Shvi

Shvi is an Armenian wind instrument. The word “shvi” literally translated is “whistle.” The timber of the instrument is thin. It resembles a flute. The instrument has seven upper and one bottom holes. The sound of the shvi is shrilling. For the creation of the instrument usually, apricot wood is used. Initially, the shvi was known as a musical instrument of shepherds.

A wind instrument, an end-blown duct flute with a libium mouth piece, similar to that of a recorder. It may be made of reed, wood or bamboo. It has a range of an octave and a half. The pitches vary with the size of the instrument. Its average length is 32 cm, with seven finger-holes and one thumb-hole. At the upper end, near the mouthpiece, there is a metal (usually tin) ring for adjusting the sound. This can be made in various sizes. It is played solo and in ensembles of folk instruments, and it is used for everyday music-making and by shepherds, who sometimes use it in place of the more difficult pastoral "blul".

This wooden end-blown flute is made from the apricot tree. The blul is used in ensembles with other Armenian folk instruments including the duduk and shvi.