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
Ad Vielle Que Pourra Ad Vielle Que Pourra Ad Vielle Que Pourra is a Quebec music group which performs original compositions in the style of the French, Québécois, and Breton folk music traditions. The band's name comes from the vielle (the French term for the hurdy-gurdy), an instrument which features prominently in their music. Ad Vielle Que Pourra was founded in 1986. Band members have included Daniel Thonon, Luc Thonon, Gilles Plante, Alain Leroux, Clement Demers, and Sarah Lesage. Thonon is also a luthier, and builds hurdy-gurdies for other musicians. In 1989 the band released their first album on the Green Linnet label, including