I agree with Melissa on this one. I play pretty much anything and
everything I can on my Tek by Balazs. It is a very powerful
instrument, and can play in A or G, though I prefer to stay in G,
tuning my chanters to D so my tonic notes are G(unison). The key of A
dorian is easy to achieve by bringing the drones to A, leaving the
chanter on D, and making the A note your tonic.(I've not done this,
truth to tell, but have no reason to think it won't work fine) You
don't have to use any sharp or flat keys with this approach.
Or go G dorian, and use the Bbs(flat key push) and F's(which will be
a flat key push.) In G Dorian, the E note, being the natural sixth,
in dorian, and not an Eb, which would require a flat key push, which
you don't have to make, makes G Dorian fairly easy. If I do pull it
up to full A tuning(chanters on E), the volume gets considerable,
though it's quite loud in G, too. Putting it in full A makes it feel
abit tense, and edgy, like it doesn't really like to be there,
but,,,it'll do it.
I can't speak to the finer points of wheel size between the Hungarian
and French, and how that affects the chien's response, but my chien
barks hard, and easily. Reminds me of a locust. This is not to say it
has the versatility of some, but I don't feel limited to any great
degree, and feel its advantages far outweigh any shortcomings
inherent due to its simplicity, i. e., lack of mouche, only one bass
bourdon. I prefer the Hungarian chien setup, with the lever slat of
wood. Though I've not played alot of gurdies, this one is far and
away the loudest one I've ever put my hands on. Nice tone, too.
Pat
I am very happy with my tekero, as it sounds beautiful, and is very
reliable. I highly recommend Balazs. He also wrote the book on
tekero, translated into English by Arle on this list.
I also have to disagree when you say that the tekero can play only
Hungarian music. I play New England contra music on it in my contra
dance band, and Turkish music in my belly dance band (sometimes
tuning tangents to quarter-tones) and of course Hungarian music in
my international folkdance band, so I have to say that it is quite
adaptable. I can also play French music on it, although it's true
that it doesn't really have that French sound.
