Lyra with sympathetic strings

This instrument was created by Ross Daly.

It is based on the Cretan lyra, but the addition of extra strings, called sympathetic strings, gives it a character of its own.

These strings give the sound more depth. "Depending on the model, there are either 18 or 22 sympathetic strings. When I play a note on a main string and there is a sympathetic string tuned to the same note, the sound changes. It enriches the sound, gives it an aura, and makes it feel as if you are playing in a bigger space," says Ross Daly.