Hurdy-gurdy Hurdy-gurdy The hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand 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 those of 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 and hollow cavity to make the vibration of the strings audible. Most hurdy-gurdies have multiple drone strings, which give a constant pitch accompaniment
Hurdy-gurdy German name, "Bauernleier", means "peasant's lyre". In Italy, it is called the "ghironda" or "lira tedesca" while in Spain, it is a "zanfona" in Galicia, "zanfoña" in Zamora, "rabil" in Asturias and "viola de roda" in Catalonia. In the Basque language, it is known as a "zarrabete". In Portugal, it is called "sanfona". The Hungarian name "tekerőlant" and the alternate "forgólant" both mean "turning lute." Another Hungarian name for the instrument is "nyenyere", which is thought to be an onomatopoeic reference to the repetitive warble produced by a wheel that is not even. This term was considered derogatory in the