The Hurdy Gurdy | Down the Rabbit Hole

In various places of modern culture, the enigmatic, crank-powered hurdy gurdy can be found, creating strange, droning music. But where did it come from?
Twitter: / fredintheknud
Patreon: / fredrikknudsen
Music: / @probecomposer

[@salt_liqueur]

"Where did it come from?" *Picture of Jesus fades in* oh shit okay

[@wadespencer3623]

Jesus laying down those sick Hurdy Gurdy beats.

[@handonthegat2989]

Adam, Eve, The hurdy Gurdy LMAO

[@PongoXBongo]

@@wadespencer3623 And now, ladies and gentlemen, Jeezy Chreezy on the Hurdy Gurdy!

[@sarahgray430]

All music (except for Black Metal) is Divine in nature.

[@jaqssmith1666]

@@sarahgray430 even Harsh Noise? Why single out Black Metal? Are you so well schooled in Black Metal that you can make that statement? that Black Metal is so fundamentally different from, lets say, Death Metal, that it alone is not divine?

[@Loe7]

Oh all things he covers, why the Hurd- “Because I play the Hurdy Gurdy.” Oh.

[@BrettonFerguson]

Next up, Down The Rabbit Hole: The Roly Poly.

[@RamieTV]

I like how Fredrik talks about his favorite instrument the same way he talks about horrifying incidents and delusional people.

[@ronm3245]

It's amazing how much this computerized voice sounds nearly human.

[@rigormortiz5357]

​@@ronm3245you clearly didn't watch his other channel lol

[@b.c4440]

French noblewomen: “so anyway here’s Wonderwall...”

[@thatguybrody4819]

i now have a deep urge that will most likely never be fulfilled to hear a medieval version of wonderwall

[@snorf525]

we need this

[@michaelaeschbacher4648]

"Play Freebird"

[@thatguybrody4819]

@@michaelaeschbacher4648 next do red solo cup

[@AlanaBananaCanada]

@@michaelaeschbacher4648 lmao

[@An7ithe0s]

"...because I play the hurdy gurdy." why am I not suprised?

[@accelerator1666]

Unique knudsen back at it again.

[@skeetersfunhouse4002]

Because he’s played it on stream before, and has talked about it a few times.

[@123yodood]

was LITERALLY about to comment this, Fredrik is a complete enigma

[@olivius8891]

JC, a bomb!

[@georgiamayfield5922]

Simple, Mystery man plays mystery instrument

[@Milkra]

“I play the hurdy gurdy” What an absolute power move

[@TonyStrayVideo]

Before he posted this video he tweeted a pic of an owl mask he'd commissioned. I for one was hoping he'd be wearing it during the demonstration.

[@KrazyKelor]

Nerdy Gurdy Flex

[@awanshura]

I had a similar reaction "Because I play the hurdy gurdy" "Of COURSE you do..." lol

[@necksugar]

Just cause a lady is playing a hurdy-gurdy does not mean she's minstrel

[@drandy580]

Hurdy gurdist

[@cerilex6786]

It's scary how such a wonderful instrument was almost lost to time, makes you wonder about those that may have actually been lost.

[@spencerleava2502]

Some instruments have pretty much been lost, but are now being rediscovered. The tibia is an example that comes to mind.

[@amberfun9148]

Exactly there used to be a whole family of double reed instruments, there are only two surviving members the oboe and the bassoon. We don’t even have the originals only drawings 😢

[@illusion466]

Some deserve to be lost (glass harmonica) 😂

[@juliusnepos6013]

I have first known about this instrument from an encarta feature. The hurdy gurdu snippet is so catchy and breezy to listen

[@jacksonguillory8114]

​@amberfun9148 at least someone bothered to save the Rauschpfeife(I think that's how it's spelled)

[@kittkattthecat]

"Hurdy gurdy" is literally one of the best names for anything I have ever heard

[@_yellow]

Kind of the same vibe as "walkie talkie"

[@tiggytheimpaler5483]

"I play the hurdey gurdey" Somehow this is both the most and least shocking thing I have heard you say on this channel

[@judgenitsuj4402]

Yeah hard to top weebs created furries

[@downsjmmyjones101]

This shit's better than Vice.

[@jallen1931]

:D

[@nintendocollector9224]

Your an odd fellow Seymour but you steam a good ham

[@PhantomVideoLive]

Without doubt

[@alexad7570]

when i asked my wife what she wanted for her Birthday, she said "surprise me". Surprised she will be.

[@unchainyourbrain3312]

😄

[@jeanpaulgartier3404]

Expensive

[@poutinedream5066]

She said 'surprise me' - not 'disappoint me'

[@caringheart34]

@@poutinedream5066 If you aren't satisfied from the Hurdy Gurdy, you aren't in a true relationship.

[@V2ULTRAKill]

@@caringheart34 if my boyfriend got me a hurdy gurdy id marry him right there

[@theylivewesleep.5139]

The Hurdy Gurdy is just the gaming pc of musical instruments.

