# Carnatic venu (8-hole flute)

South Indian classical bamboo flute — **venu** / pullanguzhal / Carnatic flute.
Still **side-blown** (like bansuri), but hole count and Sa fingering differ.

## Eight finger holes — not seven

Concert venu usually has **eight finger holes** in a line + the blowing hole.

- Holes **1–7** — normal playing (left 3 + right 4 fingers)
- Hole **8** — farthest; **usually left open** (tuning / special fingerings)

Casual talk says “7” because seven are covered in daily use — the tube still has eight.

**Critical:** this room’s bansuri path uses Sa = top **three** closed. Venu Sa = top **two** closed. Do not mix charts.

## Vs bansuri

| | Venu | Bansuri (this room) |
|--|------|---------------------|
| Blow | Side | Side |
| Holes | 8 in a line | 6 (+ optional offset 7th) |
| Sa | Top 2 closed | Top 3 closed |
| Pa (basic) | Top 5 closed | Teacher fork / overblow |
| End-blown? | No | No ([murali](murali.html) is end-blown) |

## Hold

Horizontal; left fingers on 1–3, right on 4–7; hole 8 open.

## First sound

Same embouchure family as [first sound](first-sound.html). Then: top two closed = Sa; top five = Pa. Match a drone / [Listen](listen.html).

## Beginner map (hole 8 open)

- **Sa** — `●●○○○○○○`
- **Pa** — `●●●●●○○○`
- **Ma** — traditionally ~6½ or cross-finger; some modern flutes use 6 closed (Shashank-style)

Ri / Ga / Da / Ni need teacher charts and half-holes for gamakas.

## Make one

[Layout calculator](make.html) → mode **Carnatic venu (8 finger holes)**. Tune Sa (2 closed) and Pa (5 closed) first.

## Next

[First sound](first-sound.html) · [Make](make.html) · [Bansuri swaras](swaras.html) (different Sa!) · [Murali](murali.html)