acoustic guitar
Worldwide (popular music, folk, jazz, western classical, other) a six-stringed hollow-bodied chordophone with a wooden soundboard to amplify the vibration of its strings, used in nearly every global genre including folk, rock, blues, and classical music.
alto clarinet
Worldwide ( Western Classical) a medium-sized, single reed woodwind instrument pitched a perfect fifth lower than the standard b flat clarinet), used for inner harmony parts in concert bands, marching bands, and clarinet choirs.
alto flute
Worldwide (Western Classical Music/Jazz) a large transverse (side-blown) woodwind instrument, pitched a perfect fourth lower than the concert flute, used for adding unique color in orchestral music, film scores, flute choirs, and jazz.
alto saxophone
Worldwide ( Western Classical/Jazz/Popular Music) a single-reed curved brass-bodied woodwind instrument, the second smallest of the saxophone family, used in jazz, concert band, contemporary classical music, and popular music genres.
aluphone
Worldwide (Western Classical/Experimental) a set of tuned, aluminum bells played with mallets mounted on a frame, used in drum corps, experimental music, orchestral music, film scores, and percussion ensembles.
ankle rattle
Worldwide, United States (Native American), Mexico a percussion instrument worn around the ankle that produces rhythmic jingling sounds, typically used to accompany dance and ceremonial performances.
anvil
Worldwide (Western Classical Music) a heavy unpitched metal block struck with a hammer, used in opera, musical theater, orchestral, industrial, and experimental music, often representing the sounds of a blacksmith or "manual labor"
Artphon Chorda
United States, Worldwide (Popular Music/Experimental Music) a portable, electronic smart synth, looper, and MPE MIDI controller with a touch-sensitive surface that can be played by tapping, strumming, tilting, or sliding to create beats, basslines, chords, and melodies for music production and portable creative jamming.
bari saxophone
Worldwide (Western Classical, Popular Music, Jazz) a single-reed curved brass-bodied woodwind instrument, the second largest of the saxophone family, used in jazz, concert band, contemporary classical music, and popular music genres.
bass clarinet
Worldwide (Western Classical) a large, single-reed woodwind instrument pitched an octave below the standard b flat clarinet, used in orchestras, concert bands, and jazz ensembles.
bass drum
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz, Popular Music, Standard Drum Set) a large cylindrical membranophone (largest drum in classical and popular music traditions), used in orchestral, military music, jazz, and popular music genres.
bass flute
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz, Experimental) a large transverse (side-blown) woodwind instrument, the second largest of the common flute family, use for adding unique color in orchestral music, film scores, flute choirs, jazz, chamber music, and contemporary classical compositions.
bass guitar
Worldwide (Popular Music) an electric plucked string instrument with four thick strings tuned one octave lower than a standard guitar,used in almost all modern popular music genres, including rock, pop, jazz, funk, and R&B.
bass saxophone
Worldwide(Western Classical, Jazz, Popular Music) a single-reed curved brass-bodied woodwind instrument, the largest of the saxophone family, used in jazz, concert band, contemporary classical music, and popular music genres.
bass trombone
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz) a straight-bore brass horn with a telescopic slide to change pitch and a wide bell, used in orchestras, wind ensembles, and jazz big bands.
bassoon
Worldwide (Western Classical) a large double-reed woodwind instrument with a conical bore, complex key system and U-shaped air column (bocal), used in orchestras, concert bands, and chamber music.
b flat clarinet
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz) a single-reed woodwind instrument with a mostly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, known for its wide four-octave range and a versatile tone, used in orchestras, concert bands, and jazz ensembles.
b flat trumpet
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz, popular music) a cylindrical bore horn with three piston valves, used in classical music, fanfares, jazz, popular music genres, and marching band music.
bell tree
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz) a vertical percussion instrument with a series of small, tuned metal bells, used in orchestral, film scores, theatrical music, and jazz.
c flute
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz, Popular Music) a transverse (side-blown) woodwind instrument that serves as the standard member of the flute family, used in in classical and orchestral music, jazz ensembles, marching bands, and popular music genres.
cajon
Peru, Cuba, Worldwide (popular music) a box-shaped percussion instrument played by sitting on top and striking its front surface with the hands, used in flamenco, Afro-Peruvian (originally developed by enslaved Africans in colonial Peru), and contemporary acoustic music, and world fusion.