[@genericlegionaryrecruit7235]

Idk bro the accordion kinda made with beeswax doe 😳

[@austinm.9832]

@@genericlegionaryrecruit7235 but bagpipes have standards, hurdy gurdies are more custom.

[@Jozenchill]

Why would you say something so controversial, yet so brave?

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

Costs thousands of dollars, requires near constant maintenance, and the people who own one never waste an opportunity to say so? Yeah, that checks out. XD

[@piranhaplantX]

@@OtakuUnitedStudio Bruh, only people who want to wave their financial dicks around spend thousands. That, or they have a job like 3D rendering that actually requires it. But you can get a solid one, that beats current gen consoles while being more flexible, for not much more than a new console. All while being able to do more stuff with it. As for maintenance, not really. Aside from cleaning out dust occasionally, which you need to do with virtually any computer (including gaming consoles) you've just got to replace the thermal past every 2-4 years. Which is also something that should be done on modern consoles or pre-built PC's as well. If you've ever wondered why your console started sounded like a jet plan during play after a year or two, it probably needs a good dust cleaning and fresh thermal paste. Especially since console manufacturers tend to use the cheap shit, and have poor airflow for cooling.

[@mchagnon7]

22:49 that was such an epic rant! I can't believe it didn't end with "eat hot chip and lie..."

[@kittykat490]

Omg... you're so right that rant was the "eat hot chip and lie" of it's time lmfao

[@junkman8742]

18th century hipsters

[@vlbonnie]

23:19 "Noblewomen born after 1730 don't know how to run a territory, all they know is speak Italian, play the viol, laugh, sing, never be on time, go to bed at 4 AM, drink champagne and lie"

[@genejas]

was looking for this

[@sleepyyghostt]

was about to make this exact comment but u beat me to it lmao

[@ethangoldsmith9332]

It may be like dat

[@leoirias3506]

HAHAHAHA im dead

[@namnam2701]

Can someone explain the reference ?

[@Mr_Doodleydoo]

Up next: Bionicle collection | Down the Rabbit Hole

[@rnnres4749]

This

[@TotallyRadicalShow]

I now want this so badly.

[@Fishin480]

Just found r/Bionicle it’s very interesting lol had some back in the day but some people go hard

[@TotallyRadicalShow]

T B The lore is where shit gets real.

[@notfunny490]

Piss Drawer | Down the Rabbit Hole

[@gaymansupreme]

The Hurdy Gurdy is such an underrated instrument, a lot of metal has been using it to make extremely haunting tones in conjunction with riffs.

[@thatoneperson3762]

i'm 14 minutes into the video and can't help but infodump: "leier" is still sometimes used in german vocabulary as a verb, when someone says something unimportant in a droning and never ending tone, they are "leiern" (example: "er leiert schon wieder rum" ~ "he's going on again about nothing") it's not used as often anymore and i hear/read it less and less, but i do remember it from the early 2000's and not from any older books, but that may be, because it's kind of a rude thing to say and the older books i read didn't really have content rude enough to justify a "leiern"

[@thats_so_laven]

"Herunterleiern" is still fairly commonly used, though!

[@amberhernandez]

You leiren something new every day!

[@VolkColopatrion]

@@amberhernandez HA

[@mekabare]

Or "Immer dieselbe Leier" (akin to "always the same old story")

[@finlayl2505]

1: Oh, I didn't know you were a musician; what do you play? 2: The hurdy gurdy 1: Gesundheit

[@Aendreud]

Danke.

[@realenderit]

@@Aendreud bitte

[@Mephilis78]

@@busimagen That horse was Pinky's one true love!

[@charliedilltarde9881]

@@Mephilis78 thats my horse! *delivers unto your face a slap that would peel the paint off a barn door*

[@MetFanMac]

@Mephilis 78 Close. The horse's name was Phar Fignewton, a parody of the nonsense word fahrvergnügen used in a Volkswagen advertising campaign as well as doubling as a reference to the legendary racehorse Phar Lap.

[@tangerineGamer]

Germany: Leier France: Vielle ! England: HURDY GURDY

[@deusexaethera]

The Brits have always liked rhyming names and expressions.

[@amberbaum4079]

Just a small correction. Germany: Drehleier A Leier alone is a hand held harp-like instrument. Think of Troubadix (Cacofonix/Assurancetourix) from the Asterix & Obelix comic.

[@Rubashow]

'twas then when the Drehleier-man came singing songs of love' just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[@petercarioscia9189]

Hurr gurr

[@squishykotetsu]

@Nero von Aarfeste Have you seen the post on "what if the guy who named the walkie talkie named other objects"? Defibrilator? Heartie Startie! Fork? Stabbie Grabbie! etc

[@Messy_Onion]

I fell asleep with youtube on autoplay. I had a dream that I was trying to steal a weird mechanical instrument from a museum, escape through the photo a newspaper, then sell said instrument to this video's narrator. I woke up at the very end of the video and had to watch the whole thing. So crazy...

[@honestexpression6393]

I've had a similar experience lol

[@naftalibendavid]

Yeah. I had the same dream. Where’s Jung when we need him?

