Instruments

Chordophones — instruments that produce sound through vibrating strings. From the violin family of European classical music to the sitar of Hindustani tradition, the oud of the Arab world, and the koto of Japan. Strings are the most globally diverse instrument family, appearing in virtually every musical culture.

Woodwind aerophones — instruments sounded by a vibrating column of air, typically using a reed, a flute embouchure, or a single/double-reed mechanism. Includes flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, saxophones, and the full range of reed instruments from the shehnai to the duduk. Named 'woodwind' historically, though many are now made of metal.

Lip-vibrated aerophones — instruments where sound is produced by the player's buzzing lips against a cup or funnel mouthpiece. The trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba are the Western orchestral core; the conch shell, didgeridoo, and alphorn represent this family across world traditions.

Membranophones and idiophones — instruments sounded by striking, shaking, or scraping. Membranophones use a vibrating membrane (tabla, djembe, snare drum); idiophones are self-sounding bodies (xylophone, marimba, bells, castanets). Percussion is the oldest and most universal instrument family, present in every known musical culture.

Instruments controlled by a keyboard mechanism — a row of levers that the player depresses to sound pitches. The piano (a struck string instrument), the pipe organ (a wind instrument), the harpsichord (plucked strings), the clavichord, and the accordion all fall under this category despite their different sounding mechanisms.

Plucked chordophones — string instruments sounded by plucking rather than bowing. This family spans the guitar (classical, flamenco, folk, electric), the oud, the lute, the banjo, the harp, the kora, and dozens of regional instruments from the shamisen to the guqin.

Electrophones — instruments that produce or significantly transform sound electronically. Includes the theremin (the first widely known electronic instrument), the Moog synthesizer, the ondes Martenot, electric guitars and basses (where electromagnetism is the primary amplification), and digital instruments.