Themes > Arts > Music > Arab Music > Musical Instruments > Arabian Musical Instruments > Wind Instruments

Arghul
Egyptian version of the yarghul.

Ghaytah, raita

Morocco: a wooden double-reed instrument, similar to the Tunisian zukrah.

Khallool

A metre-long flute with two playing holes at the far end. Thought to be one of the oldest wind instruments, and still played in the Tihama area of Yemen.

Maqrunah
North Africa (especially Libya and Tunisia): a single-reed instrument with two horn bells. See also mizwid.

 

 

Mijwiz
Lebanon: this instrument has two identical reed tubes (the name means "paired" or "married"). Each tube has five or six holes and a smaller tube inside which vibrates to produce the sound. It is played using a circular breathing technique which produces a continuous sound, unlike a flute. See also mitbiq and yarghul.

Minjayrah

Levant and Iraq: a reed flute, open-ended and end-blown. It has a limited range and a breathy sound, which the player sometimes accomanpies by humming. Associated with weddings and dances, but also played by shepherds. See also shabbabah.

Mitbiq
Iraq: a twin-tube instrument similar to the mijwiz.

Mizmar
Egypt: a double-reed instrument. Normally three are played together, accompanied by a large double-sided drum (tabl).

 



Mizwid

Libya, Tunisia, Algeria: basically a maqrunah with a bag attached, giving a bagpipe sound.

 

 

Nafir, N'far
Morocco: a three-metre long single-note horn made of copper. Used in ceremonial music and to awaken the faithful during Ramadan.

Nay
An open-ended reed flute, blown obliquely. With a wide range and breathy tone, it is highly expressive. and capable of producing dynamic and tonal inflections. The development and use of the nay has been attributed to shepherds, but it is, in fact, an urban instrument. In Egypt, it is one of the instruments traditionally used in the ensemble known as a takht, ("platform"). Also associated with Sufism.

Qasabah
Southern Algeria, Tunisia: an end-blown reed flute used to accompany songs.

Raita
See ghaytah

Salamiyyah
Egypt: an open-ended reed-flute associated with Sufism.

Shabbabah
Palestinian version of the minjayrah.

Yarghul
Palestine: similar in principle to the mijwiz, but only one of its tubes has holes; the other, which is longer, is used to produce an accompanying drone.

Zamr, zurna

Levant and Iraq: double-reed oboe-type instrument used to accompany dances.

Zukrah
Tunisia: a double-reed instrument similar to the Moroccan ghaytah.

Zummarah
Egyptian version of the mijwiz.


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