[@mikeoxmall3847]

I've had this happen to me, but they're usually nightmares cuz I fall asleep to those narrated true scary stories! Lol

[@oumardiop1]

i love it when things from the outside break into your dreams lol. this one time i had a dream i was in school, and the bell went off, and it turned out it was just my alarm clock

[@elinor8569]

I had exactly the same experience. Great!

[@EinsamPibroch278]

22:55 That quote was basically the "Eat Hot Chip and Lie" rant of his Century! 😂😂

[@JustLookinkAround]

Huh. So what you're saying is, I can watch a "Down the Rabbit Hole" video without feeling a sense of dread and despair?

[@ZergrushEddie]

And yet it is an instrument that can be associated with dread and despair, so it is in line with every other “Down the Rabbit Hole.” ;)

[@cjhebert94]

His video on Temple iOS put me in a mood the rest of the day. I watched Metokurs video. Then forgot about it. Shame he died.

[@burgershrimp8857]

i was saddened when Hurdy Gurdy sank in its status. so no.

[@arootube]

I don't know man, barefoot beggar on the ice playing a hurdy gurdy for growling strays sounds desperately dreadful.

[@fcsmusic3936]

Aaah I get it so that's why so weird

[@Kaleo64]

I was kinda hoping, after Fred announced he played, that this video would just be 30 minutes of him playing the hurdy gurdy.

[@mileidyclass]

@Shaman Xeed Funnily enough, Fredrik did make a two part Down the Rabbit Hole on anime.

[@Dragonrealms245]

Honestly I’d be down for that. I have a new interest now

[@3dmaster205]

Or at least there was much more of its music used; the video about a musical instrument is entirely devoid of any actual music by the instrument. It only has a few example notes at the beginning, and the rest of the video is all but devoid music.

[@lex3729]

Well, He did just drone on and on and on...

[@God-ch8lq]

@@mileidyclass link plz?

[@interfear1]

In general Spanish, the instrument is known as “zanfona”. But in parts of Spain, it’s called “gaita del pobre” or poor man’s bagpipe. There is a related instrument in Sweden called “nyckelharpa”.

[@Lucius1958]

The difference is that the "nyckelharpa" is played with a bow, rather than a wheel.

[@RobertHalvarsson]

Yes, there are several variants. In contemporary folk music the Nyckelharpa is not entirely uncommon in Sweden, together with the violin and the dragspel/the accordion.

[@gatfatf]

French aristocratic pastoral ideals be like: Charles, observe. Look at my little shoes, theyre appropriately shabby so I may prance about the muddy fields in all of its splendor. 👁👄👁 Actual pastoral people: so our son starved to death yesterday.

[@yonatanbeer3475]

Romantic Pastoral ideals are so gross. They're using actual people's suffering as an aesthetic.

[@sirknight4981]

@@yonatanbeer3475 Lol, farming and living in a natural environment doesn't inherently mean suffering any more than simply living does. I guess in the modern world not living in a city = "suffering" but this is a pretty distorted and arrogant understanding of the human experience.

[@genduncan506]

@@sirknight4981 back then it often did mean suffering. Lords owned the farmlands of an area, farmers often didnt even own any part of the land they worked on. The food they produced was taken to be sold - so they only got a small cut of it themselves, so their lords could make the most money. They were stuck at one of the very lowest classes. To keep food for themselves was considered theft from their lords. The idea of having a highly structured method of farming and food production, in theory, means more food and leisure for all. However, while more food was indeed produced, it (along with its wealth) wasnt spread around evenly. The farming peasants suffered. There was no "easy, fulfilling life on the fields" which can exist now.

[@oumardiop1]

@@yonatanbeer3475 yikes people idealizing peoples struggles ew couldnt be me sis✨

[@KevinFreist]

@@sirknight4981 yes sir! those city dwellers are gross to usins here. we like sleeping to the cadence of cicadas and crickets. we si......gulp moonshine and catch catfishkes with our hands! the whole time there's atleast one 12 yr old beatin the livin hell out of a fiddle !try that concrete pounder!your next door neighbor would call the sherrif. my neighbors are 6 miles away ! HA!

[@FredrikKnudsen]

I apologize for how long this video took to produce; my life was undergoing significant changes. Things have resolved and I'm able to return fully to video production.

[@chonchjohnch]

Fredrik Knudsen best of luck with whatever’s going on!

[@ladyarmourlapras]

Hope all is well!

[@Cosmic_Fyre]

Glad to have you back :D

[@ninjanippledog725]

No worries! Im just happy to see a video, no anger over a wait!

[@bulkypigeon]

Glad to hear it! I began watching the old ones for a fix.

[@TalkingSoup]

so my takeaway is that the french 1700s aristocracy kind of considered hurdy gurdy players to be like that one guy who always brings an acoustic guitar to parties and offers to play wonderwall

[@kindledninja]

This comment is highly underrated

[@Demiglitch]

Well where else did you think Fredrik time travelled from?

[@JikuAraiguma]

So the next evolution of that would be an Oasis Hurdy Gurdy cover?

[@Crazelord91]

Well played

[@antsolja]

the concept of the poser dates far back

[@arthurjeremypearson]

"Where did it come from?" (Picture of Jesus) I KNEW IT!

