This part of our guide is reserved for online resources featuring information about musical instruments, such as how to play them, musical range and tone, vintage instruments, and instrument manufacture and repair.
Music has been an essential part of the human experience for millennia, and its heart lies in the instruments that give sound its shape.
Ethnomusicologists often classify instruments using the Hornbostel-Sachs system, which organizes them by how sound is produced, such as percussion, wind, stringed, electronic, and keyboard instruments.
Percussion instruments are among the oldest in human history, and were used in rituals, for communication, and as entertainment. They are divided into two main subcategories: membranophones and idiophones. Membranophones are instruments that produce sound through a stretched membrane, and include snare drums, bass drums, tabla, and djembe. Archaeological evidence has determined that drums were used in Mesopotamia and Africa thousands of years ago, often for ceremonial or military purposes. Idiophones are instruments that produce sound from the material of the instrument itself, without strings or membranes. Examples include xylophones, cymbals, triangles, marimbas, and gongs. Idiophones appear in nearly every culture, from African slit drums to Asian temple gongs, and are often tied to spiritual or communal functions.
Wind instruments, or aerophones, create sound by vibrating a volume of air. They can be divided into woodwinds and brass, although the distinction is based on technique rather than material. Woodwind sound is produced by blowing across a reed or an opening, as can be heard in flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, and saxophones. The oldest known instrument is a 40,000-year-old bone flute found in Germany. Brass sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece, as in trumpets, trombones, French horns, and tubas. Ancient civilizations used horns and trumpets for signaling in battle or ceremonies. Wind instruments have long been associated with both military and sacred contexts, later becoming central to orchestras and jazz ensembles.
Stringed instruments (chordophones) produce sound through vibrating strings, which can be plucked, bowed, or struck. Examples include violins, violas, cellos, guitars, harps, sitars, or pianos, although pianos are technically chordophones as well as keyboard instruments.
Electronic instruments (electrophones) are a relatively modern category, generating sound electronically or by amplifying acoustic sounds. Synthesizers, electric guitars, theremins, and samplers are examples of electrophones. Invented in 1920, the theremin was one of the first electronic instruments.
Keyboard instruments are defined by their layout of keys, which control sound production in various ways. They are not a single Hornbostel-Sachs category, but span multiple families. For example, the piano (chordophone), organ (aerophone), harpsichord (chordophone), and synthesizer (electrophone). The pipe organ, dating back to the ancient Greeks' hydraulis, is one of the earliest keyboard instruments. The harpsichord flourished in the Baroque era, while the piano, invented around 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori, became the dominant solo and ensemble instrument of Western music. Keyboards are unique in their versatility, bridging categories and serving as both solo and accompaniment instruments across centuries.
Beyond these categories, instruments can also be classified by cultural function: sacred versus secular (temple gongs versus dance drums), folk versus classical (banjo versus violin), and regional traditions (Japanese shamisen, West African balafon, and Andean panpipes). The Hornbostel-Sachs system itself has expanded to include hybrids and modern innovations, reflecting the ever-changing landscape of music.
Retail or e-commerce sites selling musical instruments can be found in the Musical Instruments subcategory of our Shopping & eCommerce section.
Categories
Recommended Resources
All the Musical Instruments of the World
While I am skeptical of the claim represented by the title, that it features all the musical instruments of the world, the site does feature images of an impressive number of instruments, displayed alphabetically and by classification. Another section includes photos of instruments being played, and yet another features photos of the instrument, the instrument in play, and videos of it being played. In a list of musical instruments, visitors can listen to sound files of instruments being played.
https://www.allthemusicalinstrumentsoftheworld.com/
A digital directory showcasing an alphabetical catalog of unique, unusual, and traditional musical instruments from around the world, the site's key pages and navigation include its landing page, a catalog of instruments, a glossary with definitions and terminology related to instruments, an about page giving the background of the site, and submission and contact options for contributors and visitors. The site is identified as a directory resource for convention and bizarre instruments.
https://instrumentsofmusic.com/
Described as a "virtual encyclopedia" that lists up to approximately two hundred musical instruments from around the world, the website is regularly updated to enhance documentation and multimedia, suggesting incremental growth and ongoing maintenance. The site's author, publisher, and publication director is identified as F.R. David, a teacher. It is a personally authored, actively maintained, non-commercial, multimedia encyclopedia of musical instruments.
https://instrumentsoftheworld.com/
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music Go Round is a franchise that buys, sells, and trades quality used instruments and equipment through locally owned stores and an online catalog. They offer a large selection of used instruments and gear available online and in-store; items can be shipped or picked up in-store. Cash offers or trade-in credit are presented, and products are tested before resale to ensure working conditions. A points program is used for purchases and selling gear.
https://musicgoround.com/
This is a review and recommendation site focused on musical instruments and related products, offering comparisons, buying guides, and gear reviews. Its main content types include reviews and comparisons of instruments and other music products, buying advice and explanations of parts, and "best of" articles for categories like student clarinets and professional trumpets. Its navigation includes Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Guitar, Drums, Harmonica, and digital music production.
https://musicalinstrumentguide.com/
Situated in Phoenix, Arizona, MIM presents instruments and music from around the world with over 4,200 instruments on display across Geographic Galleries, an Artist Gallery, and an Experience Gallery. Its Geographic Gallery allows visitors to walk through regional musical traditions and instruments from every corner of the globe, while the Artist Gallery features instruments connected to influential artists, and the Experience Gallery offers hands-on opportunities.
https://mim.org/
The musical instrument portal offers expert reviews, buying guides, and tips on a wide range of musical instruments, accessories, and gear, carrying a range of information for beginner and professional musicians. Informational articles are sorted into categories for brass, keyboard, percussion, string, and woodwind instruments, and subcategorized by the specific instrument. News and updates on the musical instrument industry are included, and may also be found through a keyword search.
https://www.musicalinstrumenthub.com/
Also known as "Musical Instruments Guide," this is a compact guide to choosing, starting, and caring for musical instruments across common families. It covers how to pick an instrument that fits the buyer's goals and lifestyle, beginner-friendly choices, essential accessories, practice milestones, and maintenance basics. Factors include purpose, physical fit, time and noise, budget, community, and opportunities. Its navigation system uses tages relating to instrument types.
https://noteinstruments.com/
VMI offers a collection of free, browser-based virtual instruments that can be played without installing software, using a PC keyboard, mouse, or touchscreen device. The virtual instruments available include string and plucked (virtual guitar and ukulele), keyboard and mallet (virtual piano, xylophone, and glockenspiel), wind and woodwind (virtual flute, pan flute, recorder, and clarinet), percussion (virtual drums and bongos), and tools (virtual guitar tuner).
https://www.virtualmusicalinstruments.com/
Designed to teach what instruments sound like, how to play them, and to highlight notable example, the online music resource features comprehensive guides and articles about musical instruments from around the world, plus related pieces on compositions and musicians. Its main content categories are based on the categories of musical instruments (string, wind, percussion, and electronic), with specific instruments featured within these categories and subcategories.
https://worldofmusicality.com/
