Are you among those who love music? Are you curious about music and the many instruments that create its magic? Whether you’re a music lover or just starting to explore, come along and explore the fascinating array of musical instruments that fill our world with rhythm and melody. Let’s dive right in and build your vocabulary.
Table of Content
List of Musical Instrument Names
The following are the musical Instrument Names:
| Piano | Guitar | Violin |
| Flute | Drum | Trumpet |
| Saxophone | Cello | Clarinet |
| Harp | Bass Guitar | Trombone |
| Accordion | French Horn | Organ |
| Banjo | Ukulele | Xylophone |
| Mandolin | Bagpipes | Oboe |
| Double Bass | Electric Guitar | Tuba |
| Harmonica | Synthesizer | Viola |
| Marimba | Piccolo | Recorder |
| Steelpan | Sitar | Bassoon |
| Triangle | Theremin | Didgeridoo |
| Gong | Kalimba | Balalaika |
| Bongo | Cymbals | Mbira |
| Dulcimer | Glockenspiel | Kazoo |
| Lute | Pan Flute | Shaker |
| Tambourine | Whistle | Castanets |
Categories of Musical Instruments
Here are the categories of musical instruments with examples:
1. String Instruments:
- Violin: Played by drawing a bow across its strings.
- Guitar: Played by plucking or strumming its strings.
- Cello: Played with a bow or plucked with fingers, producing deep tones.
- Harp: Played by plucking strings stretched across a frame.
2. Woodwind Instruments:
- Flute: Played by blowing air across a hole in the instrument.
- Clarinet: Played by blowing air through a single reed attached to a mouthpiece.
- Saxophone: Played similarly to the clarinet but with a wider conical bore and a larger, flared bell.
- Oboe: Played by blowing air through a double reed attached to a mouthpiece.
3. Brass Instruments:
- Trumpet: Played by buzzing lips into a mouthpiece while pressing valves to change pitch.
- Trombone: Played by buzzing lips into a mouthpiece and using a slide to change pitch.
- Tuba: The largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument, played similarly to the trumpet.
- French Horn: Played by buzzing lips into a mouthpiece and manipulating a hand in the bell to change pitch.
4. Percussion Instruments:
- Drums: Instruments with a stretched membrane that produces sound when struck.
- Xylophone: Consists of wooden bars struck with mallets to produce musical tones.
- Tambourine: A handheld percussion instrument with small metal jingles attached to a circular frame.
- Congas: Tall, narrow, single-headed drums originating from Cuba, played with the hands.
5. Keyboard Instruments:
- Piano: Played by pressing keys that strike strings with hammers inside the instrument.
- Organ: Produces sound by blowing air through pipes when keys are pressed.
- Synthesizer: An electronic keyboard instrument capable of producing a wide range of sounds through electronic circuits.
6. Traditional/Indigenous Instruments:
- Sitar: A stringed instrument originating from India, played with a pick.
- Djembe: A West African drum played with the hands.
- Didgeridoo: A wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians, traditionally made from eucalyptus wood.
7. Electronic Instruments:
- Synthesizer: An electronic keyboard instrument capable of generating and manipulating a wide range of sounds.
- Electronic Drum Kit: A set of electronic drums that produce sound through electronic sensors triggered by drumsticks or pads.
Musical instrument names played by mouth
Here’s a table of musical instruments played by mouth along with detailed descriptions:
| Instrument | Description |
|---|---|
| Trumpet | A brass instrument with a cup-shaped mouthpiece, three piston valves or a slide, and a flared bell. Players produce sound by buzzing their lips. |
| Saxophone | A woodwind instrument with a single reed mouthpiece and a conical metal tube with keys. It comes in various sizes, including soprano, alto, etc. |
| Clarinet | A woodwind instrument with a single reed mouthpiece and a cylindrical bore. It has a distinctive warm tone and is commonly used in classical music. |
| Flute | A woodwind instrument with a narrow tube and a mouthpiece with a hole across which air is blown. Sound is produced by directing air across the edge. |
| Harmonica | A small wind instrument with metal reeds inside a comb, played by blowing or drawing air into it. It’s commonly used in blues, folk, and jazz music. |
| Recorder | A woodwind instrument with a whistle mouthpiece and finger holes along its length. It’s often used in early music and educational settings. |
| Ocarina | An ancient wind instrument characterized by its rounded body and finger holes. It’s typically made of ceramic or clay and comes in various sizes. |
Top 5 music instruments in India
These instruments play crucial roles in various Indian musical traditions, including classical, folk, and devotional music. The following are top 5 musical instruments in India along with descriptions:
| Instrument | Description |
|---|---|
| Sitar | A plucked string instrument originating from India, featuring a long neck, a resonating gourd, and movable frets. |
| Tabla | A pair of hand drums consisting of a smaller drum (dayan) and a larger drum (bayan), widely used in classical, folk, and devotional music. |
| Flute | Known as the bansuri in Indian classical music, it’s a bamboo woodwind instrument with six or seven finger holes. |
| Harmonium | A keyboard instrument that produces sound by air being blown through reeds and is commonly used in Indian classical and devotional music. |
| Veena | A plucked string instrument with a long neck and resonating gourd, often used in classical music and considered one of the oldest Indian instruments. |
FAQs on Musical Instrument Names
What are the 5 Types of Musical Instruments?
There are five main types of musical instruments: percussion, string, wind, brass, and keyboard.
What is the most Famous Indian Musical Instrument?
The sitar is arguably the most famous Indian musical instrument, known for its distinctive sound and association with Indian classical music.
What are the most Popular Musical Instruments in the World?
The guitar, piano, violin, drums, and flute are among the most popular musical instruments globally, valued for their versatility and widespread use across various genres.
What are the 5 New Musical Instruments?
Some innovative new musical instruments include the Eigenharp, Seaboard, Continuum Fingerboard, OP-1 synthesizer, and Reactable, each offering unique ways to create and manipulate sound.