The ney is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music. In some of these musical traditions it is the only wind instrument used. The ney has been played continuously for 4500–5000 years making it one of the oldest musical instruments still in use.
The Turkish ney has six finger-holes on the front and a high-set thumb-hole on the back. The thumb hole is not centered but rather is angled to the left or right depending on whether the instrument was intended to be played with the left or right hand on top.
The Turkish ney is an end-blown reed flute an Ottoman variation on the ancient ney. Together with the Turkish tanbur lute and Turkish kemençe fiddle are considered the most typical instruments of Classical Turkish music. The ney also plays a primary role in the music of the Mevlevi Sufi rites (semâ).