Inspiring courses on the world’s ancient musical heritage
An online educational institution specialising in the study and practice of the ancient music heritage. We offer structured education for learning to play ancient-inspired musical instruments such as lyre, ancient kithara, epigonion, frame-drums, pandura, etc.
let's find your level
An easy & effective way to learn
ancient-inspired musical instruments with courses tailored to your level
No music experience
You’ve been playing less than two years
Want someone to guide you step-by-step
You know the basics
You’ve been playing more than two years
Want to link things together
Your path to perfection
You are already confident with your instrument and willing to become a pro performer.
You’ve been playing more than four years
Want to become a complete musician
Master your instrument
Learn through meaningful insights
Want to be inspired
In-depth understanding of how top players came to be who they are.
Study with Lyreacademy
Improve your lyre-playing
with smile-inducing lessons on everything you need to know about:
What Standalone Courses Can I Choose From?
Beginners
Down to the Basics
Lyre 101 (10 Lessons)
All you need to know to start having fun with your lyre. Learn to play two ancient tunes, along with the "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin and "The Unforgiven" by the great Metallica!
Suggested Time: 10 weeks
Beginners
Two-handed Playing
Adding the left hand makes a world of difference! Learn arpeggios, basic harmonics, and three great songs.
Suggested Time: 8 weeks
Beginners
Rhythm and Lyre
For Plato, music needs rhythm to find its way to the secret places of the soul. Add rhythm to your playing and learn three more songs!
Suggested Time: 8 weeks
Intermediate
Music Theory on a Lyre
Learn music theory (in a smile-inducing way) as the ancient Greeks used to: on a lyre! Learn how to read sheet music, rhythm, rests, etc. and unlock your lyre-learning potential!
Intermediate
Play Chords on a Lyre
It’s time to gain an amazing skill that will make you a well-rounded lyre player. Master your chords playing by learning great songs such as “The Pirates of the Caribbean”, “Amelie”, etc.
Intermediate
Muting Technique on a Lyre
According to historians, muting was the most common way of playing the lyre in ancient Greece. Learn a new skill while playing Vivaldi's “The Four Seasons”, "The Epitaph of Seikilos", etc.
Intermediate
Ancient Modes on a Lyre
This is your chance to make your lyre playing sound more… ancient! Learn all seven ancient modes (Dorios, Phrygios, etc.) plus nine ancient-inspired melodies!
Advanced
Master
5 Ancient Melodies
Step by step instruction on how to play the most impressive ancient melodies that survive until today in just one course, by combining advanced lyre playing techniques.
Advanced
Master
8 Modern Melodies
Impress your audience by mastering several playing techniques. Learn to play songs by Metallica, Kansas, Céline Dion, Louis Armstrong, and more!
Advanced
Advanced Lyre Playing
Lyre 303 (6 Lessons)
Master advanced techniques such as harmonics, eighth & sixteenth notes, arpeggios, fast-tempo, and polyphonic playing while learning well-known melodies such as “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” by W. A. Mozart, and “The Last of the Mohicans”!
Suggested Time: 7 weeks
and get access immediately
Study with Lyreacademy
Music learning as it should be
True learning must be fun and effective. Period.
Fun & productive videos
Step-by-step and smile-inducing tutorials with fast-loading HD videos and crystal clear sound.
Watch from any device
Online video lessons on your computer, tablet, or smartphone! Full access no matter the device.
Re-watch the lessons
Watch the videos you want again and again anytime you want in order to practice on your lyre!
Sheet music that makes sense
Tired of trying to figure out how to play a song by reading sheet music for piano or guitar? What you get is sheet music written exclusively for your instrument!
Progress at your own pace
Study each course whenever you want in order to fit it into your daily schedule and lifestyle!
Certifications upon request
Study alongside our highly-experienced and certified instructors and get your certification after completing your studies.
Masterclass
Master the Plectrum
M01 (12 Lessons)
In ancient Greece, the plectrum was a versatile tool that massively improved a lyre player by adding exquisite sound qualities to her music. Discover what this technique has to really offer in this masterclass!
