this instrument, gotta get me one. then again, i'm just a sucker for bowed instruments. in closing, love your videos, dude, never stop kicking ass.
This is easily my favorite series of videos you do. I love learning about instruments from all cultures.
You can also get these made with sympathetic or resonant strings like a sitar and they sound INCREDIBLE!
4:41 that Lyra has sympathetic strings under the middle.
I am glad that our small island starts slowly to get more and more popular from it's great culture. Also as a lyra player i enjoyed that video more than someone who doesn't play lyra would 😅😂 συγχαρητήρια
It has such a warm sound!
i just realized.
Rob should really do an episode of this on genuine flamenco guitar and how it accompanies dance and singing.
he alludes to flamenco guitar a lot so it would be cool to see the full circle finally complete
Need a microtonal guitar to play with the Lyra... Thanks for this fun video! It's great to learn about so many different instruments from around the world
Μπράβο παλικάρια - Wonderful to hear the Greek Lyra here!
What a beautiful instrument, I can't believe I've never seen one before! Just wonderful.
@16:25 you guys really get into some secret chiefs 3 type of shit. love it. love this video. love how you're not afraid to fuck up a bit in the videos as you show how you're learning. feels real. love to see your actual progress on a new instrument over the course of a video. super real. as someone who tries to play any instrument he comes across, i 100% know how rarely you can get something right first try. but you gotta keep trying. also, just love this instrument, gotta get me one. and, in closing, love your videos, dude. never stop kicking ass.
As a Greek Pontian i genuinely started dancing from that point 10:37 🔥🔥🔥🔥 that rythm was fire
Hey Rob, you know you should check out the Kamancheh. It's a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern instrument most popular in Transcaucasia and Persia.
Great Greek music history presentation in this one! Thank you for taking the time and approach one of the most characteristic instruments of our country. And to Dimitris I want to say: Yia sou patriotaki! Efharistume!
Να είσαι πάντα καλα πατρίδα!!!
3:22 The Cretan Lyra's Tuning (from High to Low) is A4, D4, G3, the same as the Lowest 3 strings of a Violin (There are 4 string Lyras which add on an E String for more notes). Alot of older music on the Island of Crete they were playing Violin.
What an incredible musician, thank you for sharing
Such an uplifting video. Cheers Rob, and keep sharing your musical love. It means a lot to us out here in RUclips music land.
It would be so cool to see a jam with a bunch of the unique instrument players you’ve had on here in the past.
you're both amazing! cheers from Crete ...what a jam !
Awesome! Not sure why RUclips tried to hide this video from me but I found it and I'm glad