This page serves to compile web links to sites related to hurdy gurdy construction. Our woodshop is customtooled for hurdy gurdy making, enabling us to work very efficiently. A hurdy gurdy is a musical instrument from the renaissance era. The information contained is also relevant to traditional hurdy gurdy. A hurdy gurdy may sound like a strange piece of clothing or a carnival ride, but it is actually a musical instrument. The lyrics recount the tale of a nameless narrator being visited in his dreams by the eponymous hurdy gurdy man and his close associate, the roly poly man, who come singing songs of love. The hurdy gurdy is a musical instrument you play by cranking a wheel and pressing keys to make melodies.
Normally our concerts are held on the first saturday of the month, and we typically book nationally known touring artists as headliners. Nagy balazss book the hurdy gurdy handbook is a great look into the hungarian style instrument and has some excellent chapters on the history and the hungarian technique. A wide variety of methods and material can be used to build one. It is a stringed instrument that is played like a guitar, and looks like a lute, but it also has a keyboard and a wheel that you turn in order to pluck the strings. Initially, musicmakers simply bought hughes kits and sold them on, and later decided quite correctly that they would be. Ben grossman in toronto made a very nicesounding and niceplaying hurdy gurdy from a musicmakers kit. Please feel free to pay a visit to my hurdy gurdy workshop in freiburg, germany, or to come and see me at one of the exhibitions i regularly attend. There is a small section on the construction of one of these instruments, but it isnt detailed enough to call it steps or plans for one. I have been doing basic woodwork for some years, and regularly make items out of wood and. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board and hollow cavity to make the vibration of the strings audible. Jeff from sharon, pa the hurdy gurdy dates back all they way to the 12th century ad. The monkey would be hanging on top of the organ that was strapped to the hurdy gurdys back. Whether you want to build a musical instrument from a diy kit or whether you are looking for the best musical instrument for you we want to help. Im looking for what would be my first hurdy gurdy, and i have never played one before.
The merry wood comes with an extra drone string and has a trompette standard thats the rhythmic buzzing bridge you hear in hurdy gurdy music. I chose hurdy gurdy as my next qal not only because it seems to be the most popular in the book, but because it is my absolute favorite. Musicmakers has been helping people add music to their lives since 1978. Nowadays, though, its easier than ever to contact a maker, discuss models, and order, even from halfway across the world.
Hughes dulcimer company made or is still making a hurdygurdy kit as well, similar in shape and design to the musicmakers instrument. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to those of a violin. The hurdy gurdy was initially used to play sacred music, before being adapted to play popular and folk music. Bryan tolleys book has plans and instructions for a very simple instrument, such as could be. The hurdy gurdy scroll saw woodworking and crafts message board. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. History the hurdygurdy is a string instrument that produces a sound resembling one of a bagpipe by a handturned wheel rubbing against the strings working similarly to a violin and a fiddle bow. We offer a hurdy gurdy for sale as well as a diy kit you can build yourself. The liner notes on the cd donovans greatest hits say jimmy page plays guitar on hurdy gurdy man. Jul 31, 2012 but however strange the hurdygurdy is to american ears, its a staple of french folk music, and its crankoperated wheel works much like a violins bow. This book covers the history of the lira the swedish name for hurdygurdy in the. Neil brook, hurdy gurdy and fretted instrument maker. Catalogue of hurdy gurdies and fretted instruments of the highest quality hand made in lancashire. In the second edition of robert greens book, the author has set out to share new insights and information about the hurdygurdy and its music to bring what has been considered an obscure instrument into the realm of practical historical performance, as well as to underscore its value in the contemporary world of folk music and jazz.
The hurdygurdy man gregg press childrens literature series the hurdy gurdy man. There is a small section on the construction of one of these instruments, but it isnt detailed enough to call it. I know the organ grinder man and his monkey were still making the summer street trip in 1951. In this modern tutorial, clare salaman introduces the hurdygurdy with a progressive selection of 30 easy arrangements accompanied by. I decided that it would make a great body for a large lute backed hurdy gurdy. Music books ian bostridge on singing schuberts winterreise an indispensable work of art. How can i convince my wife that owning a hurdy gurdy is critical to our well being.
