Three-hole pipe
 | |
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| Playing range | |
| 1-2 octaves | |
| Related instruments | |
The three-hole pipe, also commonly known as Tabor pipe is a wind instrument designed to be played by one hand, leaving the other hand free to play a tabor drum, bell, psalterium or tambourin à cordes, bones, triangle or other percussive instrument.
The three-hole pipe's origins are not known, but it dates back at least to the 11th Century. [1]
It was popular from an early date in France, the Iberian Peninsula and Great Britain and remains in use there today. [2] In the Basque Country it has increasingly gained momentum and prestige during the last century, especially during the last years of Franco's dictatorship, following that it turned into a hallmark of Basque identity and folk culture. New pipe and tabor schools have cropped up since throughout the country, providing along with tabor the musical background for traditional Basque dance ensembles (see txistu).
The most common form of tabor pipe in the Basque region is tuned tone, semitone, tone. The most common form in Provence is tuned tone, tone, tone. The English tabor pipe is commonly tuned tone, tone, semitone, and corresponds to the three lowest holes of a tinwhistle. [2]