. . . "The hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to those of a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents \u2014 small wedges, typically made of wood \u2014 against one or more of the strings to change their pitch."@en .