Ney flute dimensions: how to place the holes
The classical Turkish layout, the klasik açkı, divides the full length of the ney, from the top of the başpare mouthpiece to the bottom end, into 26 equal parts. The back thumb hole sits halfway, at part 13, and the six front holes at parts 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 and 22 from the top.
Kız ney, 705 mm, classical 26-part layout
705 mm including the başpare; one part is 27.12 mm; boğaz at 54.2 mm. Distances run to the centre of each hole from the top of the başpare and from the bottom end.
| Hole | Perde | Parts (/26) | From top (mm) | From end (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dügah | 22/26 | 596.5 | 108.5 |
| 2 | Kürdi | 21/26 | 569.4 | 135.6 |
| 3 | Segah | 20/26 | 542.3 | 162.7 |
| 4 | Çargah | 18/26 | 488.1 | 216.9 |
| 5 | Hicaz | 17/26 | 461.0 | 244.0 |
| 6 | Neva | 16/26 | 433.8 | 271.2 |
| Back | Aşiran | 13/26 | 352.5 | 352.5 |
How to use it
- Pick an ahenk or type your ney's full length including the başpare, measured with a straight rule to the bottom end.
- Holes run from the bottom up (1 is dügah, 6 is neva) and the back hole comes last; distances go to the centre of each hole.
- If a mark lands on a node, shift the hole slightly and correct it by ear.
Help and explanations
To make a ney flute this way, Mehmet Nuri Uygun's 2004 paper on the classical layout says to cut the reed first until it sounds the rast of its ahenk, then mark the holes. Treat the marks as a starting point: drill small and open each hole up on a tuner.
The 26-part rule in numbers
On the 705 mm kız one part is 27.12 mm: from the top of the başpare the back hole (aşiran) is at 352.5 mm and dügah at 596.5 mm; the table lists the rest. From the bottom end, dügah is 4 parts up (108.5 mm), then kürdi 5, segah 6, çargah 8, hicaz 9 and neva 10.
The boğaz, the first closed node below the mouthpiece, sits at 1/13 of the length: 54.2 mm on the kız, 61.5 mm on an 800 mm mansur.
Ney sizes by ahenk
Uygun gives 21 tables, three lengths for each ahenk; the buttons use the middle one: Bolahenk nısfiye 505 mm (500–510), Süpürde 585 mm (580–590), Müstahsen 610 mm (605–615), Kız 705 mm (700–710), Mansur 800 mm (795–805), Şah 880 mm (870–900) and Davut 940 mm (930–945). They are not fixed: the bore changes the pitch.
Why the rule is only a starting point
Ali Tan's 2015 study in the Rast Musicology Journal looked at 62 historical neys: only one follows the 26-part system directly and five indirectly. On a 796 mm Topkapı mansur the rule puts dügah at 673.5 mm; the real hole is at 680 mm. Tan also cites Tür (1985): rule-drilled neys play notes such as rast and neva slightly flat.
A different ratio in the TDV encyclopedia
The “Ney” entry in the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam puts the back hole at 2/26 and lists neva at 10/26 and dügah at 4/26 “from top to bottom”. Uygun's own 2004 paper and Tan 2015 put the back hole at 13/26, and 10/26 and 4/26 only fit when counted from the bottom end.
Tips
- Measuring an old ney? Tan notes the başpare was often added later, which changes the full length.
- Check each note with the ney and nay tuner, blowing gently: a harder breath raises the pitch.
- The strobe tuner shows deviations of a few cents.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the holes go on a kız ney?
On a 705 mm kız, from the top of the başpare: back hole 352.5 mm; neva 433.8; hicaz 461.0; çargah 488.1; segah 542.3; kürdi 569.4; dügah 596.5 mm.
How far apart are the holes on a ney?
In 26ths of the length: one part between neighbouring front holes, two between segah and çargah, three from neva to the back hole. On a 705 mm kız one part is 27.12 mm.
What are the dimensions of a mansur ney?
Uygun lists 795 to 805 mm. At 800 mm: back hole 400.0 mm; neva 492.3; hicaz 523.1; çargah 553.8; segah 615.4; kürdi 646.2; dügah 676.9 mm; boğaz 61.5 mm.
How big are the holes on a ney?
Uygun 2004 gives one size for all seven, 8 to 10 mm, all in one line. Drill smaller first and widen: a bigger hole raises the note.
Where do you measure a ney from?
From the top of the başpare to the bottom end. Measure 20 mm short and the back hole moves 10 mm up the tube and dügah 16.9 mm.