The hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents (small wedges, typically made of wood) against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board to make the vibration of the strings audible.
Most hurdy gurdies have multiple drone strings, which give a constant pitch accompaniment to the melody, resulting in a sound similar to that of bagpipes. For this reason, the hurdy gurdy is often used interchangeably or along with bagpipes, particularly in French and contemporary Hungarian and Galician folk music.
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Hurdy gurdy in Italy: spakkabrianza performing a Courento. Matteo Dorighi is playing the “ghironda”
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FvUsob3XvE%5D
Hurdy gurdy in medioeval world:
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1HYc2VVoj4%5D
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