[@Kavukamari]

this is just fred showing us his favorite instrument and im here for it

[@erik_gutierrez]

Oh nice, finally a video on a subject that won't throw me into an existential crisis.

[@Ashathefree8]

Maybe for you, but depending how the hurdy gurdy is played, it can make me very... introspective.

[@dedicatedtransportation4130]

Yeah I love Fred's videos but I've been avoiding them like the plague as of late because they make me feel... not good. A video on an obscure instrument is a pleasent surprise

[@Mephilis78]

I don't know, as a guitar/bass/lute/drum/keyboard player, I think this is about as close to an existential crisis as I can get without acid.

[@defconn100]

@@dedicatedtransportation4130 Right? The TempleOS video legitimately had me fucked up for weeks. To see such a severe mental disorder so... intimately, it stays with you.

[@professormohawk1]

until you realize this is about 3000 years old and millions upon millions have played it and died

[@reid3031]

"But, where did the hurdy-gurdy come from?"

[@Liggliluff]

*starts playing Vsauce music*

[@bioniclegoblin6495]

@@Liggliluff *on a hurdy gurdy

[@cucumber7769]

lol, that was a good move

[@doctorsnakeeater1997]

@Ratko Mladic Greebus Grist.

[@ScarletDuke]

Cuts to the 4chan logo

[@LungsOutJem]

Frankly, the hurdy gurdy sounds like so many different instruments that most people probably don't even realize how often it's used in games, movies, and other media. This video was very informative. Thank you.

[@SyvernSycor]

This is a great historical documentary for this instrument. It should be shared in High Schools and such. Thank you for providing this. Amazing work!

[@Tiberon098]

My thoughts exactly.

[@ditisdurk6498]

literally writing a paper on it right now

[@madisonkunes6343]

5:00 "Where did it come from?" *shows picture of Jesus*

[@slappy8941]

Maybe it's the Holy Hurdy Gurdy of Antioch?

[@pedrosampaio7349]

@@slappy8941 I think you mean 'Holy Hurdy-gurdy of Tripoli'

[@basedokadaizo]

i actually, out loud, yelled "JESUS?!" in the same tone as that one woman yelling "BEYONCE?!"

[@cheezburgrproduction]

Basic explanations for beautiful things.

[@MadMamluk88]

Because sure, why not? He loved the hurdy gurdy.

[@honeybunchesofstoats3017]

"...because I play the hurdy gurdy" Me: Superb you funky little biped

[@nyx9208]

Splendid you groovy small homo-sapien

[@matheussanthiago9685]

​@@nyx9208 stunning indeed carbon-based life form relatively smaller compared to its peers

[@midna2800]

When you started playing I went "OOOOOOOOHH" in a super impressed manner, scaring my cat who was resting on my tummy. Seriously epic. So cool. Incredibly impressed.

[@imsosmart942]

I can't tell you how much I appreciated this video! I love that he included the art history as well as the audio history and the literature to corroborate and explain this instrument!

[@Seth_Wilson]

Lowkey, this video was just to show off his knowledge of the Hurdy Gurdy.

[@ShootingStarNeo]

"It was painted in the panel depicting hell, along with the bagpipes." It's 8 AM and I'm cracking up, thanks Fred.

[@stunitech]

It was the dude with the flute up his arse in the same painting that bothers me...

[@chadschmaltz9790]

@@stunitech I'm glad someone else was disturbed by that image.

[@thirteenfury]

@@stunitech What, you've never heard the glorious brown notes produced by anal flutes before?

[@smartasasackofhammer]

But no accordions?

[@TaLeng2023]

It's probably the intended instrument for the Butt Music

[@BethDiane]

Nice-- you've put together a lot of helpful information. One quibble: the word vielle actually has two syllables with the accent on the second syllable. This is important because it gives us the very punny French folk band named Ad Vielle Que Pourra, which is a pun on "advient que pourra," which is French for "come what may."

[@Napalm-Eyes]

You nailed it, I fell in love with the gurdy when I found Eluveitie back in ~2010. I've wanted to play one ever since but lately the pull has been particularly strong. Hoping to save up for a nice beginner piece in the future!

[@MurdocIsASaint]

Okay so this confirms it; I can listen to you talk about anything.

[@PsychoSavager289]

I can imagine Fredrik being a weatherman reporting a clear and sunny day, and it still somehow being intense and gripping.

[@merrittanimation7721]

He could describe paint drying and I'd still listen.

[@oneearedrabbitproductions4364]

100% agree. Him and Metokur could just do videos of them reading a dictionary from start to finish and I'd listen.

[@johndee2990]

I just clocked you in at 500

[@johndee2990]

@@oneearedrabbitproductions4364 Metokur crafts the most unique insults

[@FluffyCloudsandCats]

"Hurdy Gurdy? What horrors could this strange phrase bring...." oh its about an instrument

[@wegner7036]

You say that like musical instruments can't be horrid. The brazen bull would disagree.

[@danielkleefromusa]

@@wegner7036 Or the viola

[@wegner7036]

@Capsaicin What's so horrible about that?

