Musical instruments are grouped into families based on how they create sound. Below are the primary classifications used by organologists and ethnomusicologists. Click on an instrument name to learn more about it.
Chordophones produce sound when strings stretched between two points vibrate. The vibration is transmitted to a resonating body, amplifying the sound. Examples include guitars, pianos and violins.
Aerophones create sound by vibrating a column of air. Players blow into or across the instrument, causing air to resonate inside. Flutes, trumpets and saxophones are aerophones.
Membranophones produce sound when a stretched membrane is struck or rubbed. The vibration of the membrane creates the audible sound. The drum kit and tabla are examples of membranophones.
Idiophones produce sound primarily by the vibration of the instrument’s own body, without strings, membranes or air columns. Examples include bells, xylophones and cymbals. We have not yet added pages for these instruments.