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.

common named instruments

 

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 guitarpianoviolinsnare drum
cymbalsbass drumbass guitarsaxophone
trumpetcellodouble bassflute
clarinetaccordionharmonicaviola
bassoonpiccolooboetuba
french horntrombonexylophoneglockenspiel
chimesvibraphonetimpanihand pan
marimbatriangletambourinebongo
gongharpsichordukuleleclavichord
pipe organsynthesizermelodicalute
mandolinbanjosteel guitarkeyboard
clap boxveenamridangamsitar
tubular chimesconga drumsbellselectric guitar
bugleharpharmoniummaracas
cabasacelestaspinettabla
ektarasarodpungigramophone
bagpipescastanetsdobrokalimba
djemberecorderwood blockzither
pan fluteorganthereminoud
melodicadidjeridooocarinacajón
Tibetan singing bowl

 

Instruments Found in the Orchestra

StringsWoodwindsBrassPercussion
ViolinFluteTrumpetPiano
ViolaOboeFrench HornTimpani
CelloClarinetTromboneXylophone
Double BassBassoonTubaCymbals
HarpTriangle
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Tambourine
Maracas
Gong
Chimes
Castanets
Celesta

 

Instruments in Marching Band

PercussionBrassWoodwind
Snare DrumTrumpetFlute
Tenor DrumsCornetClarinet
Bass DrumTrombonePiccolo
CymbalsFrench HornSaxophone
BellsTuba
Glockenspiel
Wood Blocks

 

 

Instruments in Different Genres of Music

PopRockCountryHip-hop/RapFunkJazzBlues
SynthesizerAcoustic GuitarBanjoSynthesizerSynthesizerPianoPiano
DrumsElectric GuitarAcoustic GuitarTurntableElectric OrganBassHarmonica
GuitarBass GuitarMandolinDrum MachineGuitarTrumpetBass
BassKeyboardBassKeyboardBassSaxophoneElectric Guitar
KeyboardsPianoFiddleHuman BeatboxingDrumsTromboneDrums
DrumsDobroKeyboardDrumsKeyboard
Steel GuitarClarinet

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

bowed string instruments

Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Bowed String Family

 

List of Woodwind Instruments

  • Flute
  • Piccolo
  • Oboe
  • Clarinet
  • Bassoon
  • Saxophone

woodwind family instruments

Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Woodwind Family

 

List of Brass Instruments

  • Trumpet
  • Tuba
  • French Horn
  • Trombone

brass family instruments

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

percussion family instruments

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

keyboard family instruments

Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Keyboard Family

 

List of Guitar Family Instruments

  • 6-string Guitar
  • Lute
  • Ukulele
  • Mandolin

guitar family instruments

Download the Free PDF Version for Print – Common Instruments in the Guitar Family