Apple Using the GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music Instruments - Manual (Page 30)

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Indian Shehnai Oboe
The shehnai is descended from the nay, found in ancient Persia and Egypt. In India it
was historically used in royal music ensembles. The shehnai is believed to bring good
luck, and so is widely used in North India today for weddings and festivals, as well as in
Hindu temples.
The shehnai is a double-reed instrument (similar to a Western oboe) with a wooden
body and a brass bell. The reeds are attached to a brass tube which is wrapped with
string. The instrument can have from six to nine finger holes, some of which can be
stopped with wax. Like the oboe, the tone can be varied by controlling the player’s
breath.
Japanese Shakuhachi Flute
The shakuhachi is historically associated with Zen Buddhist monks (called “komuso”)
who used it for meditation and spiritual development. When the komuso were
granted special travel privileges by the shogun (the Emperor), their skill in playing
the shakuhachi was often used as a test of a monk’s authenticity. As a result, they
developed a high degree of technical excellence and created many virtuoso pieces
for the instrument.