There is a catch though in that there are a number of errors in both the dimensioning and the. Although the hurdy gurdy found many supporters in secular life during the fifteenth century, there is evidence from various depictions that it was still popular in religious circles. Eugen joss instrument drawings build your own hurdygurdy. The hurdy gurdy folk music club produces a series of 10 concerts during each season, which runs from september through june. Compared to more popular or simpler instruments, there are relatively few hurdy gurdy makers out there. When i got back from a minstrels of the forest rehearsal at johns house on may 19th, i decided to finish the hurdy by our next rehearsal, and in time for our next gig the. The humble hurdy gurdy is an instrument that has been in use since the 11 th century. Guest book here is a lesser detailed documentation of my second hurdy gurdy number two here is a documentation of my ukulele build ukulele thanks to. News and media of the fascinating world of the hurdy gurdy a most amazing musical instrument. That aside, the merry wood has bent sides and uses different tone bracing inside which is not possible in the simpler box shape of the madeline. The model kit comes with everything you need to build a hurdy gurdy. It is a building instruction how to build a hurdygurdy.
Although these variations obtain different end results, all will create a working instrument we can recognize to be a hurdy gurdy. On my dads way home from the greenbush railroad station, he would pass the hurdy gurdy man hiking up the long summer street hill. When montgomery returned home, seeking his fortune, he was already on the path to making violins, a small jump from hurdygurdies. Hurdy gurdy making is a slow and highly technical process. Hurdygurdyhyperion book club andrey vinogradovprelude for. Find out more about this unique renaissance instrument in this lesson. This paper describes the concept, design, implementation, and evaluation of the hyper hurdygurdy, which is the augmentation of the conventional hurdy gurdy musical instrument. It is a string instrument that makes sound by a crank turning and pushing against the strings. Different hurdy gurdy tunings cg, gd how to play songs26 songs to. Hurdy gurdy kit to view further for this item, visit the image link.
Life would be flat instrument music blank lined journal, notebook, diary, birthday graduation gift, planner for musicians by music instrument journals publishing. Due to approaching retirement, i am not taking any further instrument orders. Sound sample at the top of the page, photos later on. We have been creating high quality, lovingly crafted instruments since 1994. The hurdy gurdy man by donovan i found an absorbing, always interesting book to read. Notes are made on the one or two melody strings by stopping them with short. T his hurdy gurdy is based on a late 16th or early 17th century example in the instrument collection of the royal college of music, london. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this effort. The hurdy gurdy man by donovan goodreads share book.
The hurdygurdy that this instruction deals with, is a newly designed type where the hungarian hurdygurdies have been the model for the basic construction. Making musical instruments music instruments hurdy gurdy medieval music early music cigar box guitar woodworking tips diy design cool things to make read part one first. Tuning up different hurdy gurdy tunings cg, gd how to play songs26 songs to play while you learn various techniques such as grace notes playing in different keys using the dog with included rhythmic exercises playing in minor keys no music reading skills. It was played by troubadours and dance accompanists. The following guide tries to demystify some of these problems by listing common symptoms and their solutions. The hurdygurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand crank turned, rosined. I already have a hurdy gurdy, can i just order your lesson book. Spring tour 1973 donovan sings the lost verse for the first time in an official recording. Apr 18, 2017 troubleshooting rosin, cotton, and string problems by arle lommel even for experienced players of the hurdygurdy, problems with rosin, cotton, and strings can be a challenge. Visit our accessories page to order, or call us at 5415962006. Many think of it as a folk music instrument, and indeed it is used in many varieties.
It sounds kind of like a cross between a violin and bagpipes. With over 1,300 instruments built, you are getting years of playtesting. Louis park, mn this was donovans foray into psychedelia after mellow yellow. My working plans are derived from an exhaustive set of measurements i took a few years ago. Hurdy gurdy lesson book by george and anwyn leverett newly revised and expanded in 2014.
