Editing Launeddas (section)

{{Short description|Sardinian woodwind instrument made of three pipes}}
{{Infobox instrument
| name                  = Launeddas
| names                 = 
| image                 = Launeddas.jpg
| image_capt            = 
| background            = woodwind
| classification        = Single-reed aerophone
| hornbostel_sachs      = 422.211.2 
| hornbostel_sachs_desc = single reed instrument with cylindrical bore and fingerholes
| inventors             = 
| developed             = 
| range                 = 
| related               = [[Arghul]], [[bülban]],  [[clarinet]], [[diplica]], [[dili tuiduk]], [[dozaleh]], [[Arghul#.C3.87ifte|cifte]], [[mijwiz]], [[pilili]], [[sipsi]], [[triple pipes]], zammara, [[zummara]]
| musicians             = 
| builders              = 
| articles              = 
}}

The '''launeddas''' (also called '''Sardinian triple [[clarinet]]''') are a traditional [[Sardinia]]n [[woodwind instrument]] made of three pipes, each of which has an [[idioglot]] [[single reed]]. They are a [[polyphony|polyphonic]] instrument, with one of the pipes functioning as a [[Drone (music)|drone]] and the other two playing the melody in thirds and sixths.<ref name=Kroll>{{cite book|last=Kroll|first=O.|title=The Clarinet|year=1968|publisher=Taplinger Publishing Company|location=New York, NY}}</ref>

Predecessors of the launeddas are found throughout [[Northern Africa]] and the [[Middle East]]. In 2700 BCE, the [[Egypt]]ian reed pipes were originally called "[[Single-reed instrument|memet]]";<ref name=Kroll /> during the [[Old Kingdom of Egypt]] (2778–2723 BCE), memets were depicted on the reliefs of seven tombs at [[Saqqara]], six tombs at [[Giza]], and the pyramids of [[Khentkaus II|Queen Khentkaus]].<ref name=Rice>{{cite book|last=Rice|first=A.R.|title=The Baroque Clarinet|year=1992|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York, NY}}</ref>

The Sardinian launeddas themselves are an ancient instrument, being traced back to at least the eighth century BCE,<ref name="8thcentury">Surian, Alesso. "Tenores and Tarantellas". 2000.  In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark  with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East'', pg. 189–201. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. {{ISBN|1-85828-636-0}}. Surian calls the launeddas ''very ancient, appearing on votive statues from the 8th century BC.''</ref> as is testified during the [[Nuragic civilization]] by an ithyphallic [[Nuragic bronze statuettes|bronze statuette]] found in [[Ittiri]]. The launeddas are still played today during religious ceremonies and dances (''su ballu'' in [[Sardinian language]]).<ref name="surian">Surian, pg. 190</ref> Distinctively, they are played using extensive variations on a few melodic phrases, and a single piece can last over an hour, producing some of the "most elemental and resonant (sounds) in European music".<ref name="surian"/>

<gallery>
File:Launeddas llengüeta.JPG|Closeup of the reeds of the launeddas
File:Launeddas.JPG|Laundedas separated for the left and right hands
File:Launeddas3.jpg|A variety of launeddas
File:Launeddas Player.jpg|A Sardinian man in traditional clothing playing the launeddas
File:Civilt%C3%A0_nuragica,_prima_et%C3%A0_del_ferro,_suonatore_di_launeddas_itifallico,_da_ittiri.jpg|Ancient launeddas player from Ittiri
</gallery>