Have you ever heard a sound and wondered the name of the instrument being played? An orchestra alone has forty-four instruments and many more are found in all genres of music.
If you are looking to name an instrument, then read on – as we cover all the standard and unpopular musical instruments.
Most Common Instrument Names
Before we dive into the main categories of instruments, let’s take a look at the most popular musical instruments found in bands or with popular music.
The guitar is going to be the most popular stringed instrument while the piano rivals it in popularity among musicians of all ages.
While these instruments might be commonly found in popular music, there are so many different types of musical devices available – including many more not even listed here.
List of 80+ Musical Instruments by Name
| acoustic guitar | piano | violin | snare drum |
| cymbals | bass drum | bass guitar | saxophone |
| trumpet | cello | double bass | flute |
| clarinet | accordion | harmonica | viola |
| bassoon | piccolo | oboe | tuba |
| french horn | trombone | xylophone | glockenspiel |
| chimes | vibraphone | timpani | hand pan |
| marimba | triangle | tambourine | bongo |
| gong | harpsichord | ukulele | clavichord |
| pipe organ | synthesizer | melodica | lute |
| mandolin | banjo | steel guitar | keyboard |
| clap box | veena | mridangam | sitar |
| tubular chimes | conga drums | bells | electric guitar |
| bugle | harp | harmonium | maracas |
| cabasa | celesta | spinet | tabla |
| ektara | sarod | pungi | gramophone |
| bagpipes | castanets | dobro | kalimba |
| djembe | recorder | wood block | zither |
| pan flute | organ | theremin | oud |
| melodica | didjeridoo | ocarina | cajón |
| Tibetan singing bowl |
Instruments Found in the Orchestra
| Strings | Woodwinds | Brass | Percussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violin | Flute | Trumpet | Piano |
| Viola | Oboe | French Horn | Timpani |
| Cello | Clarinet | Trombone | Xylophone |
| Double Bass | Bassoon | Tuba | Cymbals |
| Harp | Triangle | ||
| Snare Drum | |||
| Bass Drum | |||
| Tambourine | |||
| Maracas | |||
| Gong | |||
| Chimes | |||
| Castanets | |||
| Celesta |
Instruments in Marching Band
| Percussion | Brass | Woodwind |
|---|---|---|
| Snare Drum | Trumpet | Flute |
| Tenor Drums | Cornet | Clarinet |
| Bass Drum | Trombone | Piccolo |
| Cymbals | French Horn | Saxophone |
| Bells | Tuba | |
| Glockenspiel | ||
| Wood Blocks |
Instruments in Different Genres of Music
| Pop | Rock | Country | Hip-hop/Rap | Funk | Jazz | Blues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthesizer | Acoustic Guitar | Banjo | Synthesizer | Synthesizer | Piano | Piano |
| Drums | Electric Guitar | Acoustic Guitar | Turntable | Electric Organ | Bass | Harmonica |
| Guitar | Bass Guitar | Mandolin | Drum Machine | Guitar | Trumpet | Bass |
| Bass | Keyboard | Bass | Keyboard | Bass | Saxophone | Electric Guitar |
| Keyboards | Piano | Fiddle | Human Beatboxing | Drums | Trombone | Drums |
| Drums | Dobro | Keyboard | Drums | Keyboard | ||
| Steel Guitar | Clarinet |
To understand the different instruments, it is important to first look at the main categories.
Six Main Categories of Instruments
Generally, most instruments will fall into one of the following six categories.
- Bowed String Instruments
- Woodwind
- Brass
- Percussion
- Keyboard
- Guitar Instruments
List of Bowed String Instruments
- Violin
- Viola
- Cello
- Double Bass
Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Bowed String Family
List of Woodwind Instruments
- Flute
- Piccolo
- Oboe
- Clarinet
- Bassoon
- Saxophone
Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Woodwind Family
List of Brass Instruments
- Trumpet
- Tuba
- French Horn
- Trombone
Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Brass Family
List of Percussion Instruments
- Snare Drum
- Bass Drum
- Timpani
- Xylophone
- Glockenspiel
- Chimes
- Vibraphone
- Marimba
- Tubular Bells
- Triangle
- Tambourine
- Cymbals
- Bongo
- Gong
- Whip
- Castanets
- Rattle
- Bass Drum
Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Percussion Family
List of Keyboard Instruments
- Harpsichord
- Piano
- Clavichord
- Pipe Organ
- Synthesizer
- Accordion
- Harmonica
- Melodica
Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Keyboard Family
List of Guitar Family Instruments
- 6-string Guitar
- Lute
- Ukulele
- Mandolin
Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Guitar Family
