What is the quena?
Q: What is the quena?
A: The quena is the traditional flute of Peru and the Andes, made of bamboo and has six finger holes and one thumb hole.
Q: How does a player make a sound with a quena?
A: To make a sound, the player closes the top end of the pipe with the flesh between the chin and lower lip, and blows a stream of air downward, over a notch cut into the end.
Q: What is the key of the quena?
A: The quena is normally in the key of G major, with G being the lowest note when all the holes are covered.
Q: What is the quenacho and how is it different from the quena?
A: The quenacho is a bigger, lower sounding type of quena that is made the same way. It is in the key of D major, a fourth lower than the quena.
Q: Is the quena used in modern music?
A: Yes, in the 1960s and 1970s several Nueva Canción musicians used the quena regularly. In the 1980s and 1990s some post-Nueva Canción rock groups also used the quena in some of their songs.
Q: What is the threatening phrase related to the quena in most Andes' towns?
A: In most of Andes' towns "vamos a ir a la quena" (we will go to the quena) was used to threaten little children, because the quena was made of bamboo, a hard material.
Q: What other genres apart from traditional Andean music does the quena feature in?
A: The quena is also relatively common in World music.
