There are five notes a beginner should learn in the first six months on the ney flute: Neva, Çargâh, Segâh, Dügâh and Rast. In this article I explain their names in Turkish music, their Western equivalents and how to practise them.
Ney flute notes: the five basic notes and their Western names
| Name (perde) | Note | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Neva | D (Re) | All front holes open, back hole closed. The first note you try. |
| Çargâh | C (Do) | The first closed position to memorise. |
| Segâh | B (Si) | From here on the notes start to get harder. |
| Dügâh | A (La) | Settled by playing long tones. |
| Rast | G (Sol) | The final (karar) note of the Rast and Nihavent makams. |
The notes are practised from the top down. As you close more holes the note becomes a little harder to produce; that is completely normal. When you play Neva, the finger you see in the middle of the ney is only there to balance it and does not affect the sound.
Rast is the hardest of the five. Once you can play Rast cleanly you have passed the first stage; everything after that becomes much easier.
In-between notes: Nim Hicaz and Kürdi
Between Neva and Çargâh there is an in-between note, Nim Hicaz (C sharp), used in the Hicaz makam. The Kürdi position is used in the Kürdi and Segâh makams. These should be practised only after the five basic notes are settled; if you are just starting, makam examples can wait.
Do not squeeze the ney
The same rule applies to every note: never squeeze the ney. If you grip it tightly you are wasting most of your effort, roughly seventy per cent of it in my view.
How to practise in the first six months
For the first six months, play these five notes cleanly without trying any songs or hymns. You should have three goals:
- Play every note clean and bright.
- Connect the notes to each other.
- Play all five notes in a single breath.
During this time your diaphragm develops and your breath capacity grows. Goals that feel hard today become easy over time.
When a ney teacher asks, "Can I hear a Segâh? Can you give me a Çargâh?", you should be able to play them. Only then can you truly benefit from your teacher. No piece played before these notes are clean will sound right; instead of a gift to those around you, it becomes a burden.
Long-tone practice with the video
In the video I play each note for a long time. Keep one ear on me and one on your own sound, and play along on the same note. This exercise is essential for both tone and diaphragm, and it helps your neck and fingers get used to the ney until you become one with it.
Think of each makam as a sentence pattern and the notes as pieces of a puzzle. Once the five notes are settled you start putting the pieces together. For holes, breathing exercises and beginner studies, see our ney method book and our lesson notes.
A good ney for a good sound
To get a beautiful sound you need a good ney. If you are struggling with a ney you bought without knowing much, or one you received as a gift, and the notes just will not settle, first make sure of your ney's quality. A well-made ney gives you its notes generously. You can browse our handmade neys.
Frequently asked questions
Which note do you practise first on the ney?
Neva (D). It is played with all front holes open and the back hole closed.
Why is Rast hard to play?
As the holes close the note gets lower and harder to produce; Rast is the lowest of the five basic notes. Once you play Rast cleanly you have passed the first stage.
How long does it take to learn the notes?
We recommend setting aside the first six months to play the five basic notes cleanly. During that time, focus only on these notes instead of trying songs or hymns.
