Pan flute

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A pan flute, also called panpipes or syrinx, is a musical instrument made of several tubes of increasing length. The tubes are closed at one end, and you blow across the open end to make sound. The length of each tube determines its pitch. Typical tubes are made from bamboo or reeds, but they can also be wood, plastic, metal, or clay.

Origin and names: The pan flute is connected to the Greek god Pan. Pan is often shown with the instrument, and in myth there was Syrinx, a forest nymph turned into reeds. The Greeks called the instrument Syrinx; Pan-pipes and Pan-flute names come from Pan. The instrument was adopted by other ancient peoples and traditions.

Tuning and playing: Pipes are tuned to different notes using corks, wax, pebbles, or corn kernels inside the bottoms. In some versions (like the curved Romanian style) the pipes are glued together in a curved row; in Andean versions they are usually tied. To play, you blow across the top edge of the tubes. Shorter tubes play higher notes, longer tubes lower ones. By tilting the instrument or changing how you shape your lips, you can reach sharps and flats and even play in different keys. Wider tubes sound more flute-like; very narrow tubes sound reedier.

Vibrato and technique: Two common vibrato styles are hand vibrato (moving the top end a bit) and breath or throat vibrato (using the diaphragm).

Famous and variations: The curved Romanian pan flute was popularized by Gheorghe Zamfir in the 1970s. Panpipes are used in many cultures, including Andean music in Bolivia (jula-jula or julu-julu), Laos and Thailand (wot), and parts of Africa such as Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Modern design: Today, designers use computer planning and 3D printing to make new pan flutes that are easier to learn and play.