nefesli

Nefesli is a Turkish term meaning breath-related or wind instruments. In Turkish music terminology, nefesli refers to the class of instruments that produce sound primarily by the vibration of air, i.e., wind instruments. The word is formed from nefes (breath) plus the suffix -li ("having" or "characterized by"). Within Turkish music literature, nefesli çalgılar include both woodwind and brass instruments, and they are distinguished from strings (telli çalgılar) and percussion (vurmalı çalgılar).

Common examples of nefesli instruments encountered in Turkey and internationally include flute (flüt), clarinet (klarnet), saxophone (saksafon), trumpet (trompet), trombone (trombon), and oboe (obua). Traditional Turkish wind instruments such as the zurna are also categorized as nefesli. In ensembles, nefesli instruments provide melody, harmony, or support with varying ranges, from high-pitched flutes to low brass.

In educational and ethnomusicological contexts, nefesli instruments are central to both Turkish classical music and rural folk traditions, as well as modern concert bands and school ensembles. The term remains widely used in Turkish-speaking sources to describe this family of instruments.