Ney (Turkish)

The Turkish Ney is the end-blown reed flute at the heart of classical Ottoman, Sufi, and folk music — an instrument whose breathy, vocal tone has carried Anatolian melody for centuries. Tapadum’s collection brings together professional-grade neys in the five core tunings, each made to the standard expected on the concert stage and in the Mevlevi ceremony alike.

A genuine Turkish Ney is made from a single length of reed cane (kamis), traditionally sourced from Turkey’s Aegean, Marmara, and Mediterranean regions and aged for years before it is worked. The cane is fitted with a baspare — the conical mouthpiece, historically of horn — and finished with binding rings that protect the body. Our neys are made by ney master Kemal Ucok, whose work balances accurate intonation with the warm, open voice the ney is prized for.

The collection covers the five most-played tunings, so you can choose by the makam range and ensemble you have in mind: Supurde (D), Bolahenk (E), Mansur (A), Yildiz (C), and Kiz (B). Bolahenk is a common starting point, while Mansur and Kiz are valued for their fuller, lower register.

Beyond its sound, the ney is inseparable from the makam system and the microtonal intervals that define Turkish music. If you are learning the instrument, you can study ney technique and microtonal music theory directly with Volkan Incuvez, who teaches ney and makam theory at the Tapadum Music Academy. Every instrument here is selected and checked in our workshop and ships with a protective case.

Explore the wider range of Turkish wind instruments, or read more about the ney’s history in Sufi music on Wikipedia.