| QUENAS
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Quena
is a traditional instrument from Andean mountains. We developed very
high quality instruments for groups and
concert
musics, as well as play among friends with a good tuned, eye catching
instrument.
Our
quenas are normally tuned in G4, A=440Hz (except special request). They
develop a register up to 3 octaves.
All
are carefully tuned with TuneIt!, an special software.
follow us
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by
Angel Sampedro del Río and Mariana García
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WHICH IS THE DIFFERENCE
WITH OUR QUENAS?
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They
are a lot of different ideas about what a quena is suppossed to be.
They are instruments with a great personality. Most of the quena makers
consider their own quenas as the best -and
even the only ones availables to play music!
Of course, not all of them are correct. So we searched the acoustical aspects which
affect the sound.
Almost nothing is written about the quena, but quenas have physical
principles common to all the woodwinds.
We can see now that much saying about the quena doesn't really
affect the sound, and also other elements aren't taken into account.
The most
conventional quena key is G4, that means, play G4 when all toneholes
are closes. The lenght is about 40 cm, slightly varying in each
individual instrument. This quena is also called "en La" or "in A" or
"in minor A", because is the best to play folk Andean tunes. We
also make quenas in other pitches, being the most common C5, F4 and
quenachos in D and C4.
We
make High Quality quenas, that have fine, hard wood inlay at the
embouchure. This feature enhace the sound, response and dynamic range
of the instrument.
Also
are our Best Available quenas. They are special, sometimes unique
designs with high acoustic performance and special
aesthetics. Availability is quite limited, so please ask us for
We introduced an
innovation that is the tunable quenas. They are demountable, with an
acid engarved brass barrel that allow to adjust the fine tuning of the
instruments. They are usually made under request, but we are having
some available models.
They are a large variety of quenas,
among high quality and
best available grade. We strongly recomend a good instrument for
starters. A good instrument will make easier the playing. Although a
novice player won't notice any difference among the models at
the starting point, will do as advance with the instrument.
Is good to initiate with a thin or medium quena, either in High or Best.
See
advice to select a quena
See details
of our best quenas
More
best quenas and accesories
other best quenas click here
Watch our Instruments Photo album
Advise for quena care: explaining
why we use finishing and advantages of that
Ask for
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Best quenas
Pricelist
of best available quenas
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More of our best quenas
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Quenachos:
Low quenas, in D or C, ask here for more info
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Quena
Models
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| Professional bamboo |
High Quality |
Best Quenas |
Wooden Quenas |
Tunable quenas |
| For those who prefer a quena without wood
applications, we make under request instruments in the best available
bamboo, according to your requerimentsEMAIL
These quenas fill all the
requests to play proffesionally
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The specially selected
quenas are reformed on the embouchure with a hard wood inlay. This make
the sound more soft and maleable, and also make more precise tuning in
high registers. The quena really sounds different before and after the
inlay! |
The
more selected bamboo quenas are worked with a woods combination that
give a unique aesthetic and acoustic result. Very limited editions, no
doubts, the best quenas we can make.
See at Special
Quenas Page
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Made in the finest Argentine and world
woods.We make different wooden quenas for those who prefer wood instead
of bamboo.
The main characteristic is a heavy
instrument, large toneholes and powerfull sound.
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The pitch adjustment
mechanism could be done on available quenas or make under
request. They have bamboo or metal sleeve (bronze or
copper with acid engarved work )
Ask us for available
models, and see our Special Quenas Page.
Each quena is unique!
See
video tunable quena in G and in F
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| DETAILS |
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In this
image,you can notice the rounded finishing of the toneholes.
They are no
just much more comfortable to play, but also make the sound response
faster. The slight funnel-shape of each hole avoid s-sounds by reducing
the air friction. Also, each hole is sealed and individually lacquered
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Images of a
hard wood embouchure.
The best quenas are carefully selected to
inlay a new mouthpiece made in guayacan, palo santo, itín and other
hard woods from Argentina and South America.
Studying carefully each case, the geometry of this new embouchure
optimize the characteristic sound of each bamboo, being warranted along
the time.
We also make very special quenas, with several woods inlayed, click here
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| Wooden
quenas |
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We make quenas of the finest woods from
Argentine and from aboard. Our characteristic is to get the best from
each one, either for its hardness, density and beauty. We use very
uncommon woods from Argentine interlands, as guayacan, itín (Argentine
ebonys), palosanto (verawood), incienso, lapacho, quina, guayuvira,
etc.
Below, our special Gabon Ebony with precious
stone inlay.
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| Ask for availability of
our
Best Wooden Quenas and quenachos |
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Pricelist
of best available quenas |
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High
quality quenas
Araucaria Bud and Pine Cone Special series
TThe Araucaria bud is one of the hardest and
more dense vegetal stuff. These cones, called in Spanish "clavos
de pino"(pine nails) remain intact after the whole tree has
rotten in the rainforest of Misiones Province, NE of Argentina. Some of
them are as old as 500 years!
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Our
series of high quality quenas. The special quena is first
made in the same way as a standard quena. Then it is individually
analyzed , we extract its bamboo embochure and then we insert a hard
wooden piece. This new embochure is redrawn according to general
acoustic tendencies of the tube and holes, achieving the maximum
balance.
The new tube is sealed by immersion, lacquered and polished. Highly
guaranteed.
Watch our Instruments Photo album
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