The hurdy gurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand crankturned, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. Marchand hurdy hurdy plans based on the bosch painting. This hurdy gurdy mechanical model is an acoustic string instrument that you can create music on. Hurdygurdy, squat, pearshaped fiddle having strings that are sounded not by a bow but by the rosined rim of a wooden wheel turned by a handle at the instruments end. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Thank you for the hurdy gurdy plans and parts i recently purchased. Hurdy gurdy instrument shopby george and anwyn leverett. Im mostly interested in experimental music, and find my self drawn to the.
Making a playable hurdygurdy is a task not to be taken lightly. By 1968 he was the hottest ticket on both sides of the atlantic. Lastly, the book lorganistrum by christian rault isbn 2905053127 is a book that specifically covers the hurdy gurdy predecessor, the organistrum. We know how much fun it is to play the hurdy gurdy, and cant wait to share them with you. Also included is a version edited for printing should you wish to take pages to the workshop. Ive read up some on the instrument of course, but i dont know exactly what to looklook out for. Hurdy gurdy history the hurdy gurdy, known in france as the vielle a roue or vielle for short,is an ancient instrument which is undergoing a modern renaissance in europeand america. This book is the translation of the book vevlira written in swedish 1978. This rustic style of instrument has a trapezoid shaped body with the minimum of decoration and was one of the most common forms of hurdy gurdy in the 16th century. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangentssmall wedges, typically made of woodagainst one or more of the. Guest book here is a lesser detailed documentation of my second hurdy gurdy. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle.
Lastly, the book lorganistrum by christian rault isbn 2905053127 is a book that specifically covers the hurdy gurdy predecessor, the. Guitar, bass guitar, double bass, stradivarius, hurdygurdy, harp, balalaika, veena, violin family, clavichord, etc. A note or two in defense of this instrument summer 2006. One man operated the tangents while the other turned the crank, making the three. In this modern tutorial, clare salaman introduces the hurdy gurdy with a progressive selection of 30 easy arrangements accompanied by. Hurdy gurdy by tim seibles and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. We offer a hurdy gurdy for sale as well as a diy kit. Needless to say, you need to like his songs to like his book. Since its inception a number of traditional builders, and some of the best hurdy gurdy players in europe have tested it and helped to improve it. Donovan said the hurdy gurdy man is the one who reawakens this knowledge, and in this case is the maharishi, though there have been others as well. Many years and drafts later i have started work on the grand french edition oud backed hurdy gurdy. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search.
The hurdygurdy the translation of the french name vielle a rouewheel. Hurdygurdy bibliography olympic musical instruments. The hurdy gurdy mailing list hosted by alden and cali hackmann of olympic musical instruments and this is the list dedicated to discussing all aspects of the hurdy gurdy. Navigation is simple because each page deals with a particular aspect of the build in the correct order and the index page links to the relevant book page. He also has pages on adding a second melody string, his fiddle gurdy, and a guitar conversion. The only redeeming feature was the ribbed back of mahogany and maple.
Our lesson book covers a range of topics for your instrument, such as. The hurdy gurdy is a musical instrument, or more precisely, a string instrument, that traces its origin to the middle ages of europe. I would realy be interested in any comments you would like to make. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more than a dozen categories. I recently read the lessthankind observations of a top u. Welcome in addition to producing our own instruments, we repair and restore antique hurdy gurdies and hurdy gurdies from other luthiers. The song invokes histories of ages past with unenlightened shadows cast and the crying of humanity through all eternity, and says tis then when the hurdy gurdy man comes singing. We have yet to hear a kit hurdy gurdy that had the full rich sound that we like, and i dont know of any kit instruments except the ems that has the trompette, which is for us more than half the fun of playing the hurdy gurdy. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search.
The hurdygurdy community is a small one your nearest neighbor with a hurdygurdy may be hundreds of miles or kilometers away. Build your own hurdy gurdy and strum up impressive harmonious melodies. The hurdygurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand crankturned, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. If you discover a problem, call us right away so we cat rectify it quickly without. Hurdy gurdy expert who severely takes me to task, on his website, for promoting inferior quality, low end and thus terrible sounding hurdy gurdies. Yes, and we have several options to choose from depending on your needs. Neil brook, hurdygurdy and fretted instrument maker. Several hurdy gurdy enthusiasts have taken the time to document their knowledge of constructing this unique instrument. Donovan is one of the most original figures of the sixties.
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