Hi, I built my own sinfonia as well as my own hurdy gurdy. Initially I built the sinfonia because of past experience with an HG player who played in my medieval ensemble briefly. it was way too loud and the trumpet really doesn't suit the music. but then again this is personal taste, although the trumpet is a later invention. some sinfonias have one nevertheless, not sure of their effectiveness.
There are chromatic sinfonias, again not authentic, but could be a good compromise, although I find no issue playing my diatonic sinfonia. I adjust my tangents beforehand so I can play major or minor.. as for quarter tones to play maqams, stick to the Oud in my opinion, but you can bend notes on an HG or sinfonia, and since you can adjust the tangents you could adjust them a quarter tone...but don't expect to get all the microtones you would want... problem in arabic arabic quartetone music is that you need to both play the true note, say E as well as the microtone above E...if you push harder on the string when you play you can probably get the quartetone above but its more of a bending of the note , rather than hitting the note right on good luck Bruno Oud, lute, sinfonia player www.estavel.org On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 7:02 PM, Kim Browers <[email protected]> wrote: > Greetings! > > My first message appears to have been lost in cyberspace, so I apologize > if this is a repeat! > > I have seriously been wanting a hurdy gurdy for about 15 years, but have > never been able to justify the money for an instrument I've never played. > However, I have decided to take the plunge! I'm looking to get my very > first vielle a roue, and am seeking some experienced advice! > > I'm primarily considering a Medieval reproduction "Symphony" model. From > what I understand, these generally have 3-4 strings, no trompette and are > quieter than later period/modern models. They appeal to me for their > Medieval music appropriateness, quietness for acoustic accompaniment of > vocals, and diatonic scale for ease of learning (fewer buttons!). The > negative side is that the lack of trompette will eliminate what makes a > hurdy gurdy sound so distinctive! I have also heard negative comments > about a generally unpleasant/inferior sound quality from these > models. From what I gather, the same features that make it simple may make > it TOO simple to be worthwhile. I also play a variety of ethnic music, and > want to use one instrument for both genres if possible. However, the > diatonic scale would make Maqams and micro tones impossible to play, which > is obviously extremely limiting. There are some hybrid options for > Symphony models with a Medieval exterior, aesthetic and basic construction, > but have a trompette, and at least a 24-key chromatic scale. Some even > have pickups included. My concern is if I am intending to use this as a > Medieval reproduction, will it compromise the integrity if I decide on a > hybrid? Or is that given a general pass, as long as liberties aren't taken > with the music itself? > > And then there are the websites of manufacturers on the internet that I > have frequented, but really know nothing about. I'm looking for advice > from someone who has played the Symphony style, what to look for, what to > stay away from, some reviews of manufacturers, etc.. If this isn't the > best instrument for an absolute beginner, I will also weigh that in as > well! > > Any and all info is appreciated in advance! I'm very excited that > this group even exists! > > Cheers, > Kim > > > > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy > > The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at > http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from > new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "hurdygurdy" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- Bruno Cognyl-Fournier www.estavel.org -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
