How to choose the tangents for your Hurdy Gurdy

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Tangents are the Little wooden or metal pieces that hit the string(s) when you press the keys of your hurdy gurdy, the position of every tangent is responsable for the tuning of every note, so yes, the string can be perfectly tuned but if there is a tangent in a wrong position, that note is going to be out of tune (damn! 😲 )
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[@AprylknightMusician]

Mine has three melody strings and wooden tangents, and it’s a total pain when one of the tangents decides to slip in the middle of a performance. In the best situation, I have the opportunity to hold the open note for a second, and can open the lid and turn the tangent back, but at worst, playing that particular key will sound two notes (both that note and the open note). Some peg drop on the tangent helps, but that’s not a “during the song” fix. I want metal tangents on my next one!

[@AnthonyTopper]

Thanks for all this content you've done over the years. Just checking a bunch of it out myself as I've just gotten a hurdy-gurdy. Unfortunately, the luthier I chose was not perfect and I am finding that I need to learn a lot about adjusting things.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

What did you get?? :P

[@AnthonyTopper]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats ELZ Evo. Seems like it has potential, but I am not sure I can get it operating well.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I used to work with Eduardo, helped him with the email and his website, the first prototype he showed me looked promising, so I started recommending him, but he turned out to deliver pretty shit instruments with his “Vision” (including the one he sent me) and didn’t care too much about the client, so we stopped working together With the EVO I can’t say anything, I tried the first prototype in France, seemed a bit bulky and the chien wasn’t very responsive, I really hope that Eduardo starts delivering better instruments and can clean his name, because I still believe he has the potential, he knows how to do stuff, but he definitely needs to cut less corners, care more about the customers, and put more attention to the detail if he wants to be successful and clean his name This being said, I hope your Evo turns out to be decent, most of the times a big part of the instrument not working is adjustment, if you have trouble with this, call Eduardo or take some lessons with any of the online teachers to learn how to control the instrument

[@AnthonyTopper]

​@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Eduardo has been responsive so far; he's been proactive in addressing the issues I raised. However, It does feel like I am a beta tester with a prototype, rather than getting a well-designed and crafted instrument. I almost went with a Saphona but the Evo's price, look, and electronic features were attractive. I really would like a studio-quality instrument to work with. But I am pessimistic that Eduardo and I can get this instrument to that level.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I’m glad he’s taking care of your problems and I really hope you guys can work together to get your Evo to a quality standard, looking forward to your opinion about the instrument in some weeks And of course feel free to send me an email if you have any doubts or if you need any input on adjustment (ofc talk to Eduardo first), but I’m always happy to give a hand if it’s needed Cheers

[@TheHurdyGurdyWizard]

So before adjusting tangents...make sure the octave tangent is straight on, then adjust the nut until the octave and open string is equal, THEN adjust each tangent? Yes? It seems like getting some of my tangents in perfect tune really require see serious up and down positioning.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Yes, the tangent tuning, depends on the original keyboard calculation, the nut and bridge can move, so sometimes it's tricky to get the correct scale length. Also most keyboards are calculated not to equal but to just temperament to sound good with the drone, that means when you tune each individual tangent It has to be tuned by ear against the drone tuned Green on the tunner

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

If you want to tune just temperament with the tunner, you have to follow a certain deflection of cents Starting from G the serie would go like this G 0 (Green on tuner) Ab +12 cents A +4 Bb +16 -14 -2 -10 +2 [phone]

[@immagereality]

I am still beginer, I long to be able to converse with long time player to get help tuning 2 string hurdy gurdy. This is good video but a bit much.

[@Lucius1958]

My Gotschy originally came with wooden tangents fixed with screws. I got tired of having them break on me; so I experimented with homemade metal tangents, made of brass tubing compressed into shape. One early problem was that the bottom ends tended to cause wear on the key rods; so I tried putting a flange there. These still gave me some trouble; so I finally bought a set of metal tangents from Hurdygurdycrafters. I also had embedded small nuts into the key rods, as I was having trouble with stripped threads. These have proven rather more satisfactory. A question or two on the metal tangents you show here: how do you adjust their length between the screw and the post? I find that it is difficult to get both strings to precisely the same scale (especially when using octave tuning); hence, the tangents have to be adjusted at different angles. This throws off the clearance between tangent and string, which leads to my having to make one tangent longer or shorter than the other. (This conundrum has often made me imagine a different form of tangent altogether; which would turn on a different axis, and thus obviate such troublesome adjustments). The other question: what is the best orientation of these tangents? I see you have yours with the screw on the side of the string nearer to you (in playing position): is there some benefit to this? Mine are in the opposite orientation, similar to the original wooden tangents.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

