The Sahnai is a small, double-reed woodwind instrument from India. By controlling the reed with your lips and sliding your fingers across the holes, you can make the sahnai create a sound similar to the human voice. Sahnais are used in North Indian classical and folk music.
Family |
Woodwinds |
Pitch range |
Two octaves. |
Material |
Wood, with metal bell. |
Size |
20 in (50 cm) long. |
Origins |
Shawms like the sahnai were probably taken to India from Persia (now Iran) by the Moguls (of Mongol. Turkish, and Persian Origin) in the 15th century. The instrument is now played in folk and classical music in north India. |
Classification |
Aerophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of a column of air. |
And also... |
The player covers the fingerholes with the fleshy part of the finger rather than the tip. By rocking the finger, it is possible to produce subtle variations in pitch. |