[@suezuccati304]

@@danielkleefromusa now im curious

[@cako666]

@@wegner7036 Uhm, the brazen bull was not an instrument, it was a brass sculpture with a horn that "transformed" the screams. Though you should take the bull with a grain of salt, there has never been proof of one actually existing. It's more likely it was just propaganda agaist the tyrant Phalaris.

[@MaidOfPasta]

4 years of a music education degree and I have never heard of this instrument’s fascinating history! Thank you for this video!

[@fjb4932]

Once again (ad nauseum) a useless degree to actually helping someone produce useful work. At the end of the day, showing what you had produced to aid humanity versus little more than warm air. My sister "worked" for the U.S. Health Dept. for 35 yrs. She shuffled papers: if they had a paperclip she removed it, if it didn't she added one. If the papers were stapled she removed the staple, if not she stapled them. Every five or so packets she'd remove one of the center pages and add it to the next packet. Every coverpage had initial boxes and she'd add her initials before passing the forms on. She laughingly said the system's efficiency surely would go up when she took her vacation time or used her sick days (and probably once she retired). Yes, she received pay grade promotions and steady pay raises along with seniority step raises throughout her career. Always made sure to log in to work on time, spend some time each morning getting her morning coffee, stopping for morning break, taking lunch each day, stopping for afternoon break, attending every dept. meeting, and logging out at the end of the day exactly on time down to the minute. She enjoyed playing the game ...

[@MaidOfPasta]

@@fjb4932 yo Nietzsche it’s a fucking hurdy gurdy. And is this a copypasta?? This feels like an r/thathappened to me. If this ends up on Reddit I want this to be circled in red, lol Seriously tho it’s literally impossible to learn every little thing about a topic in 4 years. I never said my degree was useless. I use my skills every day AND I get paid for it. Learning didn’t stop once I got handed my diploma. Chill out, my guy. Jiminy Christmas.

[@SapientGalaxy]

I like to think he created this channel/series just so he could share his interest in this instrument with a wide audience.

[@Thomas.Wright]

He could just make a hurdy-gurdy channel. Of course, he's not as cute as Patty, Fabi, Annie, or Michalina, so he'd have some stiff competition.

[@Itried20takennames]

Hugely expensive, complex and associated with royalty....but known as a “beggars instrument”? What a complex history. Thanks for telling it.

[@steve00alt70]

not really if you know what to look for you can get ones below 800

[@junkman8742]

@@steve00alt70 only 800?? 😂

[@JarthenGreenmeadow]

@@steve00alt70 Hugely expensive in the medieval era.

[@aleisterlavey9716]

Like fishsoup, once a meal of peasants, now high cuisine .

[@WTfire10]

@@aleisterlavey9716 or lobsters

[@CasaiAgicap]

End credit song should have been Fredrik cranking out a sweet hurdy gurdy solo

[@alanparis8390]

That was wonderful. I've been trying to explain the hurdy-gurdy to people and it's proved impossible for me. From now on, I'll just send them this video. I learned so much. I especially appreciated the focus on the DRONE as the essential aspect of its history and nature. That really pulled it together for me. Thank you, Fredrik Knudsen!

[@rigistroni]

The down the rabbit hole music at the beginning being played on the hurdy gurdy was a nice touch

[@danielbissett-taylor4450]

"It can't get much worse than this" said the instrument strongly associated with the disabled and French nobility. "Are you sure about that?" Replied the Guillotine

[@boscorner]

"Is Guillotine an instrument?"

[@trashrabbit69]

@@boscorner No, Robespierre... guillotine is not an instrument.

[@justletmelistthese]

@@trashrabbit69 But it has sickest bass drops.

[@trashrabbit69]

@@justletmelistthese I almost lost my head laughing at that pun.

[@PBRStreetgang]

Fucking got 'em!

[@stoneocean4760]

Me: Oh I hope next episode will feature some enigmatic entity or some obscure person! Fredrik:

[@gtolex86]

Fredrik: I play the H U R D Y G U R D Y...

[@WelfareChrist]

This is the best side of KZbin, passionate people talking about what stirs them. I absolutely loved this! Ever since accidentally coming across a performance by Matt Loibner (forgive me if I misspelled his name) I’ve been fascinated by this instrument and as I was already familiar with your work I was delighted to find this. Bravo!!

[@paige2327]

My grandpa used to always talk about the instrument, but never giving context. He wouldn’t say that he played it, or heard it. He would just slide the instrument name into a conversation. I never knew that it was a real instrument, and it was so familiar to me.

[@TrueFirebrand]

I honestly like the occasional break from crippling stories of madness for more informative stuff, good job.

[@WakkaMadeInYevon]

This feels like an episode of How It's Made and I love it

[@smilesfordays]

But still as gripping somehow.

[@NarrisNor]

Your intonation makes this all sound so conspiratorial! As if the Hurdy Gurdy is some kind of dark artifact. Great as always, though.

[@deusexaethera]

It might as well be. There's like 5 people in America who know anything about it.

[@MrLTiger]

because it is. IT IS.

