preview

Peruvian Panpipe Research Paper

Decent Essays

For the Introduction to World music final project, my collaborative partner Mike Murphy and I chose to learn and attempt to play the Peruvian Panpipe. The reasoning behind choosing this instrument hits home for me, compared the other instruments on the list, this is because I have a small understanding of the Peruvian culture. One of my closest friends back home, she herself is half Peruvian. Often when I was over spending time at her home, I would be fortunate enough to talk with her dad about the Peruvian culture and what it was like growing up in Peru. Having found another opportunity to delve deeper into the Peruvian culture was not an opportunity I was going to miss out on.
The Peruvian Panpipe is a part of the Wind family instruments, and it is typically found made of wood, but not limited to. The origin of the panpipe goes far back into Greek mythology. The Panpipe itself is named after the Greek God Pan, half man half goat. Pan cut several reeds lining them up together then binding them creating the melodic instrument the Pan-pipe. …show more content…

The style and variety of the panpipes range heavily, an estimation from as little as 6 to as many as 30 pipes. Some pipes are even double rowed consisting of 6 pipes in the front and 7 in the back. The pipes are set up from higher pitch to lower pitch. The top of the instrument is open while the bottom is closed off. The sound is produced when the instrument is blown into, thus making it a part of the wind family. The music style played on these instruments consist of Andean, Spanish and African descent. After years of culture mixing, it has created what is now the distinct style of Peruvian music there is

Get Access