End-blown flute

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The end-blown flute is a simple woodwind instrument where the player directs air against the end of a pipe or tube. Although the required embouchure is difficult to master — many hours of practice are required to even produce a single tone — once acquired the player can make music on even the simplest tube or pipe from a hardware store. Unlike pan pipes, both ends of the tube are open, and unlike a recorder or tin whistle, there is no fipple.

End-blown flutes are widespread in folk music. In the Mediterranean and Middle East the ney is frequently used, constructed from reed. Depictions of early versions of the ney can be found in wall paintings in the pyramids of Egypt, indicating that it is one of the oldest musical instruments in continued use. In Turkey the nai and kaval are both end-blown. China has the xiao, Japan has the shakuhachi and hocchiku, and Korea has the danso and tongso. People of the Andes play the quena, the Hopi and their predecessors the Anasazi of the American southwest have and had a flute similar to the ney.

Also see: transverse flute.