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The hurdy gurdy is a fascinating and (now) relatively obsucre string instrument. It shares many characterists of the violin: a rosined ribbon is drawn across strings to induce vibration and produce sound, and the strings are stopped at varrious locations to form distinct notes. In the case of the violin, a ribbon of horse hair on the bow is used to vibrate the strings, while on a hurdy gurdy, a wooden wheel rotated by a hand crank causes the strings to vibrate. When playing the violin, the player's fingers stop the strings against the fingerboard forming individual notes. The hurdy gurdy has a "keybox" which contains a number of sliding keys: these keys have small stops or "tangents" placed on them so that when the keys are pushed in, the tangents press into the strings, stopping them at calculated locations to form individual notes.
While playing mechanics are similar to the violin, the sound of the instrument is actually much closer to bagpipe instruments. When the player is turning the wheel, the strings are always vibrating, creating a continuous wall of sound not unlike a bagpipe chanter (the main melody strings of the hurdy gurdy are actually referred to as "chanter strings"). The instrument can also have several additional strings called "drones" which function the same as bagpipe drones, playing a constant low note behind the melody.
The hurdy gurdy is fairly complex in construction, requiring a great deal of care and planning out in adcance and careful execution to tight tolerances to get right. The instrument pictured here was made by an amature, using plywood and pine. Fittings were inexpensive ukulele machines, electrical connectors, lamp parts, and drawer hardware. The construction is rough and un-refined. It was brought in to be "tuned", and set up to play. One of the drone strings had also been broken by the owner attempting to tune it. Interestingly, the instrument was designed to use viola strings, so "off the shelf" strings are available for the instrument.
The first thing I tackled was applying rosin to the wheel. This was accomplished by using a brush and powdered rosin. After brushing rosin all around the wheel and dabbing some on the cotton wrapped around the strings (this helps the strings adhere to the wheel and vibrate) I then burnished the surface of the wheel with a piece of soft wood. This got the instrument producing sound, but since the wheel was not carefully made and fit, it was out of round. This resulted in the wheel putting more pressure against the strings at some points, actually stretching them and raising the pitch and making tuning very difficult.
Once the wheel was rosined, I replaced the broken drone string. I tuned the chanter strings to A, and the drones to D two octaves below. This gave a nice hum sound, and a subtle background.
The instrument was, to my surprise, fairly well in tune. The maker had used small rubber electrical connectors to make the tangents, and had alligned them with good accuracy. The overall execution and design of this instrument is clearly meant for a beginner or someone who just wanted to get a taste of playing the instrument. An aspiring player would soon outgrow this instrument however, and its short comings would make it very, very difficult to perform with. However, it was an interesting forray into a rarely seen instrument, and a neat interlude in my usual work. The young man who had asked for and recieved it for a Christmas present was very greatful, and his enthusiasm for unique instruments in some ways reminded me of my own at his age.
Hurdy Gurdy Set Up
Hurdy Gurdy Set Up
Click picture for more detail
Click picture for more detail