Hurdy-Gurdy

About the Sound and Character

The sound of the hurdy-gurdy is droning, continuous, and slightly nasal (resembling bagpipes). A rotating wooden wheel acts as an infinite bow. The melody sounds over a constant drone bass, and a special mechanism (the “dog”) allows the player to strike a distinct rhythm when accelerating the crank rotation.

Structure and Features

The body resembles a violin or lute. The musician turns a handle with their right hand, which rotates a rosin-coated wooden wheel (the bow) rubbing against the strings. With their left hand, they press keys that push small wooden tangents against the melody strings, changing the pitch.

Genres

• European folk music (French, Celtic, Slavic)
• Folk metal and medieval rock
• Soundtracks for historical and fantasy films (e.g., the TV series Black Sails)