How the ney makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the ney 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 ney ( NAY; Persian: نی) is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in traditional Kurdish, Persian, Turkish, Jewish, Arab, and Egyptian music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. The ney has been played for over 4,500 years, dating back to ancient Egypt, making it one of the oldest musical instruments still in use.
Other flutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a ney 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 ney?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.111.1).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q743836 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Ney – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Nerval at English Wikipedia – CC BY-SA 3.0