The range of meri-kari expands the closer to the state of being played open (i.e., with the fingers covering no tone holes), with the meri capable of extending to more than four half tones.
メリ、カリの範囲は開放管（指で手孔を押さえない）の状態に近いほど広くなり、メリでは最大で半音4個ぶん以上になる。