Kaval

The kaval is the shepherd’s flute of Anatolia and the Balkans: a rim-blown flute, open at both ends, with no reed and no block. The sound is made by directing the breath across the sharpened edge of the upper rim — the same principle that gives the Turkish ney its breathy, human voice. In Turkey the word kaval covers a whole family of pastoral flutes, and related instruments are played in Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Greece.

The Kaval by Ali Riza Acar

Our collection currently holds the Professional Kaval by Ali Riza Acar, turned from plum wood in the Istanbul workshop of Ali Riza Acar. Acar has made Anatolian woodwinds for around five decades, a craft he learned in his father’s workshop, and still shapes each bore by hand. Plum is a dense fruitwood that gives the kaval a warm, rounded low register. The instrument has a row of front finger holes and a thumb hole at the back; changing the angle and pressure of the breath moves it from soft, breathy low notes to brighter upper ones, and half-covered holes produce the sliding ornaments of Anatolian folk melody. It is available in D, C, B and A; other keys are made on request in 3 to 10 days, and the price varies with the key because the length of the tube changes.

Who the Kaval Is For

Flute and ney players looking for an Anatolian voice, folk musicians building a repertoire of turku melodies, and wind players exploring Balkan music. Beginners are welcome, but a rim-blown flute asks for patience: with no mouthpiece to guide the air, the first clear tone usually takes a few practice sessions. Explore the rest of our wind instruments, including the mey and the zurna. Worldwide shipping & 15-day return.