This tangents are made using a small jig so each distance is the same, if you talk about the distance from the tangent to the string, you just bend the wire I dont think the orientation is very important I've seen instruments work with either Ps. The different angles of the tangents have more to do with having a correct scale length on both strings

[@xlerb2286]

It looked like the metal tangents could only be rotated around the screw but the radius of that rotation couldn't be changed. I've seen other metal tangents that had a slot on the bottom of the tangent so you could adjust both the angle and the radius from the screw. Is it of any value to be able to change the radius? I'd think it would be as that may be necessary to ensure all tangents on one key engaged their respective strings at the same time. Or aren't things that fussy? Thank you for doing these videos. I'm learning interesting things, and as a side benefit they're enjoyable to watch. I'm moving from being just an interested observer to actually thinking somewhat seriously about buying a hurdy gurdy.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

This are special type of tangents made by Sedo, to modify the Y axis you can just bend the wire, it works quite good, there are other style of tangents where the Y can be adjusted with the screw, I don’t particularly enjoy the last (Weichselbaumer type) as the X and the Y are adjusted by the same screw

[@xlerb2286]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Makes perfect sense once you hear it. Thank you.

[@lucacavina9098]

Where can I find the same metal tangents you have in your hurdy gurdy? Thanks for your videos, I was trying to learn how to play by myself and I was in a mess!!! Before knowing you

[@raphaelportillo519]

@SergeoGonzalez-Zanfoneando What is the difference between modern tangent sound and traditional tangent sound? I put in a deposit for a Marco Gamarra Tenor Kepellbrücke.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Both are fine, I really like Gamarra’s approach he does wooden tangents with screw which is great

[@raphaelportillo519]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Thank you for being here for us.

[@martinmarticorenacabezas6004]

Hola, muy bueno tu vídeo. Yo tengo espadillas de madera pero quisiera preguntarte una cosa. Varía el sonido? Entiendo que si ambas van recubiertas de macarrón termoretractil no...pero me interesaría saber más sobre el sonido de la cuerda contra el metal desnudo. Gracias y saludos.

[@flamingomtn]

Hi Sergio. Talking about your metal tangents...I think that this video is the only place that I've seen these bent wire tangents. I see the brass plates with a rod everywhere, but not these. I actually made some like this for my new NG and I like them so far. Have you ever seen a place that sells this type or do they only come from particular makers? Thanks!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

This ones are made by Sedo García, but I also make them in my workshop, the only thing with this is that we need to match the measure of the drilled holes in your keys with the correct screw. The brass plates work also great! I like the system, if you need the plans just DM me on Facebook and I'll send you drawings

[@clarapalomares]

Mil gracias por hacer estos vídeos y encima tomarte la molestia de subtitularlos! Gracias a ti voy a poder elegir con más conocimiento qué tipo de zanfona me conviene comprar. Yo creo que si me comprase una nueva la pediría con espadillas de metal. ¿Sabes si Starukh permite elegir el tipo de espadilla? ¿Es algo que normalmente hacen todos los artesanos?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hola Clara, normalmente la mayoría de luthieres utilizan un solo tipo de espadillas

[@KREIVmusic]

Para cuando un canal en español?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Probablemente nunca, con el inglés llego a mucha más gente

[@xanthepaul2906]

Question! I have a gurdy with woden tangents and am considering getting some musical felt and putting it on the contact point of the tangents but am unsure if this is actually a good idea, have you seen this or do you have any thoughts about it?

[@Iambladesworn]

What if I 3d printed the tangents, but made them in the same shape as wooden ones?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

It depends on the material used, also if you have shrinking tube or Silicon tubing on each tangent and if your system has screws or not

[@SeekingHisWill78]

Do you recommend replacing the plastic tangents of the Nerdy Gurdy with either metal or wood? What are your thoughts on the plastic tangents?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

They are fine, I'd keep them

[@SeekingHisWill78]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Thanks!

[@CaptainGurdy]

I like your videos much more than most of the generic c**p I see on youtube. In depth and informative. Check mine if you have a spare minute!