[@rasmusdegn9690]

How do we know it ISN'T the key to dark magic?

[@ShootingStarNeo]

DARK FREDRIK, SHOW ME THE FORBIDDEN INSTRUMENT

[@pedrosampaio7349]

Our there... In shops and collections filled to the brim with chordophones... Hurdy-gurdies and nyckelharpas work in a conspiracy to... _experiement_ On innocent fiddles and violins alike for their own, corrupted vices... Awaken, sheeple...

[@Atvsrawsome]

My uncle plays the bag pipes. He lives up a valley near our family farm. Every once in a while in the evenings he will play and it sounds haunting. This instrument reminds me very much of that sound echoing through the hills of western wisconsin.

[@MarcSattel]

I used to play the bagpipes and shawns in a medieval band for a long part of my life. I am utterly delighted to learn you, who does amazing videos, plays a likeminded instrument.

[@CloudedByKatana]

"This is a question I can answer because I play the instrument" oh shit, that was a twist I was not expecting.

[@Mac348]

"... can cost up to 5 or $6000 dollars" Fredrik made this video just to flex on us

[@PongoXBongo]

A fine use of that sweet sweet KZbin money, if you ask me. ;)

[@meowtherainbowx4163]

To be fair, guitars technically can, too. Maybe he got his for less. I might be more concerned about the upkeep because I barely know how to change my guitar strings.

[@Mac348]

@@meowtherainbowx4163 fair point

[@VibrantlyBrantly]

"can cost upwards of" doesn't mean that's what he paid.

[@NathanielLiles]

@@VibrantlyBrantly An entry-level hurdy gurdy costs about $2,000. Cheaper ones exist but they're mostly sold to con people who don't do much research.

[@CommanderApple]

I would love to learn how to play this instrument but the entry level cost is killing pretty much every budget :/

[@ironguard4048]

Ill sell you mine if you're still interested in it?

[@MusicAndMaggie]

@@ironguard4048 Are you legit selling a hurdy gurdy?

[@kieravermeal9127]

Do you remember The Polar Express? When we're properly introduced to the homeless ghost/angel, he's playing the hurdy gurdy!

[@thestonedabbot9551]

Can we all just appreciate how badass "The Proper Guide For The Person Striving Towards The Highest Goals" is for a document name

[@mechanoid2k]

Yeah they were a bunch of smarty pants back then. Now we have.....modern entertainment.

[@darlapeelman1610]

Agree, impressive.🥰

[@UAVizUp]

I read this comment as he said this exact line what the fuck

[@0Yuro0]

I would really enjoy a full video of Fredrik playing the Hurdy Gurdy

[@technopoptart]

hell, i think i could do three or four. when he started playing i was smitten

[@Arcaxon]

He did stream himself playing the Hurdy Gurdy on his Twitch!

[@Arcaxon]

@Tyler Coon That's basically what the stream were also talking about how he couldn't get Mae to cooperate(Mae being the name of his first Hurdy Gurdy)

[@Summerbabe08080]

This has to be the coolest instrument with the geekiest name ever.

[@kingslayer2071]

I knew you would have to mention Eluveitie at some point in a hurdy-gurdy video. Just saw them again this year, they are amazing live. Awesome band

[@alexl3438]

I always expect these videos to cover a dark topic, got me on edge even when you’re explaining an instrument

[@EvilBr0wnie]

Pretty good video at least, like If he was going down in the rabbit hole about something that he likes

[@Lifesizemortal]

he could read the phone book and i'd shit my pants

[@noname-bv4lh]

dank* topics

[@JoshKnoxChinnery]

The delivery is always that of a dark documentary, even when talking about something he's excited by.

[@drpwnage23]

This video is desperately lacking actual music made with a hurdy gurdy

[@dang2443]

EXACTLY! A half hour documentary where we never actually hear what it sounds like

[@ellpoyohlokoh]

@@dang2443 look up a song called omen on hurdy gurdy, it's amazing

[@alicedarner1344]

If you like metal, look up Black Magic Fools.

[@zordanxxx]

that was my thought and still wondering why

[@Mewobiba]

Can recommend the Swedish band Dråm.

[@elektrolyte]

this video must qualify as the World Record for including the MOST BLACK FRAMES in a PRODUCTION

[@shilohbridgewater6407]

I have to say..its refreshing to come across such a niche video with unbiased facts and history with no ads..wish more content creators would follow in your steps. I applaud you good sir👏👏🙌

[@kattyt23]

I dont understand how fredrik can make a video about literally anything and I just get lost in it. I'm so happy you're back

[@MrAlfredDM]

Hence the title down the rabbit hole haha

[@KayleeCee]

There's a guy on KZbin who makes videos about the history and inner workings of various electronics, both modern and obsolete, and they're absolutely fascinating. He's even made a couple of videos about toasters that were great. Some people just have a unique talent for making almost any subject interesting.

[@nikoscarrotkiller1947]

@@KayleeCee what guy?

[@KayleeCee]

@@nikoscarrotkiller1947 His channel is called Technology Connections.

