Quadruple reed explained

A quadruple reed is a type of reed by means of which the sound is originated in various wind instruments. The term "quadruple reed" comes from the fact that there are four pieces of dried palm leaf vibrating against each other, in pairs. A quadruple reed, such as the Thai pinai, operates in a similar way as the double reed and produces a timbre similar to the oboe.^[1] The Arabic pii chawaa is "sometimes described as having a double reed, though this is actually folded yet again, creating four layers of reed and thus requiring considerable lung power to play".^[2]

Presumably a quadruple reed is folded twice, in opposite directions, instead of once (\/\ or \/\/ instead of \/ shaped), or either folded twice in the same direction or wrapped around (◎ instead of ○ shaped). Both options could result in what may be considered a reed of quadruple thickness. A reed may be folded into the center at 1/4 and 3/4 the length, and then this may be folded in half, with the center being outwards and the four sides being enclosed,^[3] making a single reed of quadruple thickness.

Instruments which use quadruple reeds

• Hne (Myanmar)
• Pi (Thailand)^{[4] [5] [6]}
• Pui' Pui' (Makassar, Indonesia)
• Sawnay (Mindanao, Philippines)^[7]
• Sarunay (Sulu archipelago, Philippines)^[8]
• Serunai (Malaysia)^{[9] [10]}
• Shehnai (India)
  • Shawm (Asia) "Each side of the [Thai and Cambonian] shawm's double reed is made from two layers of a smoked palm-leaf, making it in fact a quadruple reed. (Nepalese, Burmese, and Malaysian shawms have similar quadruple reeds.)"^[11]
• Sralai (Cambodia)^{[12] [13]}
• Sri Lankan oboe^[14]
• Serune Kalee (Aceh, Indonesia)

Notes and References

1. Anderson, William M. and Shehan Campbell, Patricia; eds. (2011). Multicultural Perspectives in Music Education, vol. 3, p. 203. R&L Education. .
2. Wong, Deborah; ed. (2001). Sounding the Center: History and Aesthetics in Thai Buddhist Performance, vol. 1, p. 303, n. 66. University of Chicago. .
3. Accessed February 2020.
4. Wong, ed. (2001), p.104.
5. Miller, Terry and Williams, Sean (2011). The Garland Handbook of Southeast Asian Music, p.195. "Quadruple reed instrument, carved of wood with a bulbous shape." Routledge. .
6. (1991). Balungan, p.3. American Gamelan Institute.
7. Book: Sawnay. 978-1-56159-263-0. 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.L2281765. 2015. Montagu. Jeremy. Nicolas. Arsenio.
8. Web site: Performing Arts. 2 November 2015.
9. Paetzold, Uwe U. and Mason, Paul H.; eds. (2016). The Fighting Art of Pencak Silat and its Music: From Southeast Asian Village to Global Movement, p.399. Brill. .
10. Osnes, Beth (2010). The Shadow Puppet Theatre of Malaysia: A Study of Wayang Kulit with Performance Scripts and Puppet Designs, p.79. "This quadruple reed instrument provides the only melody for the orchestra and is quite difficult to master, as circular breathing is employed to create a continuous note free from any interruptions for breaths." McFarland. .
11. Fletcher, Peter (2004). World Musics in Context, p.301. Oxford. . Cites Tingey, Carol (1990). Heartbeat of Nepal, p.30. Royal Nepal Academy.
12. Katherine Brisbane, Ravi Chaturvedi, Ramendu Majumdar, Chua Soo Pong, and Minoru Tanokura; eds. (2005). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Volume 5: Asia/Pacific, unpaginated. Routledge. .
13. André de Quadros; ed. (2000). Many seeds, different flowers: the music education legacy of Carl Orff, p.43. "Four little tongues (reeds) of dried palm leaf are fastened to a brass tube with thread, and the reeds are placed completely in the mouth, with the tongue place under the reeds to control the opening."
14. [Bruno Nettl|Nettl, Bruno]