p’iri, Korean double-reed musical instrument, a type of cylindrical oboe. The large mouthpiece and the body are made of bamboo, and there are eight finger holes, seven on the front and one on the back.
Three types of p’iri have been developed, each suited to particular uses. The largest is the hyang-p’iri, which is about 27 cm (11 inches) long and has a reed that is 7 cm (3 inches) long. Because its tone is loud and nasal, the instrument often plays the main melodic part in ensembles. It appears in court, shaman, and folk genres, including the solo virtuoso sanjo music. The smaller and softer se-p’iri is used in lyrical genres, with voice or soft stringed instruments. For the Chinese-derived tang-ak and the Korean hyang-ak court music, the most strident of the p’iris, the tang-p’iri, is used. This instrument is about the size of the se-p’iri but has a larger bore.