for beginners, but have rather a considerable degree of difficulty.
The "Méthode" of Bordet does not contain such extensive information. Its complete title is: "Méthode raisonée pour apprendre la musique d'une façon plus claire et plus précise à laquelle on joint l'éntendue de la flute transvèriere, du violon, du pardessus de viole, de la vielle et de la musette; leur accord, quelques observations sur la touche desdits instruments et des leçons simples, mesurée et variées, suivies d'un recueil d'airs en duo façiles et connus pour la plus-part. Livre Ier, Paris (ca.1755)". [trans:] His remarks concerning the intended contents are followed by a short summary of musical basics: note values, intervals, clefs, etc. In connection with the tonal range of the hurdy-gurdy and of the musette Bordet makes several interesting remarks concerning the transposition for these instruments [fn]. The pieces which are to be played on this instrument should not be selected only according to their range, but attention should be given to seeing that they do not modulate, when in a major key, to anything other than than the dominant, or else if this cannot be avoided for only avery short time and just in passing into the sub-dominant. Somewhat greater freedom can be taken with pieces in a minor key, since modulation can occur not only onto the dominant and the sub-dominant, but even into the mediant and into the minor key of the sub-mediant, although again these modulations should only be very short: "car autrement il seroit dure a l'oreille, parce que les Cordes ou Bourdons, qui continuellement sonnent l'Accord de 5te. et Fondamental du premier Ton, deviendroient des Cordes étrangeres au nouveau Ton, et formeroient sans cesse des dissonances mal placées" [fn]. [trans]
If one wants to play pieces however which modulate into other keys, then the drone strings have to be removed from the wheel, " ce qui à la verité changeroit la nature de ces Instrumens, et leur ôteroit la plus grande partie de leur agrément" [fn]. [trans] After this advice with regard to transposition Bordet gives the tonal range of the hurdy-gurdy and the musette with the tuning of the strings and the pipes, and follows this with several short exercises, with the help of which playing the note values and the wheel accents should be learned. He does not however discuss any further this special technique which is peculiar to the hurdy-gurdy, since the "Méthode" was not intended to be exclusively a method for this instrument.
The last and best known 18th century method was produced by Michel Corrette: "Méthode pour apprendre à jouer de la vielle", printed in Paris in 1783. At the beginning the author remarks that the hurdy-gurdy is well suited to be played alone for dances: " La Vielle est un instrument à corde, agréable, brillant et bon pour jouer seul et faire danser" [translation JW: "The hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument, pleasant, clear toned and excellent for playing alone and for dances"][fn]. After the introductory remarks Corrette discusses the playing position of the instrument, the tuning of the strings and the movement of the wheel. "La tour de la Roue est la plus difficile du jeu de la Vielle". [fn][translation JW: The turning of the Wheel is the hardest part of playing the Hurdy-gurdy"] The instructions which follow concerning the care of the instrument and the correct regulation of the individual keys are very useful. He explains in which ways, aside from the use of cotton and rosin, the tuning of the chanterelles can be exactly regulated [fn]. After the technical instructions Corrette first presents pieces for one hurdy-gurdy, and after this pieces for two instruments. The most beautiful compositions are provided with fingerings and those pieces which he wrote himself are denoted by an asterisk [fn].[NB - footnotes are out of order, 1,2,4,5,3, because of text revisions for clarity]
If one compares the different methods, it cannot be understood why it was just the "Méthode" of Corrette which had a second printing. In the instructions for learning the hurdy-gurdy 