KAVAL(TIBIA)
The kaval is
a
chromatic end-blown
flute traditionally
played
throughout Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania,
southernSerbia (кавал), Ukraine, Moldova,
northern Greece (καβάλι or τζαμάρα), Romania (caval), and Armenia (Բլուլ or blul). The
kaval
is
primarily
associated
with
mountain
shepherds
throughout
the Balkans and Anatolia.
Unlike the transverse flute, the kaval is fully open at both ends, and is played by blowing on
the sharpened edge of one end. The kaval has 8 playing holes (7 in front and 1 in the back
for the thumb) and usually four more unfingered intonation holes near the bottom of the
kaval. As a wooden rim-blown flute, kaval is similar to the ney of the Arab world. The
name kaval may once have been referred to various Balkan duct and rim-blown flutes,
accounting for the present day diversity of the term’s usage.