A pan flute, also called panpipes or syrinx, is a musical instrument that works using the principle of a closed tube. It has several pipes that get longer little by little, and sometimes wider. Many types of pan flutes have been used as folk instruments. The pipes are usually made from bamboo, giant cane, or local reeds. Other materials used include wood, plastic, metal, and clay.

Name

The pan flute is named after Pan, the Greek god of nature and shepherds, who is often shown playing this instrument.

The pan flute is often linked to the character Peter Pan, created by Sir James Matthew Barrie. The name Peter Pan was inspired by the god Pan.

In Greek mythology, Syrinx was a forest nymph. To escape the attention of the god Pan, who was half goat and half man, she was changed into a water-reed or calamos. Pan then cut several reeds, placed them side by side, and tied them together to create a musical instrument. The ancient Greeks called this instrument Syrinx, in honor of the Muse, and also called it Pandean, Pan-pipes, or Pan-flute, after Pan. Syrinx was a different instrument from the Aulos, which is often called "flute" or "double flute" in English.

The Syrinx, a musical instrument used in rural areas by the Greeks, was later adopted by the Etruscans. They played it during their festivals and banquets and called it fistula. The Romans also adopted the Syrinx from the Greeks and Etruscans. They played it at their banquets, festivals, and during religious and funeral processions.

Structure

The pan flute has tubes that are closed at one end. When air vibrates inside these tubes, it creates a standing wave that reflects, producing a note one octave lower than a similar open pipe. In traditional South American pan flutes, small pebbles or dry corn kernels are placed in the bottom of the tubes to adjust the pitch. Modern curved Romanian-style panpipes use wax, such as beeswax, to tune new instruments. Special tools are used to add or remove wax. Corks and rubber stoppers are also used because they allow for quick tuning.

The pan flute is an end-blown flute. Sound is created when air flows across an open hole at the end of a tube, causing vibrations. The length of the tube determines the main pitch, or fundamental frequency. In cylindrical tubes, higher notes (harmonics) are usually about a 12th above the main pitch. However, if the tube tapers inward, the higher notes can be closer to an octave (8th) above the main pitch.

According to the Fundamental Principle for pan flutes, the length of a tube and its frequency are inversely related. When the pitch rises one octave, the frequency doubles. A chromatic scale has 12 notes, and each half-step is calculated by multiplying the previous note’s frequency by the 12th root of 2. This allows makers to calculate the length of a tube if they know the length of one other tube. The formula to find the length of a pan flute tube is: Length (in centimeters) × Frequency (in hertz) = 8575. This formula assumes the speed of sound is 343 meters per second. However, because air inside the tube compresses slightly, the actual length must be slightly shorter to correct for flat pitch. Makers can use corks or plugs at the bottom of the tube to fine-tune the pitch. Some instruments use wax or small pellets to adjust the main pitch of each tube.

The diameter of a tube affects its tone. A tube with a diameter that is 1/10 of its length produces a typical tone. Acceptable inner diameter ranges are between 1/7 and 1/14 of the tube’s length. Narrow tubes create a "reedy" sound, while wider tubes produce a "flutey" sound. A more precise method to calculate the tube’s length involves multiplying the bore diameter by 0.82 and subtracting that value from the tube’s length. This adjustment accounts for air compression and the way air flows over the opening. Only small changes are needed afterward to adjust for air density and temperature.

Playing

The pan flute is played by blowing air across the open end of each pipe, aiming it at the sharp edge inside the pipe. Each pipe is set to a specific note, known as the fundamental frequency. When a player blows harder and tightens their lips, they can create higher notes called odd harmonics. These notes have frequencies that are odd multiples of the fundamental frequency and are often found in cylindrical tubes. The Romanian pan flute has its pipes arranged in a curved shape and is glued together, while Andean versions are usually tied together. This design allows the player to reach all notes easily by turning their head or moving the instrument with their hands. These flutes can also play sharp and flat notes using a special technique that involves tilting the pipes and moving the jaw. This changes the size of the pipe's opening and alters the pitch. Skilled players can play any musical scale and in any key. There are two types of vibrato: hand vibrato and breath vibrato. In hand vibrato, the player gently moves one end of the flute, similar to how a violinist creates vibrato, causing the pitch to rise and fall. Breath vibrato, also called tremolo or volume swell, involves using the diaphragm or throat muscles to change the sound's volume and tone, similar to how flute and woodwind players use their breath.

Variations

The curved-style pan flute became well-known because of the Romanian musician Gheorghe Zamfir, who traveled widely and recorded many pan flute music albums in the 1970s. Other musicians also started recording pan flute music around the same time. Today, thousands of people across Europe, Asia, and the Americas play the pan flute. Both the curved-style pan flute and the traditional South American version are popular in Peruvian traditional groups and other Andean music. In Bolivia, the panpipes of the altiplano region are called jula-jula, and those from the Andean range are called julu-julu.

In Laos and Thailand, there is a cylindrical version of the pan flute called the wot, used in folk music from the Isaan region. The player changes notes by turning the instrument with their hands instead of moving their head.

Panpipes are used in many types of African traditional music, usually made from bamboo. The ngororombe is played with percussion instruments in musical groups in northeastern Zimbabwe. The Nyungwa tribe in Malawi also uses the ngororombe and uses the same word to describe the dance that goes with playing the instrument. They also call the instrument nyanga.

New designs of pan flutes are being created using computer-designed tools and 3D printing. These new designs help solve problems that made the instrument harder to learn and play accurately.

• Paixiao
• Wot
• Nai (Romania, Moldova)
• Siku
• Kuvytsi, Svyryli, Rebro, Nai (Ukraine)
• A small pan flute called chiflo or xipro was used by Galician knife sharpeners in Portugal, Spain, Argentina, and Mexico. They blew short, loud notes to let people know they were nearby. These flutes were traditionally carved from wood but are now sometimes made of plastic.
• The firlinfeu is a popular folk instrument in Brianza, the province of Monza, and the southern parts of the provinces of Lecco and Como (Italy).
• Quills, an African-American instrument, are mainly known from recordings by Henry Thomas in the 1920s and the Delta blues musician Sid Hemphill. Recently, Dom Flemons has brought the instrument back into use.
• Soinari
• Larchemi

Notable pan flute musicians

• Matthijs Koene (Dutch)
• Gheorghe Zamfir (Romanian)
• Leo Rojas (Ecuadorian)
• Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas (American, played a type of instrument called "quills")
• Dana Dragomir (has Romanian and Swedish heritage)
• Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull (British)