~Instruments for Ritual

Name: Zurna

Description: Thumb hole and seven finger holes. Produces the classic "Belly Dancing" sound.

Cost: About $85 US

From: Got mine from the Hobgoblin shop in the UK. But you should be able to find them all over the place.

It is a primetive oboe and has the rich reedy resonamce of that family of instruments. However as its reed is made from a type of grass it has a much softer rounder sound than say a Bombard or Border Pipe. The latter can take out a Pidgeon at fifty feet! However it is still quite loud and makes for a good outdoor instrument. For me, and I can only talk for myself , it is an instrument for the ecstatic rather than the contemplative. Having said that any instrument in skilled hands can be bent to the players need.

For ritual use it works well with circular breathing as I find the sound very flexible in tone, pitch and volume. This means you can follow nature (strength of wind, flight of a bird, movment of a fox) very easily. It mixes well with drumming, rattles and shakers, especialy Dumbek's and frame drums.

They tend to be a bit naff as far as tuneing is concerned when you first get them. However resist the temptation to adjust them until you have played for a few weeks. This allows time for your lip muscle structure to strengthen. Thenyou will gain a lot of control over pitch and the strength to provide a constant breath pressure.

~Dave the flute~