Tunings for the Galician zanfona
Again, a dig into the archives of the hurdy-gurdy discussion list brings out an interesting post from Wolodymyr “Vlad” Smishkewych on tunings for the Galician zanfona. He writes {includes corrections from the thread following discussion with Simon Wascher):
The main difference between Galician zanfonas and other gurdies is that the instrument is exclusively built and played in what vielle-oriented gurdyists know as ‘en musette’, or without the mouche or trompette. The sound of the chanterelles is enhanced and made richer by adding a third chanterelle tuned an octave below the two unisons; the open tuning for the two standard Galician zanfonas would be:
G/C (DO):
- 1st & 2nd cantantes (chanterelles): g’
- 3rd cantante: g (one octave below c.1 & 2)
- 1st bordon (bourdon):c
- 2nd bordon: G (one octave below c. 3)
D/G (SOL):
as above:
- c. 1 & 2:d’
- 3rd c.:d (one octave lower than c. 1 & 2)
- bordon 1:g
- b 2:D (one octave lower than c. 3
