A pan flute, also called panpipes or syrinx, is a musical instrument that uses the way sound works in closed tubes. It has several pipes that get longer (and sometimes wider) as they go from one end to the other. Many different types of pan flutes have been used as traditional 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. He is often shown holding an instrument like the pan flute.

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

In Greek mythology, Syrinx was a forest nymph. To escape the attention of Pan, who was part goat and part human, she changed into a water reed. Pan then cut several reeds, arranged 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 translated as "flute" or "double flute" in English.

The Syrinx was a musical instrument commonly used in rural areas by the Greeks. The Etruscans, another ancient people, adopted the Syrinx and used it during their festivals and banquets. They called it fistula. The Romans later took the Syrinx from the Greeks and Etruscans and played it at their banquets, festivals, and during religious events and funerals.

Structure

The pan flute has tubes that are closed at one end. When air moves through these tubes, it creates a standing wave that reflects back, producing a note that is one octave lower than a similar open pipe. In traditional South American pan flutes, small pebbles or dry corn kernels are placed inside 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 adjustments.

The pan flute is an end-blown flute. Sound is made when air flows across an open hole at the end of a tube. The length of the tube determines the main pitch, or fundamental frequency. In cylindrical tubes, a higher pitch called an overblown harmonic is about a 12th above the fundamental. If the tube tapers slightly, this higher pitch can be closer to an octave (8th) above the fundamental.

According to the Fundamental Principle for pan flutes, the frequency of a note and the length of the tube are inversely related. Each time the pitch rises one octave, the frequency doubles. A chromatic scale has 12 notes in an octave, 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 calculate the length of a pan flute pipe is: Length (in centimeters) × Frequency (in hertz) = 8575. This formula is based on the speed of sound (343 m/s) divided by the desired frequency and then divided by 4.

Because of air compression inside the tube, the actual length of the tube must be slightly shorter than the calculated length to correct for flat pitch. Makers can use a cork or plug at the bottom of the tube to fine-tune the pitch. Some instruments use wax or small pellets to adjust the fundamental pitch of each tube. A tube with a diameter that is 1/10 of its length produces a typical tone quality, or timbre. Acceptable inner diameter ranges are between 1/7 and 1/14 of the tube’s length. Narrow tubes produce a "reedy" sound, while wider tubes create a "flutey" sound. A more precise method involves multiplying the bore diameter by 0.82 and subtracting this value from the tube’s length. This adjustment accounts for air compression slowing the frequency and the lips partially covering the voicing. Only small changes are needed afterward to adjust for air density and temperature.

Playing

To play the pan flute, you blow air across the open end of each pipe against its sharp inner edge. Each pipe is tuned to a main note, known as the fundamental frequency. By blowing harder and tightening the lips, players can create odd harmonics. These are notes with frequencies that are odd multiples of the main note. In cylindrical tubes, these notes are close to a 12th. The Romanian pan flute has pipes arranged in a curved shape and glued together. In contrast, Andean versions are usually tied together. This allows the player to reach all notes by turning their head or moving the instrument with their hands. Players can also play sharps and flats using a special technique. They tilt the pipes and move their jaw to reduce the opening size, changing the pitch. An advanced player can play any musical scale in any key. There are two types of vibrato: hand vibrato and breath vibrato. With hand vibrato, the pitch goes up and down, similar to a vocal vibrato. The player moves the high end of the flute gently, like a violinist does. Breath vibrato, also called throat vibrato, is a tremolo or change in volume. It uses the same technique as flute and woodwind players, who control their diaphragm or throat muscles.

Variations

The curved-style pan flute became widely known because of the Romanian musician Gheorghe Zamfir, who performed in many places and recorded several albums of pan flute music during the 1970s. Other musicians also began 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 traditional South American versions are often used by Peruvian groups and other Andean music ensembles. In Bolivia, the panpipes of the altiplano region are called jula-jula, while those from the Andean range are called julu-julu.

In Laos and Thailand, a cylindrical version of the pan flute called the wot is used in folk music from the Isaan region. The player changes notes by turning the instrument with their hands, not by moving their head.

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

New designs of pan flutes are being created using computer-aided design and 3D printing. These modern tools help overcome the challenges of traditional materials and tools, making the instrument easier 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 musical notes to signal their arrival. These were once carved from wood but are now often 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, were played by Henry Thomas in the 1920s and the Delta blues musician Sid Hemphill. Recently, Dom Flemons has helped bring the quills 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 called "quills")
• Dana Dragomir (Romanian/Swedish)
• Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull (British)