Fipple flutes are end-blown flutes that are found in the folk music of many different cultures all over the world. The top end is stopped with a block (fipple) except for a small, flat opening for blowing, and there is a notch (duct) in the top side of the pipe near the blowing end.

The "fipple" is a wedge of wood inserted into the blowing end creating a narrow passage through which air passes to encounter a "lip" cut near the mouthpiece end of the instrument thus causing vibrations. There is no reed.