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| Woodwind instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Tav shvi |
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| Related instruments | |
Theshvi (Armenian:շվի, "whistle", pronouncedsh-vee) is anArmenianfipple flute with a labium mouth piece.[2] Commonly made of wood (apricot,boxwood, orebony) orbamboo and up to 18 inches (460 mm) in length, it typically has a range of an octave and a-half.[3] Thetav shvi is made from apricot wood, it is up to 18 inches (460 mm) long, and is tuned 1/4 lower producing a more lyrical and intimate sound.
The shvi is up to 12 inches in length and is made of reed, bark of willows, or walnut wood. It has 8 holes on the front, 7 of which are used while playing, and one thumbhole. One octave is obtained by blowing normally into the shvi and a second octave is attained by blowing with slightly more force (i.e.,overblowing). The lower octave has a timbre similar to arecorder whereas the higher octave sounds similar to a piccolo or flute. 8-hole traditional flute. The shvi is played with the mouth. Typically, most Armenianduduk orzurna players learn the shvi before moving on to either instrument.
