How the alghoza makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the alghoza belongs to the flutes (edge-blown): an air jet is split on a sharp edge, setting the air column vibrating – flutes, recorders, whistles and panpipes.
More broadly it is one of the aerophones (wind instruments), where sound comes from vibrating air.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
Alghoza also called Beenon (Sindhi: الغوزو) is a paired woodwind traditional musical instrument of Sindhi culture, also used by Kutchi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Rajasthani and Baloch folk musicians. It consists of two joined beak flutes, one for melody, the second for drone. The flutes are either tied together or may be held together loosely with the hands. A continuous flow of air is necessary as the player blows into the two flutes simultaneously. The quick recapturing of breath on each beat creates a bouncing, swinging rhythm. The wooden instrument initially comprised two flute pipes of the same length but over time, one of them was shortened for sound purposes. In the world of alghoza playing, the two flute pipes are a couple — the longer one is the male and the shorter one the female instrument. With the use of beeswax, the instrument can be scaled to any tune.
Other flutes
Frequently asked questions
What does an alghoza sound like?
As one of the flutes, its sound comes from the way an air jet is split on a sharp edge, setting the air column vibrating.
What type of instrument is the alghoza?
It is classified as flutes (edge-blown) (Hornbostel–Sachs 421.221).