100+ Musical Instruments Names in English • 7ESL (2024)

Would you like to talk about your favorite band in English but do not know how to refer to different instruments of music? Perhaps you play a musical instrument and would love to be able to tell your English-speaking friends about this. Or maybe you simply want to add some music vocabulary to your repertoire. Whatever your needs, being able to mention the English names of musical instruments will greatly improve your vocabulary and assist you in your day-to-day conversations.

Musical Instruments Names

A musical instrument is an instrument created or adapted to make musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument.

List of Common Instruments of Music

• Musical note
• Trombone
• Saxophone
• Trumpet
• Tuba
• French horn
• Record
• Clarinet
• Microphone
• Harp
• Recorder
• Keyboard
• Xylophone
• Maracas
• Bell
• Harmonica
• Accordion
• Bass drum
• Banjo
• Double bass
• Cello
• Violin
• Piano
• Guitar
• Bass guitar
• Conga
• Snare drum
• Drums/ Drum set

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Musical Instruments Names with Pictures and Examples

Learn names for instruments of music to improve and increase your vocabulary words in English.

Musical note

Amusical noteis a symbol used to represent a specific pitch and duration in music. It is written on a staff and can be played on various instruments.

• Example: The musician played the beautiful melody by reading the musical noteson the sheet music.

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Trombone

Atromboneis a brass musical instrument that uses a slide to change the length of the tubing, producing different pitches.

• Example: The musician played a soulful solo on the tromboneduring the jazz concert.

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Saxophone

Asaxophoneis a woodwind musical instrument that uses a reed and a series of keys to produce a wide range of notes. It is commonly used in jazz and classical music.

• Example: The saxophonist played a smooth and mellow tune on the saxophoneduring the concert.

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Trumpet

Atrumpetis a brass musical instrument that uses a series of valves to produce different pitches. It is commonly used in orchestras, jazz bands, and military bands.

• Example: The trumpet player hit a high note during the performance, impressing the audience with their skill.

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Tuba

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French horn

AFrench hornis a brass musical instrument with a flared bell and a long, coiled tube. It is commonly used in orchestras and wind ensembles.

• Example: The French horn player played a beautiful melody during the romantic ballad.

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Record

Arecordis a physical medium used for storing sound or music, typically in the form of a vinyl disc or a CD.

• Example: I love listening to my favorite songs on the recordplayer, it gives a different sound quality than digital music.

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Clarinet

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Microphone

Amicrophoneis a device used for recording or amplifying sound. It converts sound waves into an electrical signal that can be transmitted through a cable or wirelessly.

• Example: The singer held the microphoneclose to her mouth and sang her heart out to the audience.

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Harp

Aharpis a stringed musical instrument that has a triangular frame and is played by plucking the strings with the fingers. It is commonly used in classical and folk music.

• Example: The harpist played a soothing melody on the harpduring the wedding ceremony.

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Recorder

Arecorderis a woodwind musical instrument that uses a whistle mouthpiece and finger holes to produce different notes. It is commonly used in music education and early music ensembles.

• Example: The music teacher taught the students how to play the basic notes on the recorderduring the music lesson.

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Keyboard

Akeyboardis a musical instrument that uses a set of keys to produce different pitches. It can refer to a piano keyboard or a synthesizer keyboard.

• Example: The musician played a beautiful melody on the electronic keyboardduring the concert.

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Xylophone

Axylophoneis a percussion musical instrument that consists of a set of wooden bars of varying lengths that are struck with mallets to produce different pitches.

• Example: The child played a simple tune on the xylophoneduring the music class.

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Maracas

Maracasare a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow gourd or plastic shells filled with beads or seeds, which are shaken to produce a rattling sound.

• Example: The musician shook the maracasto add a lively rhythm to the salsa music.

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Bell

Abellis a percussion instrument that produces a ringing sound when struck or shaken. It can be made of metal, glass, or other materials.

• Example: The church bell rang out across the town, signaling the start of the Sunday service.

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Harmonica

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Accordion

Anaccordionis a portable musical instrument that uses a series of bellows and buttons or keys to produce different pitches. It is commonly used in folk music.

• Example: The musician played a lively polka on the accordionduring the festival.

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Bass drum

Abass drumis a large percussion instrument that produces a deep, booming sound when struck with a mallet or pedal. It is commonly used in orchestras, marching bands, and rock music.

• Example: The drummer hit the bass drumwith great force, adding a powerful beat to the rock song.

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Banjo

Abanjois a stringed musical instrument that has a round body and a long neck with frets. It is commonly used in folk, bluegrass, and country music.

• Example: The musician played a lively tune on the banjo during the hoedown.

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Double bass

Adouble bassis a large stringed musical instrument that has a deep, resonant sound. It is played with a bow or plucked with the fingers and is commonly used in orchestras and jazz bands.

• Example: The double bass player provided a strong and steady bass line during the symphony.

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Cello

Acellois a stringed musical instrument that is larger than a violin and smaller than a double bass. It is played with a bow or plucked with the fingers and is commonly used in orchestras and chamber music.

• Example: The cellist played a beautiful solo during the romantic piece.

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Violin

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Piano

Apianois a musical instrument that has a keyboard and produces sound by striking strings with hammers. It is commonly used in classical, jazz, and popular music.

