The hurdy-gurdy academy I wish existed when I started.
Step-by-step video lessons with a real teacher: sound, rhythm, CUP, reading, repertoire, modes, interpretation and practical music-making — built for players who want to stop collecting random tunes and start understanding the instrument.
Short lessons, practical PDFs and a guided method you can return to at your own pace.
All courses are taught in English for the international hurdy-gurdy community.
A real academy: sound, technique, CUP, reading, repertoire, modes and musical understanding in one guided method.
Most players are not missing more tunes. They are missing the basics that make tunes make sense.
Music is not only playing notes. It is rhythm, phrasing, sound, details, interpretation and context.
Many hurdy-gurdy players learn in fragments.
A tune here, a tutorial there, a workshop once a year, a book that explains something useful but cannot show the tiny details. The result is often mechanical playing, unstable rhythm, confusing CUP, fear of reading music and months spent on one piece.
Stop collecting tunes without understanding them.
The academy connects repertoire to rhythm, technique, phrasing, modes and musical decisions.
Learn enough music to unlock more playing.
You do not need to become a conservatory musician. A few simple tools can open a huge amount of folk and early repertoire.
Study with a real teacher, not only scattered advice.
The Crankers Club Academy turns years of teaching, performing and online didactic work into an organised method.
A complete method you can study one short lesson at a time.
The academy is built around Sergio’s beginner method and expanded through video lessons, PDFs and practical examples. You can start with the foundations and continue into rhythm, reading, repertoire, modes and interpretation.
Foundations
Sound, posture, tuning, basic setup, wheel control and how the instrument physically responds.
Rhythm and CUP
Pulse, dog rhythm, hand independence, coordination and practical rhythmic patterns.
Reading without fear
A simple, folk-friendly approach to reading music so you can learn faster and access more repertoire.
Repertoire and interpretation
Folk tunes, medieval music, Renaissance, Baroque, modes, phrasing, ornaments and musical choices.
A growing academy of short lessons across practical modules.
The academy is designed to grow over time with new videos, Repertoire Packs and focused modules added regularly.
Beginner Method Videos
The video companion to Sergio’s initiation book: foundations, technique, reading and first pieces.
Sound & Setup Basics
Enough setup knowledge to understand your instrument and avoid common sound problems.
CUP & Hand Dissociation
Rhythm, coordination, dog patterns and exercises for separating both hands.
Reading Music From Zero
Simple notation for folk players and curious amateurs who want to learn more efficiently.
Modes & Improvisation
Understand modes, create variations and start making musical decisions instead of only repeating notes.
Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque
Early repertoire treated as living music: context, phrasing, rhythm and interpretation.
Repertoire Packs that give you something real to play.
Instead of isolated pieces, each pack gives you a small musical world: context, technique, rhythm, ornamentation and a usable set of tunes.
Balfolk Starter Pack
Easy dance repertoire with practical rhythm, phrasing and accompaniment ideas.
Galician Starter Pack
Muiñeira, alborada, rumba and 6/8 work connected to CUP and ornamentation.
Easy Medieval Pack
Simple medieval pieces with story, mode, drones and phrasing.
Cantigas Story Pack
Cantigas connected by narrative and musical ideas, not just isolated melodies.
Renaissance Starter Pack
Dance, rhythm and historical repertoire adapted to practical hurdy-gurdy playing.
Baroque Starter Pack
A first doorway into later historical repertoire, ornamentation and style.
A real academy built from real teaching experience.
Learn from a working musician and teacher with real students, workshops and international experience.
Choose the level of guidance you want.
Choose the membership that fits the way you want to study: self-paced lessons, monthly live guidance, or a more mentored community experience.
Free
A first entrance into The Crankers Club Academy.
- Selected introductory lessons
- Basic starter material
- Beginner method samples
- Starter access for new players
Gold
The full academy course library.
- Growing lesson library
- Core academy modules
- PDFs and practice material
- Repertoire Packs
- New lessons added regularly
Premium
Gold plus monthly live guidance.
- Everything in Gold
- Monthly Live Q&A Session
- Submit questions before the session
- Session recordings available afterwards
- Monthly practice focus
Only $40 more than Gold.
Join PremiumDiamond
The mentored community and feedback level.
- Everything in Premium
- Private community
- Post questions and short playing videos
- Group feedback from Sergio
- Priority for Q&A and future topics
Common doubts, answered directly.
“I do not have time.”
You do not need heroic practice sessions. Five or ten focused minutes a day can change how you relate to the instrument.
“I do not read music.”
That is part of the method. You will learn simple, useful reading that helps you play more repertoire without fear.
“My instrument sounds bad.”
Sound and setup are included, but they are not the whole project. They are part of learning the instrument properly.
“I already watch free videos.”
Perfect. This is the organised academy version: lessons, PDFs, modules, repertoire and a method you can follow.
“I am too old to start.”
No. The lessons are clear, repeatable and self-paced. You can pause, rewatch and return to each topic whenever you need.
“I prefer 1:1 lessons.”
Private lessons with Sergio are limited and cost several times more. The academy gives you structured access to the method at a lower price.
Learn with Sergio González Prats.
Sergio González Prats is a professional hurdy-gurdy player, teacher, researcher and early music performer. If you have searched for hurdy-gurdy tutorials online, there is a good chance you have already found his videos.
The Crankers Club Academy takes that educational work and turns it into a complete guided method: sound, setup, CUP, rhythm, reading, repertoire, modes and musical understanding.
Questions before you crank?
Are the lessons live?
The course modules are pre-recorded. Premium and Diamond include a monthly Live Q&A Session, and Diamond adds private community feedback.
What does Diamond feedback mean?
Diamond members can post questions and short videos inside the private community. Sergio gives group feedback and can use selected examples in the monthly session so everyone learns from real cases.
Do I need to read music already?
No. One of the goals is to help folk players learn enough simple reading to unlock more repertoire.
Is this only for beginners?
No. The academy starts from the foundations, but later modules and Repertoire Packs can also help players who have been playing for years without a clear method.
Is the academy only about medieval music?
No. Medieval music is important, but the academy also covers folk, Renaissance, Baroque, technique, reading, rhythm, modes and interpretation.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Monthly memberships can be cancelled according to the platform terms.
Why is it in English?
The Crankers Club Academy is built for the international hurdy-gurdy community, so all courses are taught in English.
Start understanding the hurdy-gurdy.
Join The Crankers Club Academy and study sound, rhythm, CUP, reading, repertoire, modes and interpretation with a real guided method.