My first ever post here! I am a whistle player (play both high and low whistles). Recently my girlfriend arrived back from Bolivia with a present of a wooden low-whistle-type instrument which I have been trying to figure out how to play. She failed to get any information on the instrument or even ask what it's name was when she bought it. Unlike many touristy-type instruments this appears to be very well made and has a maker's name printed on the back. I have posted 5 photos I took of the instrument below to give an idea of how it looks.
Basically I am wondering if anyone can help me out to tell me:
* what the instrument is called!
* if there are any online resources which may help in learning how to play it?
* any other tips/advice etc..
I have managed to get some notes out of it but find the breathing control needs to be extremely precise since there is no mouthpiece as such. Also I've been running out of breath very quickly while huffing and puffing....
Thanks seisflutes, looks like that's what it is alright. Although the one I have is made from wood rather than bamboo and is in the Key of D, so must be a Quenacho as described in the Wikipedia article.
Not a lot of info on Wikipedia but at least now that I know its name it'll be easier to try and source further information on it!
Interesting instrument. It reminds me of those japanese flutes (shakuhachis?). I have never been able to play one satisfactorily, and am curious what the attraction is.
Does it have any particular virtues that set it apart from other whistles and flutes? For example, does it have a bit more volume, or is it more comfortable in a wider range?
Quena (Spanish spelling) or Kena (native spelling) are usually pitched the same as a low G whistle. There's a bigger version called Quenacho (Spanish) or Kena-Kena (native) which is larger, the size of a low D whistle or Irish flute.
They finger like a whistle or Irish flute except that they have a thumbhole, which you could just cover with tape. You can't get a good cross-fingered C natural in most cases because the top hole is much larger than the corresponding hole on Irish flute/whistle.
Played well, they have a fantastic flutelike tone. The best Kena players actually have a quality of tone that rivals the best Orchestral silver flute players- it's just a terrific instrument. . I've made a couple of Kena-Kenas out of PVC pipe and used Irish-style fingerhole placement. You get a thing that's held like a low whistle but has the power and flexibility of sound of a flute.
HC:
If you mean that the challenge can be part of the pleasure in the playing, I tend to agree. But in some cases, I look at what the return is for the effort invested.
I reckon I shall stick to my low whistle till I learn more.
Yes, the quena (also spelled kena in some references) and the Japanese shakuhachi are related. See http://www.shakuhachi.com for a fairly complete resource about these instruments.
The basic playing technique is to set your lower lip into the top and blow out across the notch. A common starting technique for getting a tone is to hold the instrument horizontally and set the mouthpiece in place, then blow gently while you lower the body of the instrument. The usual playing position (for shakuhachi, at least) is with the instrument at about a 45-degree angle from your body. (And it can be rather difficult to get a tone out at first, until you find the correct positioning.)
The Japanese ones are usually 5-hole (4 in front and a thumbhole in the back), tuned pentatonic (5-tone scale). When played properly, they produce very ethereal notes, suitable for meditation.
What's This Instrument?
What's This Instrument?
Hello all,
My first ever post here! I am a whistle player (play both high and low whistles). Recently my girlfriend arrived back from Bolivia with a present of a wooden low-whistle-type instrument which I have been trying to figure out how to play. She failed to get any information on the instrument or even ask what it's name was when she bought it. Unlike many touristy-type instruments this appears to be very well made and has a maker's name printed on the back. I have posted 5 photos I took of the instrument below to give an idea of how it looks.
Basically I am wondering if anyone can help me out to tell me:
* what the instrument is called!
* if there are any online resources which may help in learning how to play it?
* any other tips/advice etc..
I have managed to get some notes out of it but find the breathing control needs to be extremely precise since there is no mouthpiece as such. Also I've been running out of breath very quickly while huffing and puffing....
Here are some photos:
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/696/69731385dp9.jpg
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/5886/64400793zc7.jpg
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3708/57954677pq7.jpg
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6840/71057916wa1.jpg
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1319/54533539pw8.jpg
Féilim
# Posted on November 5th 2007 by jargha
Re: What's This Instrument?
Looks like a quena.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quena
# Posted on November 5th 2007 by seisflutes
Re: What's This Instrument?
Thanks seisflutes, looks like that's what it is alright. Although the one I have is made from wood rather than bamboo and is in the Key of D, so must be a Quenacho as described in the Wikipedia article.
Not a lot of info on Wikipedia but at least now that I know its name it'll be easier to try and source further information on it!
# Posted on November 5th 2007 by jargha
Re: What's This Instrument?
Just found thisresource which is pretty good:
http://www.fippless.org/Quena/
# Posted on November 5th 2007 by jargha
Re: What's This Instrument?
If you do a search for Tony Hinnigan's site he has some videos on quena playing.
# Posted on November 6th 2007 by gostrangely
Re: What's This Instrument?
Yeah that's a realy good website, this is the link to the tutorial:
http://www.tonyhinnigan.com/moviedl.php?group=33
# Posted on November 6th 2007 by ainekenaz
Re: What's This Instrument?
Interesting instrument. It reminds me of those japanese flutes (shakuhachis?). I have never been able to play one satisfactorily, and am curious what the attraction is.
Does it have any particular virtues that set it apart from other whistles and flutes? For example, does it have a bit more volume, or is it more comfortable in a wider range?
# Posted on November 6th 2007 by Piece
Re: What's This Instrument?
"I have never been able to play one satisfactorily"
That's probably what the attraction is..
# Posted on November 6th 2007 by Hugo Chavez
Re: What's This Instrument?
Quena (Spanish spelling) or Kena (native spelling) are usually pitched the same as a low G whistle. There's a bigger version called Quenacho (Spanish) or Kena-Kena (native) which is larger, the size of a low D whistle or Irish flute.
They finger like a whistle or Irish flute except that they have a thumbhole, which you could just cover with tape. You can't get a good cross-fingered C natural in most cases because the top hole is much larger than the corresponding hole on Irish flute/whistle.
Played well, they have a fantastic flutelike tone. The best Kena players actually have a quality of tone that rivals the best Orchestral silver flute players- it's just a terrific instrument. . I've made a couple of Kena-Kenas out of PVC pipe and used Irish-style fingerhole placement. You get a thing that's held like a low whistle but has the power and flexibility of sound of a flute.
# Posted on November 6th 2007 by Richard D Cook
Re: What's This Instrument?
HC:
If you mean that the challenge can be part of the pleasure in the playing, I tend to agree. But in some cases, I look at what the return is for the effort invested.
I reckon I shall stick to my low whistle till I learn more.
# Posted on November 7th 2007 by Piece
Re: What's This Instrument?
Yes, the quena (also spelled kena in some references) and the Japanese shakuhachi are related. See http://www.shakuhachi.com for a fairly complete resource about these instruments.
The basic playing technique is to set your lower lip into the top and blow out across the notch. A common starting technique for getting a tone is to hold the instrument horizontally and set the mouthpiece in place, then blow gently while you lower the body of the instrument. The usual playing position (for shakuhachi, at least) is with the instrument at about a 45-degree angle from your body. (And it can be rather difficult to get a tone out at first, until you find the correct positioning.)
The Japanese ones are usually 5-hole (4 in front and a thumbhole in the back), tuned pentatonic (5-tone scale). When played properly, they produce very ethereal notes, suitable for meditation.
# Posted on November 11th 2007 by LadyNiniane