Marianne Martinez
The Peruvian pan flute, also known as the antara, is a type of pan flute or panpipe. Pan flutes are a musical instrument consisting of multiple pipes of gradually increasing length, typically made from bamboo, giant cane, or local reeds, though they can also be made from wood, plastic, metal, or clay. The instrument is played by blowing horizontally across the open end of the pipes, and each pipe is tuned to a keynote, or fundamental frequency. By increasing breath pressure and lip tension, odd harmonics can also be produced. The pan flute is named after Pan, the Greek god of nature and shepherds, who is often depicted with the instrument.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Construction | Multiple pipes of gradually increasing length and girth, made from bamboo, giant cane, local reeds, wood, plastic, metal, or clay |
| Sound | Produced by blowing horizontally across the top of the holes, with each pipe tuned to a keynote or fundamental frequency |
| Technique | By increasing breath pressure and lip tension, odd harmonics can be produced; tilting the pipes and moving the jaw can also change pitch |
| Variations | Romanian pan flutes are curved and glued together, Andean pan flutes are tied together |
| History | Named after the Greek god Pan, who, according to legend, played a reed in consolation after the nymph he loved was transformed into a reed by another deity |
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What You'll Learn
The history of the pan flute
The pan flute, also known as the panpipe, is one of the oldest musical instruments, with origins dating back to the beginning of civilisation. The pan flute is believed to have originated independently in several places, including ancient Greece, ancient Mesopotamia, and the Andean regions of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
In Greek mythology, the pan flute is associated with the god Pan, the patron and protector of shepherds. According to the myth, Pan fell in love with a beautiful nymph named Syrinx, who transformed herself into reeds to escape his affections. Pan then cut several reeds, placed them in parallel, and bound them together to make a melodic musical instrument, which he played to remind himself of his love for Syrinx. The Greeks called this instrument Syrinx, Pandean, or Pan-pipes, and it was commonly played by shepherds. The instrument was also adopted by the Etruscans and the Romans, who played it during banquets, festivals, and religious processions.
In Andean pre-history, pan flutes were made from bones, condor feathers, clay, and other materials, but bamboo became the material of choice. The Andean pan flute, known as the siku in the Aymara language and the antara in Quechua, has many shapes, sizes, and tunings, and is still played today in the Andean region during religious festivities, holiday celebrations, and pilgrimages.
The pan flute has also been found in other parts of the world, including Europe, where archaeological evidence of its existence dates back to the 10th century. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the modern Romanian Panflute or Nai gained popularity in Europe, and there was a revival of the instrument after World War II, led by the famous pan flute player Fanica Luca. Today, the pan flute continues to be played and celebrated by musicians and communities around the world.
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How to hold the instrument
To hold a Peruvian pan flute, or panpipe, correctly, you must first sit or stand in an upright, relaxed position. Keep your body relaxed, with your arms relaxed, too.
Hold the pan flute with both hands. Hold the long tube end of the flute in a handshake grip with your right hand. Position the flute vertically so that the tubes are parallel to your body. Use your left hand to gently hold the end of the flute with the short tubes. The pan flute should be horizontally aligned with your head, so if your head tilts, the flute should tilt with you.
The pan flute should be positioned just below your lower lip, with your lips pursed as if you are smiling slightly. Any pipe you wish to blow across should be lightly touching just below your lower lip, so that no unnecessary friction is caused while the instrument is moved.
Now you are ready to play a note. Blow down the top of the pipes, with your tongue pronouncing the syllable 'Tu' to begin each note.
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How to blow across the pipes
To play a Peruvian pan flute, you need to blow a narrow stream of air over the outer edge of the flute. Each pipe corresponds to a different musical note. The pan flute is played by blowing horizontally across an open end against the sharp inner edge of the pipes.
To produce a clear sound, you need to learn how to position your lips. The pan flute should be positioned below the lower lip, with the pipe lightly touching just below the lip to avoid unnecessary friction when moving the instrument. Stretch your mouth a little, as if you are slightly smiling, and purse your lips. Then, form a small nozzle with your lips and blow a gentle stream of air into the pipe, just like you would if blowing into a bottle.
