Ney

The ney is made from a reed with nine segments, with six finger holes on the front and one on the back. A mouthpiece of horn or bone, the başpare, is fitted at the top, and the sound is produced by directing the breath against the reed's sharp edge.

Rumi opens the Masnavi in the voice of the ney: the reed torn from its reed-bed tells of the pain of separation. That is why the ney is the main instrument of the Mevlevi sema ceremony, and the chief ney player held a special rank in the lodge.

The ney is also a permanent member of classical Turkish ensembles. Neyzen Tevfik, Niyazi Sayın and Kudsi Erguner are among its renowned masters.