How the floyara makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the floyara 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.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
The floyara (Ukrainian: Флояра; Romanian fluier; comes from Latin: flabellum — «fan») (Floyarka) is a more perfected form of the sopilka. It is characterized as an open ended notched flute. The floyara is a pipe of approximately a metre in length. One end is sharpened and the breath is broken against one of the sides of the tube at the playing end. Six holes in groups of three are burnt out in the centre of the instrument. It was often played at funerals in the Carpathian Mountains. The floyarka is a smaller version of the floyara and is similar to the sopilka and frilka. The floyara is approximately 60 cm (24 in) long. The mouthpiece is sharpened into a cone-like edge and the instrument produces a sound similar to that of the flute. Shepherds were also able to accompany themselves with glutteral humming which produced an ostinato tone or drone. The floyarka is often called a frilka or sometimes zubivka in central Ukraine.
Other flutes
More instruments from Ukraine
Frequently asked questions
What does a floyara 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 floyara?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.111-2).
Where does the floyara come from?
The floyara originates from Ukraine.