How to Choose a Kaval: Key, Material and Level (A Player's Guide)

New to the instrument? Start with The Bulgarian Kaval: what it is, how it sounds and how it is made. If you are looking at instruments, see the professional kavals.

Short answer: for most beginners the best kaval to start on is a kaval in D, the standard key for Bulgarian folk music, made of plastic or aluminum. It is affordable, hard-wearing, resistant to weather, and it uses the same fingering as a professional wooden kaval, so your technique transfers directly when you upgrade. Below I explain how to choose the right key, material and level, so you buy once and buy right.

I'm Zhivko Vasilev, a professional kaval player and composer. Every kaval I sell is turned by hand by master kaval maker Biser Vasilev in Zlatograd, then personally played, tuned and approved by me before it ships, so this guide is the same advice I give students who write to me before their first purchase.

What is a kaval?

The kaval is a traditional Bulgarian and Balkan end-blown, rim-blown chromatic folk flute, open at both ends. You sound it by directing your breath across the sharp rim of the top end. It has eight finger holes (seven on the front plus one thumb hole) and usually four additional unfingered holes near the bottom, the so-called "devil's holes" (дяволски дупки), which shape the lowest notes and help the instrument's tone and intonation. Its warm, voice-like tone is the sound of Bulgarian and Balkan folk music.

1. Which key should you choose: D, C, B♭ or A?

Choose a kaval in D (Re) unless you have a specific reason not to. D is the standard key for Bulgarian folk music, the key nearly all method books, fingering charts and lessons are written in, and the most versatile for playing along with recordings and other musicians. If you are buying your first kaval, buy it in D.

• D (Re): the standard. Best for beginners, folk repertoire and learning from any teacher or chart.
• C (Do): a little lower and larger, with a rounder tone. A popular second kaval, and useful for playing with certain singers and ensembles.
• B♭ (Si bemol): lower and mellower still; favoured for a deep, calm sound and for specific ensemble keys.
• A (La): the lowest I offer; a specialist instrument for a particularly deep voice, not a first kaval.

The lower the key, the longer the tube and the wider the finger stretch, so lower kavals are physically bigger to handle. That's another reason D is the friendliest starting point.

2. Which material: plastic, aluminum or wood?

For learning and travel, choose plastic or aluminum. For the richest professional tone, choose wood. The hole layout and basic fingering are the same across all of them, so your technique transfers directly; the differences are in tone, feel, price and care (a hand-bored wooden kaval can respond a little differently in the highest notes).

• Plastic (PVC) and aluminum: affordable, robust and highly resistant to cracking. They shrug off humidity and temperature changes and need no maintenance, which makes them ideal for a first instrument, for children, and for taking outdoors or on the road. My Plastic Kaval Intro starts at €149.
• Wood: the traditional professional choice, with a warmer, deeper and more nuanced tone. Wooden kavals need a little care (occasional oiling, and gentle acclimatisation to avoid cracks), which I explain in my free lessons. They are turned from woods such as American walnut, cornelian cherry, wenge, cocobolo, bubinga, ebony and grenadilla, each with its own character, from bright and quick to dark and singing.

3. Which level: Intro, Mid or Pro?

Match the instrument to where you are as a player:

My honest advice: if you are just starting, don't overspend. Begin on an Intro kaval in D, learn to play, and upgrade to a wooden Pro kaval once you know the sound and feel you want. You will make a far better choice as a player than as a first-time buyer.

How much does a kaval cost?

A good beginner kaval costs around €149 (plastic or aluminum, in D). Mid-level kavals run roughly €290 to €300, and professional wooden kavals range from about €370 to €500 depending on the wood. If you want everything to start in one go, my Starter Bundle pairs a Plastic Kaval Intro in D with my Beginner Course for €179.

What else do you need?

• A case to protect the instrument: see the Leather Case for Kaval.
• Oil for a wooden kaval (any food-safe oil works; I show the routine in the free course).
• Guidance. You can start free with my articles and fingering chart, take the Beginner Kaval Course (€50), or book a Trial Lesson to see if the kaval is for you.

Frequently asked questions

What kaval should a beginner buy?

A beginner should buy a kaval in D, made of plastic or aluminum. It is affordable (from €149), hard-wearing and weather-resistant, and it has the same fingering as a professional kaval, so your skills carry over when you upgrade.

What key of kaval is best?

D (Re) is the best all-round key and the standard for Bulgarian folk music. C, B♭ and A are lower-pitched alternatives usually chosen as a second instrument for particular ensembles or a deeper sound.

Is a plastic kaval good, or do I need a wooden one?

A plastic or aluminum kaval is genuinely good. It plays with the same fingering and technique as a wooden one, is far more resistant to cracking, and needs no maintenance, which makes it ideal for beginners and for travel. A wooden kaval offers a warmer, richer professional tone, so many players own both and upgrade to wood as they advance.

How much does a good kaval cost?

A good beginner kaval is around €149; a professional wooden kaval typically costs €370 to €500 depending on the wood.

How do I care for a wooden kaval?

Keep it away from sudden temperature and humidity changes, let it warm up gradually before playing, and oil the bore occasionally with a food-safe oil. Plastic and aluminum kavals need none of this.

Ready to choose?

Browse every model, plastic, aluminum and wood, in D, C, B♭ and A, in my kaval collection. Every instrument is hand-turned and personally tuned by me before it ships, anywhere in the world. If you're not sure which is right for you, message me and I'll help you choose.

Written by Zhivko Vasilev, professional kaval player and composer. Every kaval sold on this site is played, tuned and approved by me before it ships.