The hurdy-gurdy is a fascinating string instrument dating from sometime around the 10th century. There is an active community of modern enthusiasts, but one can’t simply walk into a music shop and buy one. That’s where [XenonJohn] and the Digi-Gurdy come in, bringing some nice features while maintaining all the important elements of the original.
The hurdy-gurdy works by droning strings with a rotating wheel, and the player applies pressure to those strings via keys to play combinations of notes. Here’s a video demonstrating what it sounds like to play one, and one can see a conceptual resemblance to bagpipes, among other things.
The Digi-Gurdy is a modern electronic version that maintains the mechanical elements while sending MIDI signals over USB. It has options for line-out or headphone output. A thriving online community has shaped its development since its inception years ago.
We hope this leaves you wanting to know more because [XenonJohn] has loads of details to share. The main website at digigurdy.com is jam-packed with information about this instrument and its construction, and the project page on Hackaday.io has more nitty-gritty design details and source files for those who crave hardware specifics.
If [XenonJohn]’s name sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve admired his work on DIY self-balancing vehicles over the years. He also submitted an earlier version as an entry into the Hackaday Prize. His careful attention to detail shines through. Check out the two videos (embedded just below the page break): the first demonstrates the Digi-Gurdy, and the second shows off the construction and insides. You’d think a MIDI hurdy-gurdy would be unique, but, actually, we’ve seen more than one.
Perfect chance to have an on the fly swap of the drone note.
But you can get a DIY model from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/UGears-Hurdy-Gurdy-Mechanical-Musical-Self-Assembly/dp/B07771DV5J/
I have one of those. It’s fun to build and kinda-sorta functions as an instrument but it’s a far cry from having an actual usable hurdy gurdy.
A friend of mine has one and plays it a lot (almost every day, pour neighbors). It’s estimated to be 300 years old. I’ve played it a few times and it’s so amazing. The biggest issue is tuning, it’s a very difficult process.
Get him a set of war bagpipes.
The neighbors will never complain about the hurdy-gurdy again.
I guess the tuning is mostly difficult because, being 300 years old, it’ll have tuning pegs rather than machine heads? I play violin and still don’t understand why violinists at large haven’t transferred over to machine heads (there are a lot of poor excuses).
Well that’s interesting but not what I was expecting. I was expecting an electric hurdy-gurdy, you know using electric guitar pickups on a real hurdy-gurdy? Has anyone done that?
There are commercial products like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi9N9n1UCB8 Normally they’re hollow body and could be played without amplification. The pick ups are used to get an easy signal that could be sent to amplifiers, instead to have a microphone mounted on the strap screw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi9N9n1UCB8
Sorry correct link to the builder
https://ancestore.eu/en_US/p/Hurdy-Gurdy-MM-Electric-Custom/115
Cool, thanks for the links.
I’ve got one of his earlier prototypes, biggest difference is it uses a stepper motor for the crank. After my mom cited my dad teaching himself the occarina in her divorce, any instrument I learn has to be compatible with headphones