castanets
Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar, Wordwide (Western Classical) a pair of concave shells made of hardwood joined by a string that produces a sharp, rhythmic clicking when struck together, used in flamenco, classical Spanish ballet (Escuela Bolera), and orchestral "Spanish-style" compositions.
celesta
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz) a keyboard percussion instrument with metal plates suspended over a wooden resonator struck by hammers when a key is pressed, used in classical orchestral, chamber, and ballet music.
cello
Worldwide (Western Classical) a large, bowed string instrument (core member of the violin family) played in a seated position with the instrument held between the knees, classical orchestral, string quartets, and solo performances.
claves
Cuba, Worldwide (Popular Music) a pair of wooden sticks struck together to produce a sharp, penetrating sound, used in Latin and Afro-Cuban music, and popular music genres.
contrabass flute
Worldwide (Western Classical) a large, low-pitched member of the flute family used to add deep tonal layers in flute choirs, contemporary classical ensembles, film scores, ambient, and experimental music.
contrabassoon
Worldwide (Western Classical) a low-voiced double reed instrument with sixteen feet of wooden tubing doubled over multiple times, used in orchestral, chamber, and film music to provide the lowest bass foundation in the woodwind section.
crash cymbals
Worldwide (Western Classical) paired metal percussion instruments struck together to produce a loud, shimmering accent, used in orchestral, marching, and contemporary music.
crotales
Worldwide (Western Classical) small, tuned metal discs that produce a bright, bell-like tone, used in orchestral, film, and contemporary ensemble music.
djembe
Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina faso, Worldwide (Popular Music), French Guiana a rope-tuned, goblet-shaped drum carved from a single piece of hardwood and topped with a rawhide skin, used in social dances, ceremonies, and communal gatherings, contemporary world fusion genres.
double bass
Worldwide (Western Classical, Popular Music, Jazz) the largest and lowest-pitched member of the modern orchestral string family, standing about 6 feet tall, used in western classical and orchestral performances, jazz, bluegrass & country, rockabilly, and tango.
drum machine
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Worldwide (Popular Music) an electronic instrument used to produce synthesized percussion sounds, used in hip-hop, electronic, and pop music production.
e-flat clarinet
Worldwide (Western Classical) the highest-pitched standard member of the Western orchestral clarinet family, with a short wooden body, used in high orchestral solos, comical character pieces, and wind ensembles.
electric guitar
Worldwide (Popular Music) a solid or semi-hollow bodied stringed instrument that uses electromagnetic pickups to convert string vibrations into electrical signals for amplification, used in rock, blues, jazz, and pop music.
electronic drum kit
Worldwide (Popular Music) a set of digital pads and cymbals that trigger synthesized drum sounds, used in practice, recording, and performances in genres like electronic, pop, rock, and hip-hop.
electronic keyboard
Worldwide (Popular Music) a versatile digital instrument with piano-like keys that can produce a wide range of sounds and effects, used in pop, rock, jazz, electronic, and contemporary music performances and compositions.
english horn
Worldwide (Western Classical) a larger double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family, used in orchestral, chamber, and film music to convey lyrical or pastoral passages.
flexatone
United Kingdom, United States, Worldwide (Western Classical) a small percussion instrument with a flexible metal blade and beaters, used for eerie, comical, or supernatural sound effects in orchestral, jazz, and film music.
french horn
Worldwide (Western Classical) a brass instrument with a complex, circular shape and a wide, conical bore, used for heroic fanfares, orchestral solos, and as a bridge between the woodwind and brass sections.
glockenspiel
Worldwide (Western Classical) a set of tuned metal bars arranged like a piano keyboard struck with mallets, used in orchestral, marching band, and ensemble music.
hand pan
Switzerland, United States, Germany, France, Worldwide a convex steel percussion instrument played with the hands, used in ambient, world, and meditative music.