To play a note, you can blow down the top of the pipe. You can make different sounds by pronouncing different letters like T, B, P, and D. To bend notes, tilt the flute away from your body and back while blowing a note. You can also flutter your tongue while playing a note to make a trilling sound.
To play half notes, move the flute towards and away from your mouth by a slight distance while keeping the airflow consistent and strong. You can also lower the pitch by a semitone by tilting the lower part of the instrument away from you by about 30 degrees, while the upper part of the panpipes remains at your lips.
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The different materials used to make the instrument
The Peruvian pan flute, also known as the antara, is an ancient instrument with a beautiful sound that has been used ceremonially for generations. It is typically made from bamboo shoots, but can also be made from other materials such as wood, giant cane, reeds, plastic, metal, or clay.
When crafting a Peruvian pan flute, one must select and prepare the desired material. The chosen material is then hollowed out to create a smooth bore, with finger holes cut and measured for accurate musical notes. The length of the tube determines the fundamental frequency, with longer tubes producing lower frequencies.
In the traditional South American style, small pebbles or dry corn kernels are placed at the bottom of the tubes to fine-tune the pitch. This is in contrast to the contemporary curved Romanian-style panpipes, which use wax (commonly beeswax) to tune new instruments. Corks and rubber stoppers are also used to tune the instruments and can be easily adjusted.
The Peruvian pan flute is an end-blown flute, with sound produced by blowing horizontally across an open end against the sharp inner edge of the pipes. The pressure of breath and tension of lips can be manipulated to produce odd harmonics, or notes with frequencies that are odd-number multiples of the fundamental.
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How to play sharps and flats
Playing sharps and flats on a Peruvian pan flute requires some specific techniques. The pan flute, also known as panpipes, is an ancient wind instrument with multiple pipes of varying lengths. The pipes are typically made from bamboo, giant cane, or local reeds, and they are closed at one end. Each pipe is tuned to a keynote, and the player can produce different notes by altering their breath pressure, lip tension, and head/hand movements.
To play sharps and flats on a Peruvian pan flute, you can use a combination of the following techniques:
- Tilting the flute: Tilt the bottom of the pan flute away from you so that your lower lip covers part of the tube opening. This technique helps in playing half-notes, which are notes between the full notes (e.g., C sharp, E flat) in a musical scale.
- Jaw retraction: Pull your chin backward while directing air into one of the tubes. This method also helps in playing half-notes by altering the pitch.
- Tilting the jaw: Slightly tilt your jaw downward to cover more of the top of the pipe. This technique, along with tilting the flute, allows you to reach the sharps and flats, similar to the black and white notes on a piano.
- Lip adjustment: Push the flute into your lip, push your top lip out, or cover part of the opening with your lip. These adjustments change the pitch by modifying the airflow and the size of the tube opening.
By practicing these techniques and experimenting with different combinations, you can play sharps and flats on a Peruvian pan flute and expand the range of music you can create. Remember that temperature can affect the pitch, so minor adjustments might be needed when playing in different conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
A pan flute, also known as panpipes or syrinx, is a musical instrument consisting of multiple pipes of gradually increasing length. The Peruvian pan flute, or Andean pan flute, is a variety of pan flute that is usually tied together with reeds, cane, or bamboo.
To play a Peruvian pan flute, blow horizontally across the open end of the pipes against the sharp inner edge. Each pipe is tuned to a keynote, and by increasing breath pressure and lip tension, you can produce odd harmonics.
According to Greek mythology, the ancient Greek god Pan was in love with a nymph, Syrinx, who was turned into a reed by another deity. In his grief, Pan cut several reeds, placed them in parallel, and bound them together to create a musical instrument.
Pan flutes are typically made from bamboo, giant cane, or local reeds. Other materials include wood, plastic, metal, and clay.
