How the pan flute makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the pan flute 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
A pan flute (also known as panpipes or syrinx) is a musical instrument based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting of multiple pipes of gradually increasing length (and occasionally girth). Numerous varieties of pan flutes have been popular as folk instruments. The pipes are typically made from bamboo, giant cane, or local reeds. Other materials include wood, plastic, metal, and clay.
Other flutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a pan flute 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 pan flute?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.112).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q218802 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Pan flute – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by ПростоУчастник – CC0 1.0