How the csakan makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the csakan belongs to the flutes (edge-blown): an air jet is split on a sharp edge, setting the air column vibrating – flutes, recorders, whistles and panpipes.
More broadly it is one of the aerophones (wind instruments), where sound comes from vibrating air.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
The csakan is a type of woodwind instrument that was popular in Austria-Hungary in the 19th century.
A type of duct flute, the csakan was originally a recorder crafted in the shape of a walking stick with a mouthpiece in the handle, reflecting the design of Hungarian war hammers which had been converted into flutes. From the 1820s, a new design appeared, which was in the shape of an oboe or clarinet.
Other flutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a csakan sound like?
As one of the flutes, its sound comes from the way an air jet is split on a sharp edge, setting the air column vibrating.
What type of instrument is the csakan?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.2).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q1802897 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Csakan – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Rudolfgitti – CC BY-SA 4.0