gregory jolivet at Sidmouth 2010

gregory jolivet at sidmouth 2010 playing my neil brook hurdy gurdy.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• gregory
• jolivet
• sidmouth
• 2010
• neil
• brook

[roryjamesscammell]

For the benifit of anyone who has heard from a certain rouseg7, who has placed various comments slagging Neils instruments off, I would like to say I have had nothing but joy from my Neil Brook gurdy. Neils after sales service is fantastic, and Neils are some of the more stable and maintenance free instruments.

Due to the obviously obsessive nature of rouseg7, I reckon he keeps on fiddling and making problems for himself. MOST ISSUE ARE FIXED BY PROPPER COTTONING, not endless twiddling.

[warspitewiseman]

It certainly sound like a whole band when he plays it. But I understand this is a Wren/Artist hybrid rather than a standard Wren. It certainly looks more like a Wren, but I would be interested to hear what is different about it?

[roryjamesscammell]

Thats mine! It is an artist model (lute shaped with a flat back) without a head like a wren. However it has a strutting system that Neil Brook – the maker, first tried on his wren model. He calls it cantilever strutting and I understand he has moved the soundposts from the traditional central position allowing a greater bass and overall volume which puts in on par with a set of Northumbrian pipes for volume. The chanterelles are tuned G, one an octave lower so its a bit of an alto model to.

[roryjamesscammell]

Oh and when I say its loud, it drowns out other gurdies with one chanterell! This is due to light constuction and not loads of varnish. I have played massive lutebacks with no tone or volume due to either a fascination with heavy english wood (Urgh!) or overkill varnish. The only problem is that the low G string is temperamental and needs more pressure on the wheel to stop it popping a harmonic, but its really pushing the envelope at that scale length.

[roryjamesscammell]

Technical Update: Fixed the G string problem with a new type of cotton made by neil, needs less pressure on the wheel, and doesnt pop harmonics. Also a lot more responsive. Oh did I say it lasts FOREVER (I play hours a day, and change cotton about once a month, less need for tangent tuning too). This will make life so much more easy for many players. Only thing is you cannot use it on a high G or D chanterelle as it's a bit potent for them! Looks like neil really is re-inventing the wheel.

[roryjamesscammell]

Technical Update: Fixed the G string problem with a new type of cotton made by neil, needs less pressure on the wheel, and doesnt pop harmonics. Also a lot more responsive. Oh did I say it lasts FOREVER (I play hours a day, and change cotton about once a month, less need for tangent tuning too). This will make life so much more easy for many players. Only thing is you cannot use it on a high G or D chanterelle as it's a bit potent for them! Neil really is re-inventing the wheel.

[Urodelus]

@roryjamesscammell

Have you ever heard a Hungarian Hurdy-Gurdy ? They are very loud compared to the Western ones (So say the person who made my instrument, unfortunately I've never heard a western one in real-life). youtube.com/watch?v=LFskeGq_em­8

[GillygreenclogsQuinn]

Oh Mr Jolivet you are so cool!!!!

[fenevadka]

Amazing. I'd say it motivates me to work on my right-hand technique, but truth be told it makes me despair a bit for both hands :-) I'm not sure that I could get there if I worked all day, every day for the rest of my life. Thanks for posting. It's truly great to see players like this.

[DrStrangetrousers]

Greg Jolivet....True genius and a real inspiration (and any relation to Andre Jolivet?)

Neil has achieved something remarkable with the new strutting. I'd be interested to hear how it works in a luteback, indeed, if my D gurdy falls to bits as it's theatening to, I may ask him about it...

The tune, by the way is called variously "Flags of Dublin" or "The Merry Blacksmith" or "Paddy on the Railroad" according to o'Neils Music of Chicago. I mean Ireland.

[hurdygurdyguy]

Cripes! Jolivet could make a sausage grinder sing! What a great way to show off a nice gurdy!!