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Author Topic: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy  (Read 1948 times)

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playandteach

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what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« on: February 24, 2017, 09:38:41 AM »

I have an old friend who plays the Hurdy Gurdy.  His new one is in G but I gather that means he most happily plays tunes in D or D minor because of the range of notes. We are both into French folk but a lot of the stuff I play is in A minor.
Is there a box / Hurdy friendly combination common in France (in terms of keys).?
Secondly how does the drone work with tunes? Can they plough through most tunes with some subtle dissonance adding to the flavour or do the tunes need careful consideration?
At the moment I have  GC, D-G and BbEb boxes. Does anyone find that one is more suitable for working with a Hurdy Gurdy in that tuning?
What's the Trio Dhoore set up in terms of instrument keys?
Lastly what ( and where do I find them) are some good pieces for us to learn together?
« Last Edit: February 24, 2017, 10:29:30 PM by playandteach »
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Theo

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2017, 09:58:24 AM »

I would start with the GC, and to learn to play in D, and Dm, both doable on a GC box, but you will need to learn new fingering patterns.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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playandteach

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2017, 12:37:57 PM »

Isn't the absence of a higher C# going to be a problem?
Also, are there common playing techniques when working with a Hurdy Gurdy - about using fewer chords for example?
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Jack Campin

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2017, 01:21:13 PM »

If you can pretend to be a clarinet try the genre I described here:

http://www.gtc-music1.com/forum/index.php/topic,10747.msg127225.html
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Theo

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2017, 01:23:04 PM »

Isn't the absence of a higher C# going to be a problem?

It's a matter of choosing tunes that will work.  Lots of pipe tunes miss out the 7th, or they are not prominent.  I think that a lot of gurdy tunes are also pipe tunes since the instrumenst are a natural pairing, both being equipped with drones.
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Jack Humphreys

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2017, 01:37:46 PM »

Our Bristol/Bath French sessions are based round pipes and gurdies in D/G  and G/C and this has shaped my box choices and playing.
So for major tunes I use my DG two row  for D and G, and  my CF  for C
For Minor Tunes in G, D and  I use my CF 3 row. using (DG-speak) A minor and E minor fingerings.
I'm working on  learning to play in C minor,  using (DG-speak) D minor fingering with Ds on the draw.

A GC box does give you Dminor easily on the inside row, but the A minor on the outside row would be less useful for me as the pipes and gurdy never play in that key. A GC box with  G reversals on the 3rd row would  helpfully give you G minor on the draw.

In speaking up for CF, I'm also influenced by the fact that Andy C who plays with gurdy in Blowzabella, has always carried around his DG and CF Morys;  and Fred Paris carries around his GC and CF Hascys.  And  Stephane Milleret regards his CF  centering on the D tonality,  as his main instrument, with the GC box as the extra.

Angienever

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2017, 06:00:32 PM »

I have an old friend who plays the Hurdy Hurdy. 

I just want to say that I am jealous.  I wish I could say, "I have an old friend who plays the Hurdy Gurdy."
That sounds like the first line of a limerick.
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Tufty

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2017, 07:36:05 PM »

I play in a weekly French session which includes a gurdy, I seem to get most use out of my CF Lilliput. The extra accidentals help with a lot of tunes. A lot of the time I don't use the left hand.
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playandteach

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2017, 10:31:00 PM »

Any specific tunes?
Thanks for the links Jack, the Eb clarinet was the first to go when I started selling my orchestral instruments - still have a C clarinet, but my clarinet days are behind me.
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Simon W

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2017, 10:54:20 PM »

If you can,get hold of a copy of Panic at the Cafe by Andy Cutting and Nigel Eaton.  It's available on Nigel's bandcamp page.  Most of the tunes are in the second Blowzabella tunebook and it's just gurdy and melodeon and very fine too.  May give you some ideas.

Simon
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: what to play with a Hurdy Gurdy
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2017, 01:22:54 AM »

Any specific tunes?
Thanks for the links Jack, the Eb clarinet was the first to go when I started selling my orchestral instruments - still have a C clarinet, but my clarinet days are behind me.

PM sent  (:)
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