Description: The ney is an open ended, bevelled oblong flute and one of the most ancient surviving wind instruments of the aerophone family. It is known by many alternate names including nai, nay or qasaba. The ney is played throughout the middle east and Turkey. Where as in Central Asia it is played by the Persians, Uigurs, Uzbeks, Karakalpaks and Tajik peoples. There are many regional names for this instrument. In North Africa the name qasaba is often used instead. Documented evidence of the long continuous history of the nay dates back to the Pyramids of Pharonic Egypt. This includes descriptions and paintings of the ney that have been found on Egyptian tombs that date back as early as 300 to 2500 years B.C. A Sumerian pallet dating back 3000 years B.C. Displays a fox playing a nay like flute for the ibex and giraffe displayed at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford England. In the 1920s An archeological dig produced a silver ney like flute uncovered in the royal palace of Ur (located in modern day Iraq). Similar types of flutes to the ney are played amongst some Ethiopian tribes. Ney's are the only wind instrument used in Classical Arabic music. During concerts musicians would select different lengths of ney throughout their performances. Popular or folkloric neys can be made from a variety of materials including wood or metal and they do not conform to the same standards as Arabic classical neys. 

The Ney In Turkey: In Turkey the ney has a long history that is associated with the spiritual practices of the Mevlevi order in Sufi Islam. The ney is an important to the fasil or Turkish art music. Prior to the arrival of Islam in Turkey musicians called kam, baski or saman would walk around with their flute performing music. This type of ney is distinguished by a mushroom shaped cap affixed over the instrument. Ney's are named according to pitch. A set of 11 ney are currently available.

The Ney In Iran: In making the ney the traditional material has always been arundo donax (wild cane or giant reed). The ney is selected from a piece of arundo donax that is no less then three years of age. It is the distance between each each node that determines the pitch and quality of the ney. As with their Turkish counterparts Classical Arabic neys are available in different lengths and they usually have six finger holes and a thumb hole.