An oblique end-blown flute that figures prominently in Persian, Turkish and Arabic music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. It is a very ancient instrument, with depictions of nay (or ney) players appearing in wall paintings in the Egyptian pyramids and actual instruments being found in the excavations at Ur. This indicates that the nay has been played continuously for 4,500–5,000 years, making it one of the oldest musical instruments still in use. It is a forerunner of the modern flute.

The nay consists of a piece of hollow cane or reed with 5 or 6 finger holes and one thumb hole. The name is an old Persian word for reed from the Arundo donax plant. However, modern nays may be made of metal or plastic tubing instead.

The upper end is covered by a short brass cylinder which is anchored in the tiny space between the player's upper incisors. Sound is produced when a stream of air is directed by the tongue toward the opening of the instrument. In this way, sound is produced behind the upper teeth, inside the mouth, which gives the ney a distinct timbre.

The pitch of the nay varies depending on the region and the finger arrangement. A highly skilled nay player can reach as many as 3 octaves, though it is more common to have several 'helper' nays to cover different pitch ranges or to facilitate playing technical passages.