Kaossilator
Japan, Worldwide (Popular Music), United States a touchpad-based synthesizer that allows for dynamic looping and real-time sound manipulation, used in electronic, experimental, and live performance music.
keytar
United States, Worldwide (Popular Music) a portable synthesizer or MIDI controller shaped like a guitar with a piano-like keyboard and a neck with expressive controls, used in Synth-pop, New Wave, Glam Rock, Funk, and modern Electronic Dance Music (EDM).
mellotron
United Kingdom, United States, Worldwide (Popular Music) an early electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape-replay keyboard that produces grainy, and "orchestral" sound. The precursor to the digital sampler, used in1960s and 70s progressive rock and psychedelic rock, orchestral, and experimental music.
oboe d'amore
Worldwide (Western Classical) a mezzo-soprano member of the oboe family with a pear-shaped bell, used in classical and Baroque orchestral and chamber music.
oboe
Worldwide (Western Classical) a double-reed woodwind instrument, used in orchestral, chamber, and solo classical music.
ocarina
Worldwide a small, vessel flute used in folk, classical, and contemporary music, often featured in solo or ensemble performances.
ocean drum
United States, Worldwide a circular frame drum containing small metal beads or seeds that create a washing, wave-like sound when tilted or shaken, used in ambient soundscapes, meditation, and therapeutic relaxation.
otomatone
Japan, United States, South Korea, Worldwide an eighth note-shaped electronic synthesizer with a touch-sensitive ribbon controller and a squeezeable "mouth" that produces a sliding vocal-like tone, used in novelty performances, comedic internet covers, and experimental J-pop.
pedal harp
Worldwide (Western Classical) a large, technologically advanced stringed instrument with a complex mechanical system of seven foot-operated pedals that allow the player to change the pitch of the strings mid-performance, used in orchestral and solo music.
piano
Worldwide (Western Classical, Popular Music) a keyboard instrument that makes sound by striking metal strings with felt-covered hammers, use in Western classical composition, education, jazz, and a wide variety of popular music genres
piccolo
Worldwide (Western Classical) a small, high-pitched woodwind instrument in the flute family, used in orchestral, concert band, and marching band music.
piccolo trumpet
Worldwide (Western Classical) the smallest member of the trumpet family, pitched one octave higher than the standard B\flat trumpet, used in Baroque-era high-register parts and virtuosic solo performances.
rain stick
Chile, Peru, Mexico, Worldwide a long, hollow tube filled with small pebbles or seeds and fitted with internal pins or thorns that produce a gentle, rushing sound mimicking falling water when tilted, used in Andean folk music, world fusion music, relaxation, sound effects, and ancient agricultural ceremonies.
ratchet
Germany, France, United Kingdom, United States, Austria, Italy, Worldwide (Western Classical) a percussion instrument with a toothed wheel that strikes one or more flexible wooden tongues as it is rotated, used in orchestral compositions, comedic sound effects, film scores, "town signalling", religious processions, historically connected to British night watchment and football culture, and Alpine folk celebrations.
sampler-based groovebox
Worldwide (Popular Music) an all-in-one electronic instrument that allows musicians to sequence, sample, and manipulate sounds for genres like hip-hop, EDM, experimental music, and live electronic performance.
snare drum
Worldwide (Western Classical, Popular Music) a cylindrical drum with two heads and a set of wires stretched across the bottom head that vibrate when the top head is struck, used in genres like rock, pop, jazz, and military music.
soprano cornet
Worldwide (Western Classical) the smallest and highest-pitched brass instrument of the cornet family, typically tuned in E-flat, used in orchestral music, film scores, wind bands, and brass bands.
soprano sax
Worldwide(Western Classical, Popular Music) the smallest and highest-pitched member of the saxophone family, with a straight, conical brass tube, used in jazz, smooth jazz, r&b/soul, wind bands, and classical chamber music.
talk box
Worldwide (Popular Music) an effects pedal that feeds the sound of an instrument (usually a guitar or synthesizer) through a tube and into the musician's mouth, allowing them to shape the instrument's tone into vowel sounds and speech-like vocalizations, used in funk, rock, and pop music.
tam tam
China, Worldwide (western classical) a large, untuned, heavy-rimmed gong made of bronze, used in folk music, orchestral classical music, opera, and film scores.
temple blocks
China, Worldwide (Western Classical) a set of tuned, hollow wooden blocks played with mallets, used in orchestral classical music, percussion ensembles, film scores.