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Masterclass
Master the Hroes
M02 (12 Lessons)
Did you know that every string on your lyre can produce up to 7 different notes? Hroes is an amazing skill, accessible only to very few professional lyre players until this point. Are you ready to join them?
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Masterclass
Master the Harmonics
M03 (12 Lessons)
When a professional lyre player uses harmonics in her lyre playing, it is almost magical to the audience. Like reaching the sky, a gentle touch that can elevate your entire lyre to the next one or two octaves!
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Masterclass
Master the Tremolo
M04 (12 Lessons)
A classical guitar technique, tremolo is ideal for a lyre and can elevate your playing to a totally new level. Let's see how you can master the tremolo, and combine it with other pro skills such as the harmonics and the hroes!
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Masterclass
Master the Sharps
M05 (12 Lessons)
Sharp-pressing is a phenomenal technique, able to unlock new music genres for your lyre. By adding sharps & microtones, you will be able to explore both the modern microtonal music, and the ancient Enharmonic genre!
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Masterclass
Master the Polyphony
M06 (12 Lessons)
Did you know that a competent player can simultaneously perform two or more independent melodies on his lyre? Polyphony is a unique skill, so rare that, when you hear it, you know that you have a lyre master in front of you.
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
and get access immediately
We cannot teach people anything;
we can only help them discover it within themselves.
- Galileo Galilei -
Harmonic Elements
The
Rules of Harmony
AR01 (10 Lessons)
What are the building blocks of harmony? How can the voice be an instrument as beautiful and sublime as any other? And what is “lyrical poetry,” combining meter, sound symbolism, and Apollo’s soothing instrument, the lyre?
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Harmonic Elements
The 3 Ancient Genera
AR02 (9 Lessons)
What were the genera of ancient Greek music? How could altering the tuning produce them? Which was considered the most ancient, and which was the most difficult? Discover the answers and deepen your knowledge of ancient melody.
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Harmonic Elements
Pycnum, Focus on the Details
AR03 (10 Lessons)
Discover the secrets of the pycnum and find out how even the smallest changes can completely transform a melody. Learn to apply the smallest dieses in your lyre-playing and by doing so, create all the ancient Greek music genera, including all their variations (hroes).
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Harmonic Elements
From Ancient to Modern Scales
AR04 (8 Lessons)
Delve deeper into the more technical aspects of harmony and discover how the ancient Greeks tackled a fundamental part of music - scales. Learn the rules of connecting tetrachords and delight in the amazing results!
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Harmonic Elements
Master the
Ancient
Harmony
AR06 (9 Lessons)
It is time to take everything you have learned in this course and put it into practice. Test your technical knowledge, your skill, and your proficiency with this recap course, designed for the most dedicated lyre players out there.
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Rhythmic Elements
Shaping Rhythm in Ancient Greece
AR06 (9 Lessons)
Enter the ancient Greek world of rhythm and rhythm composition, known to the Greeks as rhythmopoiia. In this course you will be introduced to the terminology of ancient rhythm and discover the meanings of “arsis,” “thesis,” and the “podas.” Discover the rules that govern rhythmic composition and learn another ancient melody, the “irrational khoreios”!
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Rhythmic Elements
Exploring Ancient Meter: Podas
AR07 (8 Lessons)
Are you ready to delve deeper into the mysteries of rhythm? This course follows the great musicologist Aristoxenus, as he explores the details, differences, and subtleties of the ancient rhythmic meter known as the “podas.” Discover its secrets with this course, designed for the dedicated lyre player.
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
Rhythmic Elements
Master the Ancient Greek Rhythms
AR08 (8 Lessons)
Discover the ancient rhythms, such as the Iambic, the Dactylic, the Paeonic, the Spondeios, and the Anapaest. Names that conjure images of ancient rituals and processions invite you to discover them and bring them to new life in this course. The final pieces of Aristoxenus' surviving work await the dedicated lyre player, to be studied, played, and heard once again!
Suggested Time: 12 weeks
and get access immediately
