How the khlui makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the khlui 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 khlui is a vertical duct bamboo flute from Thailand, which originated before or during the Sukhothai period (1238–1583). It was officially recognized as a Thai instrument by King Trailokkanat (1431–1488), who set the official model of each traditional Thai instrument. It is generally made of bamboo, though it can also be made from other types of wood or plastic. After many generations of modifications, it survives to the present day in three main forms: the khlui phīang aw, khlui lip, and khlui ū, which are of different sizes, although there are more variations of the khlui, like khlui kruad, khlui rōng-aw and khlui nok. The khlui is very similar to the Cambodian khloy.
Other flutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a khlui 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 khlui?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.221.12).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q6401851 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Khlui – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Badagnani – CC BY 3.0