List of Indian musical instruments

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Musical instruments of the Indian subcontinent can be broadly classified according to the Hornbostel–Sachs system into four categories: chordophones (string instruments), aerophones (wind instruments), membranophones (drums) and idiophones (non-drum percussion instruments).

Lady playing pulluvan veena

Chordophones edit

Plucked strings edit

Bowed strings edit

 
Tribal fiddle instruments called "Dhodro Banam" used by Santhal people in Eastern India.

Other string instruments edit

Aerophones edit

Single reed edit

 
Snake charmer playing pungi
 
Bansuri player at Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur.
 
Indian Harmonium

Double reed edit

Flute edit

Bagpipes edit

Free reed edit

Free reed and bellows edit

Brass edit

Membranophones edit

Hand drums edit

 
Learning to play tabla
 
Tumbaknaer, drum from Jammu and Kashmir for accompanying devotionals
 
Chenda (top) and Chande (below) are different drums
 
Chande of Yakshagana

Hand frame drums edit

  • Daf, duf, or dafli – medium or large frame drum without jingles, of Persian origin
  • Dubki, dimdi or dimri – small frame drum without jingles
  • Kanjira – small frame drum with one jingle
  • Kansi – small drum without jingles
  • Patayani thappu – medium frame drum played with hands

Stick and hand drums edit

Stick drums edit

 
Chennakeshava Temple, 12th century A.D. Goddess playing an hourglass drum, possibly an udukai.

Idiophones edit

 
A medieval instrument, labeled nagaveena (snake veena), is a type of musical scraper.

Melodic edit

 
Jaltarang

Hand harmonium edit

Dwarkanath Ghose (Dwarkin) modified the French pedal harmonium.

Electronic edit

See also edit

References edit