Your first kaval – Which key should you buy?

I’ll be straight with you from the start:

·       If you’re an adult - buy a D kaval

·       If you’re buying for a child under 7 - buy an E kaval

The D kaval is the most common one. Nearly every lesson or tutorial you’ll find is going to be about it. So, what you learn from will match what’s in your hands.

The D kaval reads music at concert pitch. So, if you read music, you can directly start reading from any standard music sheet. Compared to a clarinet or trumpet (usually in Bb) – a written C would come out as a Bb so the player either needs music notated specially for the instrument or has to transpose on sight, which for a beginner would not be an easy task.

Another important thing is that it’s the most comfortable to start with - in terms of size. The D kaval is right in the middle. The E kaval is too short for an adult and the C is longer, which can be a little harder to start on - especially for people with shorter arms. That way your hands and arms would not have to “fight” with the instrument as you’re learning to play your first notes.

What should you look for before you buy?

It’s very easy to get scammed if you’ve never bought a kaval before. The safest option is to buy from legitimate stores that would issue a receipt or invoice and give you a warranty, like my store. You wouldn’t believe how many people came to me with an instrument that they paid a lot of money for, when the best place for it would be your next campfire… If you don’t speak Bulgarian and you don’t know how to play the instrument, please don’t send any money to anyone without any assurance what you’d get.

Another mistake people make very often is buying a kaval from a gift shop. While it looks very nice hanging on your wall, it’s not good for playing. Make sure you look into the details. Do your homework and research a little, don’t just buy the first instrument. Nowadays it is very easy to take your phone and check with competitors. If you see a big price difference, try to understand why. Sometimes it’s just a scam but other times it’s an incredible attention to detail, a lot of tests and someone that really knows how to play this instrument, approves and puts their reputation at stake, to make sure customers would get the best possible instrument for their money.

Then the material… You can find kavals made of cheap plastic or premium grenadilla wood. How should you choose? If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend the plastic one, it requires no maintenance; it’s cheap and it’s perfect to start with. However, if you’re willing to spend some more money, you can also get a wooden kaval. The difference between the two could be quite significant for an experienced player but a beginner would probably not notice a big difference. Keeping all that in mind, if your intentions are serious, you can start with a wooden one, maybe it motivates you to be more devoted to it. In my case, if I spend more money I tend to be more committed, because I feel guilty for spending so much and not using it.

My conclusion is: Learn on the D kaval. See if it sticks. You’ll have enough time to explore the other keys. They are very special too. The sound with the longer kavals could be much deeper and softer. One of my favorite kavals is the A kaval. Even though it’s hard to play, especially for a beginner, it has this deep voice that touches the soul differently. The rest are also very fun and they have their purpose, but until you’re sure what that is, I’d say – stay with the D.