Å upelka (, ) is a
Macedonian
Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia.
Macedonian(s) may refer to:
People Modern
* Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North Macedonia
* Mac ...
traditional
A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examp ...
woodwind instrument
Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the greater category of wind instruments.
Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and ...
very similar to the
kaval
The kaval is a Diatonic and chromatic, chromatic end-blown flute, end-blown oblique flute traditionally played throughout the Balkans (in Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Southern Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Northern Greece, and elsewhere) and ...
. It is mostly made of
walnut
A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an i ...
,
cornel,
ash, or
maple wood. The Å¡upelka plays a
chromatic scale
The chromatic scale (or twelve-tone scale) is a set of twelve pitches (more completely, pitch classes) used in tonal music, with notes separated by the interval of a semitone. Chromatic instruments, such as the piano, are made to produce the ...
(two
octave
In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...
s), with the exception of the first note of the lower octave.
In the lower register, the Å¡upelka gives a soft and pleasant sound, while the upper register tone is sharp and high-pitched.
The instrument represents a chromatic
end-blown flute
thumb , Notched flute, showing U-shaped notch in the instrument’s rim.
The end-blown flute (also called an edge-blown flute or rim-blown flute) is a woodwind instrument played by directing an airstream against the sharp edge of the upper en ...
with openings on both sides of the cylindrical form. The upper opening serves for blowing (called ''ustinje'' or ''rez''), with narrow sharp edges to tear the air and complete the sound. On its front side, the Å¡upelka has six playing holes, although there are some Å¡upelka's with seven playing holes.
While playing the Å¡upelka it is held with both hands, leaning to the left about 45 degrees towards the vertical.
Its length varies between 240 and 350 mm. The tone is produced by blowing a hole with slimmed and rounded edges (''ustinje''), so that the mouth covers the hole for about three quarters.
The
musical repertoire
Musical repertoire is a collection of music pieces played by an individual musician or ensemble, composed for a particular instrument or group of instruments, voice, or choir, or from a particular period or area.Reddick, William J.. The Stand ...
of the instrument consists of improvising traditional melodies, as a background instrument in musical performances imitating the sounds of other instruments used in the Macedonian traditional music. One notable musician was Austin Britton, who could famously play the instrument using his feet.
Considered to be primarily a
sheepherder's instrument, the Å¡upelka is widespread in North Macedonia.
The Å¡upelka receives its name from the Macedonian word ''shupliv'' (), meaning
hollow. It has also many similarities with the
Arab
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
ic woodwind instruments
gasba, used in
Tunisia
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
and
Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Supelka
End-blown flutes
Macedonian musical instruments