[@nikoscarrotkiller1947]

@@KayleeCee thank you I'll check it out

[@socoamarettojustine]

i know YT cares about engagement, so here's a comment. thank you for making this content, you inspire more people with every upload.

[@Tgr2k1]

I posted a comment for the same reason.

[@antonybraus325]

Ditto dawggie

[@Mephilis78]

KZbin cares = oxymoron of the day..... Also didn't "KZbin cares" used to be a joke...or a meme? Or am I getting it mixed up with a Craig Ferguson joke?

[@CatBoyCass]

engaged comment

[@MrMoneyclips]

"FLEX, FREDERIK!!! FLEX NOW!" God said, as he needed white noise.

[@Humannamehere]

Your videos never fail to intrigue. Thanks for making this!

[@FUNKe]

weird flex but you know what i'm into it

[@bigjimbo2843]

Oh hey dude! Did not expect to see you here

[@bjeizus521]

Hi fucke

[@Hodorify]

The Hurdy Gurdy, an instrument almost as old as TF2

[@northernpuffer9222]

frinke

[@wheedler]

I came here to say basically this.

[@Wolf10media]

"...Because I play the Hurdy Gurdy" You don't say.

[@4jwdc997]

My esteem for Fredrik absolutely skyrocketed upon hearing that.

[@deusexaethera]

*piqued

[@Wolf10media]

@@deusexaethera thank you

[@lisztdylan7846]

I actually also play the hurdy gurdy, got bored of the violin and so started looking into more obscure instruments and teaching myself to play them. I currently have a citar, a hurdy gurdy, a harp guitar and a banjo (banjos are relatively uncomkon where I'm from)

[@googiegress7459]

Do you think you might want to venture into dulcimer or zither?

[@dmccoy9509]

My son is Brian McCoy who now lives in France. Thanks for making a much needed video.

[@LULZLSKennedy]

"But the lowest point of the instrument was yet to come" Jesus christ it goes further?!

[@kood995]

Nobody: Fredrick: Y'all wanna learn about the hurdy gurdy?

[@ninchennino4451]

Everyone: Sure.

[@MxPokirby]

People: "I don't know what that is, but of course."

[@ryanlorenzo5003]

Frederick getting dibs into that untapped market.

[@cameronvadnais4388]

Yes! Of course!

[@romainvincent7346]

@kood99 Isn't that a double negation?

[@TCM464]

And so, after Brian David Gilbert got a hurdy gurdy, I will watch this video.

[@boshowa0840]

Patty Gurdy is how I came to know of this instrument. I had heard it in other things, such as the Witcher soundtracks, but didn't realize what the instrument was until stumbling across Patty. Thank you for this video on the instrument! I have fallen in love with it and am happy to have learned more about its history.

[@HankHill429]

You seem like the guy to play a weird instrument no one has heard of

[@ElianaDAngelo]

Throw some soundgoodizer on that and your set!

[@Tinlion09]

I don’t know if he still does it, but there was this guy on Something Awful who held a yearly summer thread where he encouraged people to learn how to play “weird” instruments. Ocarina, theremin, stuff like that. He also focused on relatively cheap instruments so anyone could participate, though, so hurdy-gurdies were probably out of the question. Actually, I wonder where you get a good ocarina these days. I had one with Kokopelli carved into it from that one site that always advertised in Nintendo Power when I was like eleven.

[@stick6969]

@@Tinlion09 www.stlocarina.com/

[@pinkimietz3243]

I know the hurdy gurdy. But I also seem like a girl who plays a weird board game that no one heard of. All by her own. Do you know smellory? Anyone? My favorite. It's basicly trivial pursuit but with scents.

[@pinkimietz3243]

@@JoshuaNorton Ah yes. Our common medieval markets where we play the hurdy gurdy every weekend! Crazy Euros! You're a larper. Come on. Am I right?

[@Zoomy]

Kinda sad the soundtrack isn't period-appropriate compositions of the Hurdy Gurdy played by Fredrik.

[@IdentityCrisis1581]

I have been watching your videos a long time. This is one of the best I've seen. Not only do you give the full history of the instrument. You also play it. I enjoyed this video. Very informative. I had heard of the instrument, but never knew it's history. Much less see anyone play one. This was different than your other videos. In a good way. I learned a lot about the instrument. Very cool.

[@ThePragart]

What an absolute treat! Thank you for this upload!

[@jamesbarnousky1270]

"There's no way I'm going to sit here for half an hour and watch a video about the Hurdy Gurdy" 30 minutes later:

[@googiegress7459]

👁👄👁

[@swankybutters8371]

Well I finally know where Donovan came up with "Hurdy Gurdy Man" Thank you.

[@darlapeelman1610]

Exactly! So funny, I'm captivated, so interesting.😊

[@Kj16V]

Hurdy gurdy: when you keep crafting your violin until it's totally OP.

[@ityabean]

It's like a character build that takes several feats and a prestige class to work, but oh man does it WORK

[@doctorsnakeeater1997]

The ultimate weapon of a Bard.

[@phillthylucid2629]

More likes people c’mon!

