Musical Instrument Classifications

Comprehensive Table of Musical Instrument Classifications

Aerophones
(Wind Instruments - Vibrating air)

Chordophones
(Stringed Instruments - Vibrating strings)

Idiophones
(Vibrating Instruments)

Membranophones
(Vibrating Membrane Instruments)

Electrophones
(Electronically Created Sounds)

Free Aerophones
Free Aerophones (Moving object vibrates air to create sound)
		Bull-roarer Buzzer
Free Reed Aerophones (Vibrating reeds without resonators)
		Accordion Harmonica Harmonium Mouth Organ Sheng

Flutes (Flue Voiced) (Air column split by lip of of the instrument)
Open Tube
	End Blown Single Flutes
		Kaval
	End Blown Multiple Flutes
		Panpipes
	Whistle Blown
		Boatswains Whistle Flageolet Recorder
	Side Blown
		Flute (transverse)
Closed Tube
	Ocarina
Keyboard
		Organ

Reedpipes (Vibration of reeds)
Double Pipes Triple Pipes Hornpipes Bladder pipe
		Crumhorn
Bagpipes
		Musette
Shawm
		Oboe
		English Horn
Rackett
		Sordone Sordun
Bassanelli Bassoon
		Curtal
		Bassoon
		Contrabassoon
		High-pitched Bassoon
		Single-reed Bassoon
Sarrusophone Single-reed Reedpipes
		Clarinet
		Saxophone
Free-reed Aerophones


Lip Vibrated Aerophones- (Vibration of Lips)
Horn Fingerhole Horns
		Cornett Serpent
Trumpet
(Conical Bore)
		Alphorn Bugle Cornet Flugelhorn
(Cylindrical Bore)
		Euphonium Sousaphone Trombone Tuba

Zithers
Ground Zithers Musical Bows
	Aeolian Bows Pluriare
Stick Zithers
	Vinã Bladder and String
Raft Zither Trough Zither Frame Zither Tube Zither Board Zither Long Zither
	Individually Bridged Long Zither Fretted Long Zither
Box Zither
	Monochord String Drum Trumpet Marine Psaltery Aeolian Harp Fretted Zither Bell Harp
		Autoharp Dulcimer Zither

Keyboard Chordophones
Keyboard
	Experimental Keyboard Transposing Keyboard
Chekker Dulce Melos Clavichord
	Cimbal d'amour
Harpsichord
	Clavicytherium Gut-strung Harpsichords & Enharmonic Harpsichords Spinet Virginal Claviorganum Piano-organ
Bowed Keyboard Instruments
Pianoforte
	Harpsichord Piano Tangent Piano Sustaining Piano Pedalboard Piano Enharmonic Piano Player Piano
		Fortepiano Piano

Lyres
	Lyre Crwth

Harps
Ground Bows Harps
	Harp
Harp Zither Harp Lute

Lutes
Long-necked Lute Short-necked Lute Archlute
	Theorbo Theorbo Lute Chitarrone Angelica
Mandora Mandolin Sitar Cittern
	Archcittern
Bandora
	Orpharion Penorcon Polyphant Balalaika Charango Colascione
Guitar
	Gittern Vihuela Spanish Guitar Bass Guitar Bandurria Ukulele
Organistrum (hurdy-gurdy)

Bowed Chordophones
Bow Fiddle Rebec
	Kit Folk Rebec Polnische Geige
Lira da Braccio
	Lira da Gamba
Viola da Gamba Violone Baryton Viola
	Violino d'amore
Violin
	Viola Tenor Violin Violoncello (cello) Double Bass

Concussion Idiophones
Clappers
	Claves Slapstick
Castanets
	Castanets
Cymbals
	Cymbals

Percussion Idiophones
Stamped Idiophones Percussion Beams
	Marimba Bell Lyre Celesta Gender Glockenspiel Orchestra Bells Saron Vibraphone
Percussion Disks
	Gong
Percussion Sticks
	Triangles
		Xylophone
	Crystallophones Lithophones Metallophone
Percussion Tubes
	Stamping Tubes Slit Drums Tubular Bells & Chimes Angklung
Percussion Vessels
	Percussion Gourds & Pots The Echeion Steel Drums Bells
		Temple Blocks Wood Block

Shaken Idiophones (Rattles)
Vessel Rattles
	Pellet Bells
	Gourd Rattles
		Maracas
	Basketry Rattles Hollow Ring Rattles
Suspension Rattles
	Stick Rattles Sistrum Strung Rattles
Frame, Pendant, and Sliding Rattles
	Sistro

Scraped Idiophones
Scrapers
	Güiro
Cog Rattles
	Cog Rattle Ratchet Washboard

Split Idiophone


Plucked Idiophones
	Jew's Harp
Thumb Piano
	Music Box Sansa Mbira

Friction Idiophones
Friction Sticks Friction-bar Pianos Friction Vessels
	Musical Glasses Glass Armonica Musical Saw

Predrum Membranophones
Ground drums Pot drums

Tubular Drums
Frame Drums Shallow Drums Cylinder Drums Hourglass Drums Conical Drums Goblet Drums Barrel Drums Rattle Drums Water Drums Drum Kit / Drum Set Talking Drums Drum Chimes
	Bass Drum Bongos Conga Snare Drum Tenor Drum Timbales Tom-tom

Kettledrums
	Timpani

Friction Drums


Mirliton
	Kazoo

Synthesizers
	Moog Theremin Ondes Martenot Trautonium