#HurdyGurdyTips | Quentin Budworth Musician

Hello fellow Nerdy-gurdy builder!

As an experienced hurdy-gurdy teacher, I am a huge fan of the Nerdy-gurdy and can highly recommend it to anyone starting on their hurdy-gurdy journey! I’ve had several new students bring their Nerdy-Gurdy for lessons and have been really impressed by their playability and sound quality. They just work and play beautifully.

Congratulations on assembling your instrument—that’s a milestone worth celebrating! Now comes the exciting part: bringing it to life with music. If you’re discovering that playing the hurdy-gurdy involves more nuance than turning a crank, you’re in excellent company. The learning curve is real, but the right guide changes everything.

“Secret Life of the Hurdy-gurdy: Field Notes on Playing” is the book your Nerdy-gurdy wishes you’d read. This isn’t a dry manual—it’s a 245-page masterclass featuring 32 of the world’s leading players sharing their distilled wisdom, one insightful chapter at a time. For Nerdy-gurdy owners specifically, it’s pure gold:

Technique made practical
Troubleshooting and set-up advice that works.
Musicality from day one

The Perfect Christmas Present

Whether you’re treating yourself or dropping hints to loved ones, this book is the ideal gift for any Nerdy-gurdy owner. It’s the present that pays dividends in progress, confidence, and finally hearing the music you imagined during those assembly hours.

Why Order Direct?

Ordering directly from me at quentinbudworth@yahoo.com does more than get you a book:

More support for the author (and less for Jeff Bezos—every little helps!)
No import duties for EU, US, Canadian, or UK customers
10-14 day delivery—perfect timing for Christmas
Join the community: I keep a reader database for future updates and publications

How to Order

Simply email quentinbudworth@yahoo.com with:

Your postal address
Preferred payment method (PayPal or Direct Bank Transfer)

I’ll send payment details right back. Easy.

What Readers Are Saying

“I learn something new from every chapter!” – Kevin Holland, multi-instrumentalist

“It’s the missing manual. The difference between struggling and playing.” – Wolfie Fiddler

“A fascinating read… insights from 32 leading players from around the world. Nice one Q!” – Lou Dufy-Howard

Don’t let your Nerdy-gurdy gather dust. Give it (and yourself) the gift of music this Christmas.

Email quentinbudworth@yahoo.com today to secure your copy.

Warmly, Quentin Budworth

P.S. Gift vouchers available if you’d like to let someone choose their own musical adventure via zoom lessons or a hurdy-gurdy experience! Order by December 12th for guaranteed Christmas delivery.

If you haven’t got a Nerdy-Gurdy you can get one from here https://www.nerdygurdy.nl/

So, you’ve just picked up (or are dreaming of picking up) the magical, mysterious hurdy-gurdy. Congratulations! It’s an incredible instrument, but let’s be honest, it can also feel a bit daunting at first. Where do you start? How do you make that beautiful buzzing sound consistently? What are the “secrets” to really making it sing?

If you’re nodding along, then you’ll be excited to hear about a new resource that sounds like it was tailor-made to help you on your journey: “The Secret Life of the Hurdy-Gurdy: Field Notes On Playing” by Quentin Budworth.

Why This Book is a Goldmine for Newbies

Imagine having access to the distilled knowledge, reflections, and insights from a whole host of experienced hurdy-gurdy players – folks who have navigated diverse traditions and modern styles. That’s exactly what this book offers.

Instead of just one person’s perspective, “The Secret Life of the Hurdy-Gurdy” features a different player in each chapter. These musicians share their wisdom on crucial topics for anyone starting out, including:

Musicality: Moving beyond just notes to making real music.
Playing Technique: The nitty-gritty of how to physically play the instrument.
Theory: Understanding the “why” behind the music.
Practice: How to make your practice time effective.
Pedagogy: Insights into how the instrument is taught and learned.
Performance: Tips for when you’re ready to share your music.
Social Context: Understanding the hurdy-gurdy’s place in music and culture.

The book promises to “delight, enthuse, enlighten and inspire,” and importantly, help you “become a much better hurdy-gurdy player and musician.” As the description wisely says, “The wheel is infinite and life is short. Take time to stand on the shoulders of giants and enter the secret world of the hurdy-gurdy.” For a new player, this means potentially skipping years of trial-and-error by learning directly from the pros!

Who Are These “Giants”?

The lineup of contributors is seriously impressive, featuring writing and interviews with over 30 leading players from around the world. This includes names like Bruno Andersen, Patrick Bouffard, Gilles Chabenat, Germán Díaz, Matthias Loibner, Michalina Malisz, Isabelle Pignol, Steve Tyler, and many, many more. You’re getting a panoramic view of hurdy-gurdy wisdom!

What Early Readers Are Saying:

Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some early readers have said:

‘Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for the excellent book. It was really interesting to read about the philosophy and approach to playing the gurdy of such a variety of musicians, and it inspired me to play my gurdy, which is never a bad thing!’ – Wolfie Fiddler
‘It’s an excellent book. I learn something new from every chapter!’ – Kevin Holland, multi-instrumentalist.
‘A fascinating read. Not only for hurdy-gurdy players and other musicians, but with insights from 32 leading players from around the world, for anyone who likes people’s stories. Recommended! Nice one Q!’ – Lou Dufy-Howard

Get Your Copy & Support the Author!

“The Secret Life of the Hurdy-Gurdy” (ISBN: 978-1-0684248-0-9) is a paperback with 245 pages of gurdy goodness.

Price: UK £24.99 / US $35.00 / EU €35.00 / AUS $45.00 / CAN $45.00
Official Launch Date: May 1st, 2025
Good News! Pre-launch copies are available RIGHT NOW directly from the author, Quentin Budworth.

Why order direct?

You increase the royalty paid to the author (and reduce Amazon’s cut).
You help Quentin build a database of readers for future publications.
And, as Quentin cheekily puts it, you “give a billionaire, Jeff Bezos, a little kick in the shin!”

How to Order Directly:
Email Quentin Budworth at quentinbudworth@yahoo.com with:

Your postal address
Your preferred payment method (PayPal or Direct Bank Transfer)
He will then forward you the payment details.

Starting a new instrument is an adventure. “The Secret Life of the Hurdy-Gurdy” sounds like an invaluable map and compass to help you navigate the exciting world of this unique instrument and accelerate your progress. Happy cranking!

New to the Hurdy-Gurdy? This Book Could Be Your Secret Weapon!

Meet Quentin Budworth, a musician living on Skye He is a multi-instrumentalist, a highly skilled performer and composer, specialising in the hurdy-gurdy.