Alphabetical List of Instruments – I
From the traditional Iakitxá trumpet from Brazil to the Izeze lute from Tanzinia, learn more about the instruments of the world.
Classification Note:
Chordophones produce sound primarily by the vibration of strings. Idiophone generate sound through the vibration of the instrument’s body itself, without the use of strings, membranes, or external air columns. Membranophones produce sound through the vibration of a stretched membrane. Aerophones create sound by vibrating air within the instrument.
Iakitxá
The Iakitxá is a meter-long indigenous trumpet used by the Fulnios Indians of Pernambuco, Brazil. It is typically played by blowing into one end, producing a resonant, deep sound. This instrument falls under the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of aerophones, specifically a natural trumpet. The Iakitxá is deeply rooted in the cultural practices of the Fulnios people, with historical significance dating back centuries, often used in traditional ceremonies and rituals.
Ibeka
The Ibeka is a thumb piano, also known as a lamellophone, from the Kalai (Bakelle) people of Gabon. It features metal tines that are plucked with the thumbs to produce musical notes. Classified as an idiophone, the Ibeka has been a part of Gabonese musical traditions for generations and is typically used in folk music and community gatherings.
Icheche
Icheche are shakers made from woven straw and leather, filled with pebbles, used by the Igede people of Nigeria. They are shaken rhythmically to produce a percussive sound and fall under the Hornbostel–Sachs classification of idiophones. These shakers are an integral part of traditional Igede music, which has been performed for many generations in Nigeria.
Ichigenkin
The Ichigenkin is the smallest of the Japanese kotos, featuring a single string stretched over a slender wooden soundboard. Musicians play the Ichigenkin by plucking or sliding along the single string with a pick or their fingers. It is classified as a chordophone and has a long history in Japanese court music and folk traditions, dating back to at least the Edo period.
Icyembe
The Icyembe is a long wooden box with acoustic strings, used in Rwanda. Played similarly to a zither, the strings are plucked to create melodic tunes. It is a chordophone and has been used in Rwandan traditional music for many generations, often accompanying songs and dances in cultural ceremonies.
Ideh
Ideh, also known as Idi, are large seeds attached to a grass band, used as arm or leg rattles by Nigerian communities. These idiophones are shaken to produce rhythmic sounds during dances and ceremonies, and have been part of Nigerian musical traditions for many years, especially in folk music.
Ieta
The Ieta is a small 7-stringed harp used by the Baka forest people of southeast Cameroon. It is a chordophone played by plucking the strings with the fingers. The Ieta has been a central part of the Baka people’s musical heritage, passed down through generations and used in traditional ceremonies and storytelling.
Ievina
The Ievina is a type of accordion from Latvia, played by pressing buttons or keys while squeezing the bellows to produce sound. It is classified as an aerophone and has been part of Latvian folk music for over a century, contributing to dance music and cultural festivities.
Igba
The Igba is a short, peg-tuned drum made from antelope skin, originating from Nigeria. Played with a curved stick while slung from the shoulder, this membranophone has been used in Nigerian musical traditions for many years, particularly in ceremonial and celebratory music.
Igil
The Igil is a two-stringed fiddle from Tuva, Russian Federation, often featuring a carved wooden horse’s head at the top of the neck. Played vertically while sitting, the Igil is a chordophone with deep roots in Tuvan culture, known for its association with throat singing and traditional folk music.
Ijachi
Ijachi is an iron spear used by warrior musical groups of the Igede people in Nigeria. It functions as an idiophone, with attached clappers that vibrate as the spear is plunged into the ground during performances. The Ijachi is a unique instrument used in ceremonial and martial music, reflecting the cultural heritage of the Igede people.
Ikh khuur
The Ikh khuur is a Mongolian double bass, a large chordophone played with a bow. It has been a part of Mongolian music for centuries, providing the bass foundation in traditional ensembles and contributing to the deep, resonant sound characteristic of Mongolian folk music.
