Launeddas: Sardinia's 3,000-Year-Old Instrument
Three reed pipes, one mouth, not a single breath's pause: the Launeddas are among the oldest wind instruments still played in Europe – and technically remarkably demanding.
How the instrument is built
The instrument consists of three reed pipes of different lengths: a drone pipe that holds a continuous tone, plus two further pipes on which the actual melody is played in thirds and sixths – all three simultaneously, with just one mouth.
Circular breathing as the key technique
So the tone never breaks off, the player uses circular breathing: the cheeks store air while simultaneously inhaling through the nose – producing an uninterrupted sound, sometimes for minutes without an audible pause.
Where you can still hear them today
Launeddas still accompany religious processions and traditional dances ("su ballu") on the island today, mainly in the south of Sardinia. At inland village festivals, the odds are best of experiencing them live.