Explore World Instruments with music dictionary guides to global sounds, traditional tools, cultural roots, tuning, rhythm, and performance.
The tabla is a pair of hand‑drummed percussion instruments fundamental to Hindustani classical music and many South Asian musical traditions. Consisting of a smaller dayan and a larger bayan, it produces a wide range of tones through intricate finger techniques and tunable drumheads.
The didgeridoo is a traditional Australian wind instrument that produces a continuous low‑frequency drone. Played using circular breathing, it has ancient Indigenous roots and a growing presence in contemporary music worldwide.
Bagpipes are a class of aerophone instruments that use a bag to supply steady air to reeds, producing a continuous, distinctive sound. They appear in many cultures, most famously in Scotland and Ireland, and serve roles ranging from folk dance music to military ceremonies.
The accordion is a portable, box‑shaped instrument that creates sound by forcing air through free reeds as the player expands and compresses bellows. It combines elements of keyboard and wind families and is used in a wide range of musical styles worldwide.
The sitar is a plucked, long‑necked lute integral to Hindustani classical music. It features a resonant gourd body, multiple played and sympathetic strings, and a distinctive glissando technique.
The koto is a traditional Japanese plucked zither with movable bridges, typically featuring 13 strings. It is central to classical, folk, and contemporary Japanese music and has influenced various world‑music collaborations.
The bouzouki is a long‑necked, fretted string instrument originating in Greece. It is prominent in folk, popular, and contemporary music, known for its bright, metallic tone and distinctive rhythmic drive.
The kalimba is a plucked idiophone of African origin, commonly known as a thumb piano. It consists of metal tines mounted on a resonating board and is played by plucking the tines with the thumbs.
The erhu is a traditional Chinese two‑stringed bowed instrument belonging to the huqin family. It is known for its expressive, vocal‑like tone and is a staple of Chinese folk, opera, and contemporary music.
The steel drum, also known as the steelpan, is a pitched percussion instrument originating from Trinidad and Tobago. Made from oil drums, it produces a bright, resonant tone and is central to Caribbean music and global percussion ensembles.