tenor sax
Worldwide (Western Classical, Popular Music) a brass woodwind instrument, third largest in the saxophone family, used wind ensembles, marching bands, in jazz, rhythm and blues (R&B), and rock and roll.
tenor trombone
Worldwide (Western Classical, Popular Music, Jazz) a brass instrument with a slide mechanism (instead of valves), which allows the player to continuously change the tube length to play chromatically, used in orchestral classical music, jazz ensembles, and marching bands.
timpani
Worldwide (Western Classical) a set of large, bowl-shaped drums with a single head stretched over a copper or fiberglass shell, tunable with foot pedals, provide powerful rhythmic accents and sustained rolls, used in Western orchestral classical music, opera, and military band music.
tom-tom
Worldwide (Western Classical, Popular Music) a single-headed cylindrical drum without a snare (can be in a shoulder-mounted set of multiple sizes for marching), used in modern drum kits in rock, jazz, and pop music, marching band and orchestral percussion.
tongue drum
Switzerland, Worldwide (Popular Music) a modern percussion instrument made of a hollow, spherical steel shell with radiating slits cut into the surface and tuned to specific notes, played with the fingers or mallets, used in sound healing, meditation music, and ambient folk music.
triangle
Worldwide (Western Classical) a bar of metal, usually steel, bent into a triangular shape left open at one corner, suspended and struck with a metal beater, used in orchestral classical music, opera, and wind ensembles.
tuba
Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz, Folk) the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument with a deep, conical bore, large bell, and three or more valves, used in orchestras, wind bands, marching bands, polka and folk ensembles, and sometimes jazz ensembles.
tubular bells
Worldwide (Western Classical) a set of tuned, long, cylindrical metal tubes hung vertically in a frame and struck near the top edge with a rawhide hammer, used in orchestral classical music, opera, and film scores.
Turn table
United States, Worldwide a rotating platform that spins a vinyl record while a stylus tracks the grooves to reproduce sound, when used by a DJ (Turntablist) creates new sounds and rhythmic effects through techniques like scratching and beat juggling for hip-hop and dance music.
vibraphone
United States, Worldwide (Western Classical, Jazz, Popular Music) a large, keyboard-like percussion instrument with metal bars (similar to a xylophone) with a pedal to sustain the tone and electrically powered rotating discs (or fans) inside the resonator tubes to create an oscillating vibrato effect, used in jazz, lounge music, and contemporary classical music.
vibratone
United States, worldwide a tubular aluminum percussion instrument struck with a mallet and has a sound hole that can be covered and uncovered to produce varied tones, used in sound design, experimental music, and music education.
viola
Worldwide (Western Classical) a bowed string instrument that is slightly larger than a violin, tuned a perfect fifth lower, middle voice (alto/tenor) of the orchestral string family, used in orchestral classical music, chamber ensembles, and string quartets.
violin
Worldwide the smallest and highest-pitched member of the orchestral string family, tuned in perfect fifths, uses in nearly every western music genre, including orchestral classical music, folk music (where it is often called a fiddle), and jazz.
vocoder
United States, Worldwide an electronic device or software effect that analyzes the spectral content of the human voice and imposes that content onto a synthesizer or organ (called the carrier)to create robotic, singing-synthesizer voice effects, used in electronic dance music, funk, pop, and film soundtracks.
vuvuzela
South Africa, Worldwide a long, plastic, end-blown horn that produces a loud, monotonous, high-pitched monotone sound, used by spectators at sporting events, most notably soccer (football) matches.
wagner tuba
Germany, Worldwide a brass instrument created by Richard Wagner, with a conical bore (like a horn), a vertical bell, and valves (like a tuba or euphonium), used in orchestral classical music, especially in Wagner's Ring cycle.
waterphone
United States, Worldwide a modern, acoustic idiophone made of a stainless steel resonator bowl containing water and surrounded by bronze rods, played by bowing or striking the rods while tilting the instrument to use the shifting water to create unsettling, pitch-bending sounds, used in film scores, particularly horror film scores.
xylophone
Worldwide (Western Classical) a set of wooden bars arranged like a piano keyboard and struck with hard mallets, used in orchestral classical music, contemporary music, and music education.