Hi All, I am a newcomer here too and I have been following the discussions on this list with utmost interest. There is a no ending learning curve ....... and the more I hear and read about it the more I know how little I understand.
I bought a HG last year after I heard Gilles Chabenat playing on an I Muvrini CD and later Simon playing in Germany, went to St. Chartier last year and bought a Weichselbaumer. Everybody warned me that the hurdy is a very complex and difficult instrument to play and also to look after. I took it lightheartedly, well, I play the guitar, the clarinet, the recorder, the drums ........ so you tell me, I thought, of course I will handle it easily. Well, far from it. 9 month later and I am able to play a few tunes but now I am proudly able to tune myself!!! This was a major learning curve. And bit by bit and mainly through the discussions here I begin to understand how this beautiful instrument works and what I have to take into account. So thanks to all ........... the mails are enjoyable and educational reading. Kind regards, Christa On 15/05/07, Chris Nogy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Welcome Alina. It is nice to see someone younger getting involved with the instrument. I did some looking around at your instrument's builders site and the work looks excellent, he has a range of styles that run from very conservative to very whimsical, and that is one thing that makes me believe he knows his stuff - if you can make this variety of instruments work, with all their inherant differences, you must understand the instrument and not just how to build from one set of plans. I don't know personally, but I think you are probably getting a fine instrument. A word of caution - if you are buying it used, there will be things that need done to it, adjustments and maintenance, various little tweaks and lots of messing with it. That is half the fun, and all the frustration, of owning a gurdy. Many a wonderful instrument arrived in the hands of a new owner only to sound like the proverbial gunnysack of cats. Don't be frustrated - even the best instrument can sound horrible once two or three things go slightly out of adjustment, and likewise the most horrible sounds can usually be fixed without resorting to major rebuild. If you encounter problems with your instruments sound, don't panic. Relax, breathe, and let us know what is happening. So many folks here have helped in diagnosing and fixing issues, most likely any problems you encounter can be worked out as well. This is unlike any other adventure in music, the machine is fickle, frustrating, often only seconds from being thrown out a 5th stroy window. You not only have to learn how to play the instrument, but how to do things that no other instrument requires. So relax, don't sweat it, be happy. The effort is extra, sure, but the end result is worth it. ] And remember one of the most important things - once you learn how to get rid of the bad sounds, you will then know how to put them back. There is no instrument quite like the mal-adjusted gurdy (perhaps the poorly tuned pipes or a crwth, but that is it) for clearing a house or annoying the neighbors when necessary <grin> Again, welcome. I'm sure we will benefit from your enthusiasm as much or more than you will benefit from our experiences. Chris Nogy *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 5/14/2007 at 6:29 PM Alina Larson wrote: Hello everyone! My name is Alina Larson, I am sixteen years old and new to the world of Hurdy-Gurdies. I didn't know anything about this instrument until just recently, but have unwittingly enjoyed its sound for quite some time. Do any of you know of Loreena McKennitt? I saw her in concert just a couple days ago. It was an *excellent* performance, and I really loved the Hurdy-Gurdy which accompanied a few of her songs. My favorite song was Santiago. An old favorite, actually. I was off of the edge of my seat for most of that song... I do not own a Hurdy-Gurdy as of this moment, but have purchased one via eBay just last week--with my life's savings, I might add. I was wondering if anyone on this list happens to live in my area. It would be nice to have a tutor, or just someone to talk to about the Hurdy-Gurdy. I live in Berkeley, California and am purchasing a Szerényí Béla Hungarian Tekero. I am also new to mailing lists... I hope my introduction was well-constructed. I should probably get back to homework, now... I can hardly wait for my Tekero to arrive! Any advice, information or comments are welcome and eagerly anticipated on my side. If anyone knows anything that they would like to share with me, it's more than welcome :-D Thank You for reading! ~Alina Larson.
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