2525 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719
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INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTIONS
Wow, are there a lot of weird and wonderful musical instrument out there. We've compiled a great list along with short descriptions. Check it out...
Below you will find a large number of musical instrument descriptions; while making use of these descriptions, please be aware that there are usually many variations and spellings of most of these instruments. We have attempted to cross-referenced many of these, but still, any suggestions or corrections are welcomed!
Note: We do not stock all of the instruments below, many, but not all. The purpose of the list is informational!
Tabla - NB Egyptian: single headed, hour glass-shaped drum.
Tabla - (or tabla,bayan) NB Indian: an asymmetrical pair of small, tuned hand played drums (of the kettle, drum type) of north and central India, Pakistan and Bangladesh; the tabla drum is of wood, the Bayan of metal.
Tabor - Double headed rope tension drum from England, often played one handed with a 3 hole Tabor Pipe in the other hand.
Tambora/Tanbora - Double-headed drum of the Dominican Republic. Used to play merengue rhythm.
Tamborim - Handheld drum of Brazil, between 15 and 30 cm diameter; played with a switch.
Tambura - Long-necked fretted lute from Bulgaria, especially seen in Pirin. Has 2, 3, 6, 8 or 12 metal strings, 6 strings in 3 pairs is a common variety. Similar to the Greek Baglama.
Tambutica - Plucked lute of Yugoslavia; wire strings; several sound holes.
Tamburitza - Main instrument of Slavonic music; an instrument of the Tanbur lute family, which originally came from Asia.
Tanbur - Name applied to various long-necked lutes of the Middle East and Cantrla Asia.
Tanpura - Long-necked ancient lute of India; four strings; provides the reference point for melodic improvisations by performers of the other instruments.
Tantan - Brazilian drum.
Tapan - Double-headed drum 50 to 60cm diameter, rope strung. Found in Bulgaria.
Tarambuka - Bulgarian clay drum, similar to the Turkish and Arabic Darabuka.
Tarkas - Wooden flute with mouthpiece.
Tarogato - Woodwind instrument with a reed, similar to an oboe; dark, penetrating tone.
Thavil - Two-headed drum originating from Southern India; for festivals.
Thumb-Piano - See Kalimba
Tilinca - A Romanian flute without finger holes.
Timba - Tall tapered Brazilian drum.
Timbales - Pair of metal-shelled, single-headed, cylindrical drums.
Tin Whistle - See Flageolet
Tiple - In Spain, Colombia, Puerto Rico, etc., a small type of guitar; 12 metal strings.
To'ere - Tahitian slit log drum; hollowed out trunk of tou wood, struck with a wooden beater; the larger the instrument, the deeper the sound.
Tonback - Skin drum used in Iranian classical music; carved from wood, open at the lower end, covered with goat or calf at the wider, upper end; played with the fingers of both hands.
Tres - Type of guitar with 3 single or double courses of strings. Found in Cuba.
Trombita - Large horn, similar to the alpenhorn.
Tulum - Bagpipe of Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Tzeze - A simple stick zither from Uganda
Tzoura - Greek 6 string long necked lute, similar to, but smaller than a bouzouki, the middle one out of the Baglama, Tzoura, Bouzouki family.
Ud - (also spelt aud or oud)
Udu Drum - Clay pot with 2 holes, cupped alternatively; sound produced by compression and release of the air inside it.
Uilleann Pipes - See union pipe; ('Uilleann' is Gaelic for elbow)
Ukulele - (or Ukelele) Small guitar shaped instrument of Hawaiian origin, 4 nylon strings.
Uli-Uli - Hawaiian maracas.
Union Pipe - Type of bellows blown bagpipe known in Ireland from 18th century. See Uilleann Pipes. Has a conical chanter which has a two octave range, 3 drones, and 3 keyed chanters known as regulators.
Vibraphone - Of the bar percussion family; metal; similar in appearance to the xylophone.
Vielle - French name for the Hurdy Gurdy, a mechanical development of the violin (also once known as a Vielle) with the strings vibrated by a wheel, and keys stopping the strings. See also Hurdy-Gurdy and Nyckelharpa.
Vihuela - Plucked chordophone of the guitar family. Now popular in Central America, it is very similar to the Spanish renaissance vihuela.
Viola - 2nd in line within the "string" instrument family. Has four strings tuned in 5ths to CGDA
Violin - Highest pitched instrument within the "string" instrument family. Has four strings tuned in 5ths to GDAE
Walaycho - Small-brother of the charango
Whistle - An end blown flute with a fipple, all kinds exist around the world. See flageolet.
Wuankara - Chinese bamboo pipe.
Yang Qin - Chinese hammered dulcimer; came into China from Persia in the 17th century and now regarded as a Chinese national instrument. (See Hammered Dulcimer)
Zampoña - A series of (usually) bamboo tubes, each of a slightly greater length from the others, arranged in a scale and played by blowing air over one edge of one tube. Also Panpipe.
Zampogna - Italian bagpipe with 2 drones and 2 conical chanters, all in one stock.
Zither - The family name of all instruments which have strings stretched across a box. Popular in central Europe. In addition to the melody strings, the Concert Zither has a guitar type fretboard, some models have strings grouped together in chords.
Zurna - Another name for shawm; folk oboe of the Arab world.