[@thenixer209]

I'm eating up hurdy-gurdy content like nobody's business purely because I've grown attached to it as the tone-setter of my own mediaeval fantasy setting, and since I like to incorporate real-world historical references into such things, I'm hoping to capture some of that history in the setting even if it's only implicitly.

[@Beardqt]

This video sparked my interest in these instruments when it came out and I finally bought one at the end of last year, it's being hand made and should be here by march and I came back here to get a refresher, thanks again!

[@-kenik9629]

I'm here because a D&D bard smacked a dude with one of these.

[@phillthylucid2629]

I need to know this story... please?

[@B...-B906]

I dont need sleep, i need answers!!!

[@jfm14]

Don't just leave 'em hanging... give the people what they want!

[@katherinemontgomery1063]

Would you have to roll that as an improvised weapon? Or does it have it's own attack roll?

[@pickleskpg]

I played a Hurdy Gurdy Bard in a recent campaign. It counted as an improvised weapon.

[@James-wv1ns]

I play cello and that mess looks like somebody killed a piano to sacrifice it to the string gods to resurrect this long dead demon child.

[@dannyeckerd9324]

yo mama sounds cool tho

[@fatheragnostus]

The nyckelharpa is even worse, they're both (awesome) monstrosities of instruments!

[@pczb2692]

On the simpler side of instruments, you have the Berimbau. It's surprisingly good for rhythm for something that is basically a single string stuck onto a stick with a sand filled gourd.

[@James-wv1ns]

@@pczb2692 ill add it to my list of instruments i might eventually buy on amazon. But first my guitar amp needs to replaced because my friend didn't understand how input and output jacks work...

[@smygskytt1712]

@@fatheragnostus The nyckelharpa is a fantastic instrument, and i love when i hear it in folk music, folk rock, and even folk metal.

[@Hyraethian]

Hurdy Gurdy go BRRR In all seriousness, that was a very thorough history on a beautiful instrument.

[@BeautifulCrazyy]

Imagine this dude being your child. The range of emotions the parents must have had but I'm sure ending with being super proud of this young man.

[@MegaManXPoweredUp]

"Hurdy Gurdy" sounds like something Patrick Star would say when he celebrates Leif Erikson Day.

[@slappy8941]

Thanks for putting that into my head; now I'll be chuckling to myself like an idiot all day.

[@TheAirBear2000]

I think it sounds like vaguely Swedish-sounding gibberish that the Swedish Chef would say.

[@DarthScrewtape27]

TheAirBear2000 Bork! Bork! Bork!

[@smileychips7448]

Ah Hinga dinga gurgan

[@TheLegend1800]

"laugh, sing, never be on time, and always go to bed at 4 am" Apparently, I'm a 17th century fashion chaser.

[@AlexTheGamer97]

We really live in a society

[@KrazyKelor]

I feel so attacked by this description.

[@supremebuffalo6322]

We should just start our own society

[@Eric-sy1xu]

@@supremebuffalo6322 with Blackjack and Hookers! In fact, forget the society!

[@dr.thomassmith3497]

This is so deep

[@sebastiang8634]

Fredrik: "However, it usually remains a curiosity, with its past shrouded in mystery." Me: *laughs in folk metal*

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

Even then, most people can't tell you much about the history.

[@sebastiang8634]

@@OtakuUnitedStudio I mean, I guess most people wouldn't know its history, but that's not the same as having a history shrouded in mystery. I guess I'm just one of the oddballs that knows because being a D&D nerd also inclines you to be a history nerd.

[@xozegraf7179]

The instrument regained popularity in the USA during the 1920's through the 30's. Something I found while researching for a work of poetry set in the era. Thank you for your film.

[@gar2yc]

It's a beautifully sounding instrument... And a working clusterfuck of enginery.

[@MattGarZero]

Years of quality edutainment all leading up to this, his magnum opus on an instrument I never knew existed. Well played, Knudsen, well played.

[@emily.toombs]

Wow, this is the doc I’ve been waiting for for about 20 years. I first saw one at Hatfield House, Hampton Court. I was on a family vacation probably the last at 18 and found myself in a renaissance reenactment dinner. Normally teenagers would curl up and die, not me. I’m your local weirdo who thrives on the uncomfortably strange dinner theater, participatory , family dinner with strangers, huzzah! About two hours later and three fantastic roasted meats of various animals that I’m wrist deep into at this point, no fork when a band comes in huzzah! This is the moment when I first meet the hurdy gurdy. I have always had a deep love and appreciation for music, sound, and would go on to study sound engineering later. So after the band finished the script and we’re making the exit I followed them out the door and hunting down the hurdy gury man. He was so wonderful, he took me round into another part of the house and showed me how everything worked, how you tuned it, play it, and he played a little more. Gave me a quick history. All and all we spent about 30 minutes just chatting about his amazing instrument. I also have to say he couldn’t have been more thrilled about it ether. I love sharing things that bring me joy too. Thanks for all this great new interesting information bridging a gab i left open since the late 90”s.

[@FitZhurdygurdy]

Very cool!

[@octagram2955]

It's coming back up again, and KZbin just drops this in my feed. Dope