• Example: The pianist played a beautiful sonata on the grand pianoduring the recital.

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Guitar

Aguitaris a stringed musical instrument that is played with the fingers or a pick. It has a flat or curved body and a long neck with frets. It is commonly used in many genres of music, including rock, pop, and classical.

• Example: The guitarist played a soulful solo on the acoustic guitarduring the ballad.

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Bass guitar

Abass guitaris a stringed musical instrument that is similar in appearance to a guitar, but produces a lower-pitched sound. It has four or more strings and is commonly used in many genres of music, including rock, funk, and jazz.

• Example: The bass guitarist provided a strong and steady rhythm during the rock concert.

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Conga

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Snare drum

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Drums/ Drum set

Adrum is a percussion instrument that consists of a hollow cylinder or bowl with a drumhead on the top or both ends. It is played by striking the drumhead with hands or sticks.

• Example: The drummer played a thunderous beat on the drumduring the rock concert.

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Types of Instruments of Music

String Instruments

1. Violin
2. Viola
3. Cello
4. Double Bass
5. Guitar
6. Ukulele
7. Banjo
8. Mandolin
9. Harp
10. Lute
11. Sitar
12. Balalaika
13. Dulcimer
14. Zither
15. Koto
16. Erhu
17. Guzheng
18. Shamisen
19. Pipa
20. Bouzouki

Wind Instruments

1. Flute
2. Clarinet
3. Saxophone
4. Oboe
5. Bassoon
6. Piccolo
7. Recorder
8. English horn
9. French horn
10. Trumpet
11. Trombone
12. Tuba
13. Euphonium
14. Bagpipes
15. Didgeridoo
16. Harmonica
17. Accordion
18. Organ
19. Pan flute

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Percussion Instruments

1. Bass drum
2. Snare drum
3. Timpani
4. Tambourine
5. Triangle
6. Cowbell
7. Maracas
8. Guiro
9. Congas
10. Bongos
11. Djembe
12. Claves
13. Cymbals
14. Gong
15. Xylophone
16. Marimba
17. Vibraphone
18. Glockenspiel
19. Steel drums
20. Taiko drums

Keyboard Instruments

1. Piano
2. Organ
3. Harpsichord
4. Clavichord
5. Celesta
6. Mellotron
7. Synthesizer
8. Digital piano
9. Electronic keyboard
10. Accordion
11. Melodica
12. Celeste
13. Fortepiano
14. Dulcitone
15. Keyboard glockenspiel
16. Rhodes piano
17. Wurlitzer piano
18. Clavinet
19. Chamberlin
20. Theremin

Electronic Instruments

1. Synthesizer
2. Sampler
3. Drum machine
4. Digital audio workstation (DAW)
5. Electronic keyboard
6. Electronic drum kit
7. MIDI controller
8. DJ controller
9. Theremin
10. Electronic wind instrument (EWI)
11. Sequencer
12. Groovebox
13. Modular synthesizer
14. Virtual instrument plugin
15. Audio interface
16. Beatmaker
17. Music production software
18. Looper
19. Audio effects processor
20. DJ mixer

Top 100 Instruments of Music

Here is a list of 100 musical instruments in English:

1. Piano
2. Guitar
3. Drums
4. Bass
5. Violin
6. Trumpet
7. Flute
8. Clarinet
9. Saxophone
10. Harmonica
11. Trombone
12. Banjo
13. Mandolin
14. Ukulele
15. Accordion
16. Harp
17. Bagpipes
18. Maracas
19. Castanets
20. Timpani
21. Triangle
22. Xylophone
23. Vibraphone
24. Marimba
25. Steel drums
26. Kazoo
27. Sitar
28. Dulcimer
29. Bongos
30. Congas
31. Tambourine
32. Guiro
33. Cabasa
34. Shakers
35. Cowbell
36. Cymbals
37. Gong
38. Chimes
39. Hand drums
40. Djembe
41. Belly dance drum
42. Darbuka
43. Riq
44. Snare drum
45. Bass drum
46. Tom-tom drum
47. Hi-hat cymbals
48. Ride cymbal
49. Splash cymbal
50. China cymbal
51. Bass guitar
52. Acoustic guitar
53. Electric guitar
54. Classical guitar
55. Flamenco guitar
56. Jazz guitar
57. Blues guitar
58. Folk guitar
59. Slide guitar
60. Steel-string guitar
61. 12-string guitar
62. Harpsichord
63. Clavichord
64. Fortepiano
65. Celeste
66. Organ
67. Synthesizer
68. Mellotron
69. Theremin
70. Keyboard
71. Electronic drum kit
72. Dj turntables
73. Sampler
74. Drum machine
75. Moog
76. Sequencer
77. Microphone
78. PA system
79. Sound board
80. Amp
81. Equalizer
82. Compressor
83. Reverb unit
84. Echo unit
85. Delay unit
86. Flugelhorn
87. Cornet
88. Tuba
89. Euphonium
90. Baritone horn
91. French horn
92. Trombone
93. Sousaphone
94. Alto sax
95. Tenor sax
96. Baritone sax
97. Oboe
98. Bassoon
99. English horn
100. Piccolo

Instruments of Music Video