Life happens

    Monday! I'd planned to have two monarchs begun. Mel always tells me it is faster and easier to do the same step several times in a row, thus building two gurdies should be as fast and easy as building one...I don't think so.
    I have the bridge brace glued together for one gurdy but then there were bills to pay, e-mail's to reply to (business of course) laundry and grocery shopping and five gurdy bags to finish by the middle of next week. Like I say, Life happens. Its all good, just not conducive to getting two or even one gurdy under way.
   There is much conversation on the Loop about making your own tangents and a few string questions. It is very educational to follow some of these conversations but it can get in the way of productive shop time. Tomorrow it is braces and bags! Hopefully, pictures by tomorrow evening.

Back again

Wow! Two days in a row. I just opened an e-mail from Michael who is building one of our kits but making a really luxurious version. check it out at http://harvey-house.info/blog-hg/          A Hurdy-Gurdy Odyssey
NOW I am ready to tackle another Monarch Kit.

family reunion

It doesn't seem possible that I have not chatted with you for nearly 6 months! I'd like to tell you all that its because I was using every spare minute practicing my gurdy, or that in that time I have built two new Monarchs. I would like to but I can't.                                    Actually we have been quite busy building and shipping either kits or instruments to Sweden, Scotland, Norway, Australia, UK, and of courseseveral  here in the states. Its been a grand journey. The end of May we were invited to join a group of Hurdy gurdy players at Folk College at Juanita College in Huntingdon, PA. Although there were only 12 of us in a group of 160 musicians, they treated us like royality. I strongly encourage anyone who can work it into their schedule next Memorial Day week end (the first week end in May for those of you out of country) to join us. Although most of us were strangers, it truly felt like a family reunion with the first coo. Here are a couple pictures to whet your appetite.

Plans for the New Year

his year a real tree stands in place of our “plastic” one. Decorated with well warn Winnie the Pooh and friends, slightly scratched shinny bulbs from our childhoods, interesting decorations made by the precious hands of our kids and yes now even grandkids, it’s not a tree that would be featured in Good House Keeping, but it is the most beautiful tree full of love and memories.  I trust your Christmas was a wistful blend of past, present, and future too. You know that’s what Christmas really is anyway.

    T

    Our families have returned to their homes, most in other states. I have cleaned up after my Christmas cooking spree. Mel and I have tucked the bathroom scales away until spring, and I can finally get back to the shop and start on my next Monarch.  My kit building project was such a success that it ended up under someone’s Christmas tree and I am once again Gurdiless.

    Before I return to my bench though, we are off on an adventure to Ontario, Canada to visit Ben Grossman a very talented musician specializing in the vielle a roué, or Hurdy-gurdy as we call it. Among other things, I am hoping to learn the correct pronunciation of its French name. Mel’s goals are much loftier.

    I am including a picture of our tree. Please notice the tenor gurdy in its case standing next to Santa. Also a picture of proof that I also am at home in the kitchen. It wouldn’t seem like Christmas without a large batch of German cookies!

Best wishes for the New Year.  Let the Hurdy-gurdies sing!

What are your plans for 2011?

Music Lessons for My Monarch

   I would like to tell you all that the reason you haven’t seen any new postings here in a couple weeks is because I have been diligently practicing my Monarch. Actually it is due to the 3 Gurdy bags that I am supposed to have finished shortly, a garden that is demanding it’s winterizing, and a series of Doctor visits. Now I have a new excuse. Tom Lozano, a customer turned good friend, visited us for the week end and fell in love with my Monarch. Since his new gurdy needed to stay with us for another week or two, I offered to loan him mine. He took me up on it and I am hoping he will teach it a few songs for when it comes back home! In the meantime I am packing a Monarch 6 string Kit to ship next week and finishing the last two bags. Oh yes and preparing for Christmas with several of our kids and grand children over Thanksgiving. I promise I will have pictures of me at practice shortly after Thanksgiving!  If any of you  are building a Monarch or are a Gurdy player of any sort, let us know and send a picture if you like. I would love to include it in our Notes. Oh yes, this is our friend Tom and my Monarch.

More From Chicago

    The Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan were just two of the attractions in Chicago September 26 this fall. 14 Hurdy-gurdy players from Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan, gathered at the Sherman home near downtown Chicago. While much of Chicago had no idea we were there or even what a Hurdy-gurdy is, their neighbors had no doubts as we filled the air with a variety of traditional and not so traditional Hurdy-gurdy music. Add to this, the near constant tuning, discussions of the challenges of cottoning, rosining, and tangent adjustment, and the inevitable question  “is it better to play by reading music or by ear”?  The general consensus?  Sometimes.  It was agreed that those who play by ear have the advantage and those of us who need the “little black dots”   were encouraged to work on weaning ourselves from them in order to play more easily with the freewheeling changes typical in most gurdy playing.

    There was also discussion of a Gathering next year at a location that would accommodate a larger turn out and possibly allow for a week end gathering rather than one day. We would love to hear from any other players out there.

My Monarch's First "Gathering"

Debut in Chicago

Finally after a bit of stringing help from Mel. OK, actually quite a bit as we were hurrying to get my Monarch ready for the trip to the Sherman’s in Chicago for a Hurdy-Gurdy gathering. It was a wonderful day and around 12-14 players in attendance. Although I have not learned the techniques of playing, it was very helpful to listen and try to mimic those playing. Everyone agreed that learning to tune, cotton & rosin, and then master the crank while hitting the right keys which change depending on which tuning you are using can be quite overwhelming. So for those of you who are just beginning, be encouraged that there are many of us out there and many others who have been there! It really helps if you can find another HG player even within a few hours drive to spend an afternoon with to get you started. You can always feel free to call us and Mel is very good at coaching over the phone or knowing someone nearby who might help. Contact information is on our site; Hurdygurdycrafters.com

Enjoy the Journey!