5 Best Pan Flutes Reviewed in Detail [Jun. 2024] (2024)

Pan flute types to consider

The syrinx spread across Europe during the medieval era and was still popular in Greece. It is sometimes referred to by other names. For example, in Romania, it is called nai, and in Turkey, it is called muskal. In general, all European pan flutes are made from the syrinx.

However, it is a mistake to assume that the pan-flute like instrument was only developed by the Ancient Europeans. The pan flute was called the paixiao in China. This pan flute was made of 16 pipes in a semicircular shape. It was said that the shape was inspired by the wings of a mythical bird called Fenghuang, also known as the Chinese Phoenix in the west.

The paixiao was famous during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), although evidence suggests that this pan flute existed much earlier dating back to the 6^th century BCE.

The pan flutes from the Andes are the most popular non-European ones. Even to this day, pan flutes strongly influence Andean music and are a legacy of the Inca civilization.

How are pan flutes made?

One end of the pan flute tube is stopped to reflect the standing wave so that it produces a sound with a lower octave compared to the one produced by an open pipe with a similar length.

For the traditional South American style, dry corn kennels or small pebbles are placed at the bottom of the pipes so that they are finely tuned and the pitch is corrected.

The Romanian panpipes are made using wax, especially beeswax for them to be tuned. Special tools such as rubber stoppers and corks are used to place and remove the wax and tune the pipes easily.

Choose the best pan flute by the following features

Wood quality

Most pan flutes are traditionally made from bamboo, local reed, and giant cane. However, other pan flutes can be made out of wood, plastic, metal, and ivory.

Player’s level

If you are a beginner, a small pan flute will be suitable. This is because it is easy to maneuver and is also lightweight. These features will enable you to easily tilt the pan flute to achieve the half notes and attain the correct playing angle.

A pan flute with 13-15 pipes, which has less than 2 octaves, will help you in becoming skillful, move the pipes easily and understand the notes that each pipe plays. For a beginner, this process can be challenging to understand.

When buying a pan flute, make sure that it is made by a professional luthier to be sure that it is a good product and properly tuned. There are pan flutes made by an artisan that is on sale but not tuned, they are not useful for playing.

Pipes quantity

There is not a consistent number of pipes for a single pan flute, and they vary across different brands and manufacturers. Deciding the number of pipes you want in your pan flute is down to personal preference. If you are a professional player, you are more likely to want a pan flute with a larger number of pipes. More pipes equate to more notes to play with, especially the lower notes.

For example, the Chinese Traditional 25 Pan Pipes, which has 25 pipes, is more suited to a player wanting to experiment with a broader array of notes.

Right or left-handed

You may not be aware, but the pan flute can be suited to either right or left-handed players. Right-handed pan flutes such as the InkaTumi Beginner Bamboo Pan Flute are played with the longer pipes on the instrument’s left. Left-handed pan flutes are more challenging to find.

But products such as the Chinese Traditional Pan Pipes (Left Hand) offer a left-handed playing option with the longer pipes on the instrument’s right end.

Key

Pan flutes offer a variety of different keys. From C major, E minor to F major, there is a large number of keys available. Although all keys can be transposed if you are playing in an ensemble arrangement, it may be easier to have a key that matches the majority of instruments in a group.

For beginners or solo players, the key is not very important to the overall sound. If you are a beginner who is interested in how notes of different keys relate to each other, you can check various videos to learn how to do it properly.

Sound clarity

It is good to test several different pan flutes to compare the clarity of sound that comes from them. Poorly constructed pan flutes will give a fluffy sound, while well-constructed pan flutes offer a tonal clarity that will make the pan flute stick out in an ensemble arrangement.

Tuning

This tunable pan flute feature is beneficial, especially for a beginner. This is because you can change tuning depending on the sheet or the song that you are working on. However, if you wrongly tune the pan flute, it may be difficult fixing it at the beginning, but you can be able to fix it.

If, for any reason, such as weather affects the tune of a non-tunable pan flute, you will need a luthier or an experienced pan flute player to fix it.

The pan flute has two major tunings, the G major and the C major. The classic Romanian pan flute uses the G major tuning. C major tuning is also famous. You can find their music sheets in instructional books or on the internet.

If you are a beginner, start with a curved pan flute. This is because the natural turn of its head makes it ergonomic. There are straight pan flutes but are not recommended for beginners.

Shape

The shape of a pan flute is one of two options: straight or curved. Whether you prefer straight or curved pan flutes are completely down to personal preference. Curved pan flutes, such as the Chinese Traditional 25 Pan Pipes are considered easier to play as the curved playing surface provides a strong momentum when transitioning between notes.

Straight pan flutes like the Ramos Professional Zampoña are slightly more difficult to play as there is no extra force when moving between notes.

Accessories

The majority of pan flutes come with a carry case. This can be a useful addition for those who are looking to travel with the instrument regularly. In addition to a carry case, some pan flutes, such as the InkaTumi Beginner Bamboo Pan Flute, have a decorative element on the instrument’s body which can add to the visual appeal.

Warranty

Checking the warranty information when purchasing a musical instrument such as the pan flute is always helpful. Although the bamboo construction is robust, knowing what elements you are protected by is essential. The warranty agreements on the reviewed products are not specified. When purchasing online, make sure you examine the terms and conditions, as this is where the warranty information will be visible.

Pan flute playing tips

The video below gives a short three-minute introduction to the pan flute, where it originates, and how to get started on the instrument.

It is an excellent watch if you do not know much about pan flutes: