Dentsivka

The dentsivka (Ukrainian: Денцівка) (denchivka) is a woodwind musical instrument. The dentsivka is often commonly called a sopilka. However, it differs from the true sopilka in that the dentsivka has a fipple, like the western European recorder. It is thus classified as a duct flute.

Usually, it is made from a tube of wood approximately 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in.) in length. Tone holes are cut or burnt into the tube and a fipple is made at one end. If the fipple is on the top of the instrument on the same plane as the playing holes, instead of the underside, the instrument is technically a kosa dudka (Ukrainian: Коса дудка), though the distinction is not often made. The internal diameter is usually 12 to 14 mm (0.4 to 0.5 in.), with the walls of the tube being 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.12 in.) thick. In the traditional instruments, the tuning varied with the length of the tube, but was usually diatonic, with a range of two and a half octaves.

Some dentsivkas from Western Ukraine have only five tone holes. In recent times, chromatic ten-hole fingering was developed for this instrument that has carried on to most of the other instruments in the sopilka family.

The dentsivka is made in a number of sizes, including piccolo tuned in F, prima in C, alto in G, tenor in F, and bass in C. Concert versions of the prima are available, the best being sold in Ukrainian music stores under the name "mala fleita".