What does the constriction in the mouthpiece do?

topic posted Fri, August 31, 2007 - 8:59 PM by  offlineGreg
Hi
I have been having a go at making PVC Ney type flutes for a while now.I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the constriction in or below a ney mouthpiece does?Bulgarian and Macedonian Kavals don't seem to have it.

Thanks
Greg
New Zealand
posted by:
Greg
New Zealand
  • The contsriction on a plastic ney corresponds to the node on the cane; the upper node is not opened up as much as the others, so it is a smaller hole. I think it makes the instruments play better in tune and have a better tone.
    The kaval is not a ney...related, but different. Don't a lot of kavals have some sort of widening of the chamber near the mouthpiece?
  • About the turkish ney, I read somewhere ( cannot remenber where) that it is the inside section of the baspare and the half (or less than half ) open first node of the reed that contributes to the caractheristic sound of this flute.
    About the baspare:
    www.neyzen.com/ney_bolum....%20olculeri
    • yes...all ney have the upper node constriction, and then the Turkish bas,pare adds even more to the tone with its tulip shaped chamber.
      • In acoustics, a constriction in a pipe is a "low pass filter", letting the low frequencies through
        but I'm not sure if that is what exactly takes place in a ney.
        It may be that the 'filter' helps promote harmonics of the primary tones that give rise to the neys breathy sound.
        It is also interesting that the rough dimensions of the top section is 2/26, which corresponds with
        all the other fractional dimensions (x/26) of the neys tone holes.
        When I make a ney, I can only play the highest notes when that top node is first perforated. As the hole
        is enlarged, lower notes slowly come into play. Once the lowest notes are playable, I stop enlarging the hole.
        I don't know if this is the correct way to make a ney or not.
        -Woody
        • Thanks everybody for your replies to my question.
          Woody, can you please explain your x/26 method of positioning toneholes?It sounds interesting.

          Thanks
          Greg
          • Its based on a drawing of a ney on a website, from several years ago.
            It shows, from mouth piece to bottom, fractional positions of hole centers at: (perforated node at top) 24/26,
            back hole 13/26, next six holes at 10/26, 9/26, 8/26, 6/26, 5/26, and 4/26.
            These are fractions of the total length of the ney.
            I tested this by measuring a couple ney I had, and several images of sets on the internet. They all follow this closely.
            I then made a full size ney 'graph' (actually a nomogram), which shows a gradation of these measurements.
            To this graph I also added the node positions for the approximate 'best' placement of the 8 nodes.
            When I pick a piece of suitable Arundo cane, I can then slide it around on my graph and find what ney that cane might become.
            Its a little bit of trial and error. When I finish a ney, I then compare it to a tuner, and make notes on my graph
            as to where the various neys, C,D,E,F..... are falling into place.
            -Woody

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