How the khloy makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the khloy 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.
Players shape its sound through technique and materials; the resonating body filters the raw vibration, boosting some harmonics and damping others.
From Wikipedia
The khloy is a traditional bamboo vertical duct flute from Cambodia and more specifically the Khmer people. The khloy and other similar bamboo flutes can be found throughout Asia, due to bamboo's abundance in the region. The khloy is a duct flute and has two sizes: smaller, higher-pitched (khloy ek) and larger, lower-pitched (khloy thomm). It has six finger holes and a thumb hole, or seven finger holes and no thumb hole. A hole above the highest finger hole may be covered with a membrane made of rice paper or bamboo inner skin, similar to di mo.
The Cambodian khloy is often mistaken for its close relative of Thailand, the klui flute, however Khmer khloy is aged older. Unlike the klui flute, the khloy is generally played solo in an informal setting. The khloy is mostly played using the pentatonic scale.
Other flutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a khloy 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 khloy?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.221.12).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q19684608 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Khloy – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Emile Gsell – CC BY-SA 4.0