Hi Augusto There are three extra keys at the top end of the keybox which have a shallow groove the width of the keybox side.
When they are pushed in, an ebony wedge lifts the string off by a minimum amount and the groove engages in the keybox side to hold it there. To release it, the key is simply lifted up to release the groove, repelling magnets at the far end of the key push it away from the string and the string is back on the wheel. I find some sort of instant string control invaluable, particularly when getting three strings in ( octave) unison. There are similar arrangements for controlling the drones too which allows the wound strings to stay put on the bridge so they almost never need tuning tuning and can be dropped in or out of play effortlessly. These are useful innovations or unnecessary complications depending on the player. Neil ----- Original Message ----- From: Augusto de Ornellas Abreu To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 9:06 PM Subject: Re: [HG] Chanterelle string for low D Thank you Funny that I just managed to watch the 3D gurdy on myspace, it just started working (only that video, not any other) Nice sound! I particularly liked the string selection mechanism, although I could not see exactly how that worked. My HG, which I'll pick up at the luthier's house in Pontevedra, Spain in three weeks, looks a little like this HG, but it is in G/C and the strings are as follows: chanters: low G - middle C - high G drones: kinda like the chanters, only an octave below trompette: one, in C, with a capo for D I like how spanish HGs naturally have octave chanters... On Sat, Jun 7, 2008 at 10:45 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Here it is on You Tube. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wUKY41JBb7w Neil ----- Original Message ----- From: Augusto de Ornellas Abreu To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 7:20 PM Subject: Re: [HG] Chanterelle string for low D It's so frustrating, I can't open any video on MySpace... On Sat, Jun 7, 2008 at 8:25 PM, Leonard Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Neil-- Awesome sound, great music! Thanks! Leonard Williams _ [: :] / | | \ | | | | (_==_) !~¿ On 6/7/08 6:38 AM, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Arle > Pleased to report a bit of a breakthrough re. the low d chanter. I still > have not found the make of the string I have that works best but a major > improvement in harmonic resistance is gained by only applying cotton at the > keybox edge of the wheel. This effectively bows the string further away from > the bridge. It also imparts a more mellow tone.My first tentative > scratchings can be seen here : > > http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=35597142 > > > I'm sure I've heard this tune somewhere, does anyone have a title or > discography for it? > > Cheers > Neil > http://www.hurdy-gurdy.org.uk > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Arle Lommel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 8:08 PM > Subject: Re: [HG] Chanterelle string for low D > > >> Hi Neil, >> >> How do you define "limited success"? What hasn't worked with what you've >> tried? I admit that I can't help you here since I play in C/G with an >> octave chanter using viola strings with no problem, but you want to go a >> fourth lower and there I have no success. But in any event it would help >> to know what the problem you've faced is exactly. >> >> Part of the problem may be that you're really quite low. Balázs Nagy >> experimented with chanterelles in the range you suggest for a bass >> instrument and found that below a certain pitch (somewhere near where >> you're talking about, if I remember correctly), the vibrational envelope >> of the string gets too big for the tangents to effectively stop the >> string (the string bounces off them or something like that), so you end >> up with unclear intonation and other related problems. I don't remember >> all the details, but he ran into these problems when trying to pitch a >> Hungarian instrument down an octave, which would put it right near the >> range you're talking about. >> >> -Arle >> >> >> On May 28, 2008, at 2:50 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> >>> Hi all >>> I'm not usually one to plead for help but this problem is costing a lot >>> of time and money so any help will be greatly appreciated. >>> >>> I've just built a three chantrelle gurdy 345mm scale length and am >>> tuning it to normal D/G tuning . The third chanterelle is to be the next >>> octave D down. >>> >>> Has anyone found a string to achieve a reasonable result at this pitch ? >>> I've tried a lot of viola C strings with limited success. >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Neil Brook >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1470 - Release >> Date: 28/05/2008 07:20 >> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.5/1479 - Release Date: 02/06/2008 19:02 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.5/1479 - Release Date: 02/06/2008 19:02
