How the kōauau makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the kōauau 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
A kōauau is a small flute, ductless and notchless, 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) long, open at both ends and having from three to six fingerholes placed along the pipe.
Kōauau resemble flutes the world over both in tone quality and in the range of sounds that can be produced by directing the breath across the sharp edge of the upper aperture. Māori kōauau players were renowned for the power it gave them over the affections of women (notably illustrated by the story of Tūtānekai, who, by playing his kōauau, convinced Hinemoa to swim to him across Lake Rotorua). Kōauau are made of wood or bone. Formerly the bone was of bird bone such as albatross or moa; some instruments were also of human bone and were associated with chiefly status and with the cultural practice of utu. The instrument is associated with romantic rituals across New Zealand villages.
Other flutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a kōauau 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 kōauau?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.111.12).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q3030514 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Kōauau – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Universidad Nacional de La Plata – CC BY 3.0