Ikili
The Ikili is a two-stringed musical instrument from the Altai region, Russian Federation, with a lute-shaped soundbox made of pine or larch. Strummed to produce a sound reminiscent of the wind over the steppe, it is classified as a chordophone. The Ikili has been part of Altai’s cultural traditions for centuries, believed to have magical powers and used in various ceremonies.
Ikko
The Ikko is a highly decorated goblet-shaped drum from Japan, played with the hands or sticks. As a membranophone, it is used in traditional Japanese music, particularly in religious and ceremonial contexts, with its origins tracing back to ancient Japan.
Ilapai
Ilapai is a trumpet played by indigenous tribes in the Amazon region of Brazil. This aerophone is used in traditional ceremonies and rituals, reflecting the deep cultural heritage of the Amazonian tribes.
Ilimba
The Ilimba is a thumb piano from Tanzania, similar to a lamellophone, with metal tines plucked to create melodies. It has been part of Tanzanian music for generations, used in folk and ceremonial music.
Ilu
The Ilu is a tall drum used in Bahian candombles in Brazil, played with the hands. This membranophone is integral to Afro-Brazilian religious music, particularly in Candomblé rituals, and has been used for centuries.
Imzad
The Imzad is a small one-stringed fiddle from the Tuareg society, performed exclusively by women. Classified as a chordophone, it has a deep cultural significance in Tuareg music, used to accompany songs, evoke memories, and even for therapeutic purposes. The Imzad has been a part of Tuareg heritage for generations but is becoming increasingly rare.
Ingone
Ingone is a large sacred drum used in Xango ceremonies in Recife, Brazil. As a membranophone, it plays a vital role in Afro-Brazilian religious practices, with its origins rooted in the African diaspora in Brazil.
Inanga
The Inanga is a trough zither from Central/Eastern Africa, played by plucking its strings. This chordophone has a long history in the region, used in traditional music to accompany storytelling and ceremonies.
Ingoma
The Ingoma is a cylindrical drum from Burundi, covered with animal skin. Played in traditional ceremonies, this membranophone has been a central part of Burundian culture for centuries.
Inkiranya
The Inkiranya is a large ceremonial drum from Burundi, similar to the Ingoma. This membranophone is used in important cultural and religious ceremonies, reflecting its ancient roots in Burundian tradition.
Ishaka
The Ishaka is an Ibo gourd shaker with seed nets from Nigeria, used as an idiophone. It is played by shaking to create rhythm in traditional Ibo music, and has been a part of Nigerian cultural practices for many years.
Ipu
The Ipu is a Hawaiian single gourd drum, used to accompany hula dancing. This idiophone is played by striking the gourd with the hands, and has been a part of Hawaiian music for centuries, particularly in both ancient and modern hula.
Ipu heke
The Ipu heke is a Hawaiian drum made from two gourds of unequal size, played by striking it with the hand while seated. As an idiophone, it has been a central instrument in hula music, with deep historical roots in Hawaiian culture.
Itones
Itones are a pair of wooden sticks used in Afro-Cuban music, functioning as idiophones. They are struck together to create rhythmic patterns, playing an essential role in Cuban percussion ensembles.
Itótele
The Itótele is the middle drum in the set of three batá drums used in Cuba, played with the hands. This membranophone is central to Santería religious ceremonies, reflecting its Afro-Cuban origins and deep cultural significance.
Iworo
Iworo are Igede leg rattles made from large seeds, worn by dancers in Nigeria. As idiophones, they are shaken to create rhythm, and have been used in traditional dances for generations.
Iyá
The Iyá is the largest of the batá drums from Cuba, believed to communicate with the orishas during sacred ceremonies. This membranophone is a vital part of Santería practices, with a long history in Afro-Cuban culture.
Iyailu
Iyailu is the lead drum of the dundun, a Yoruba drum ensemble from Nigeria. Played with sticks, this membranophone is central to Yoruba religious and cultural ceremonies, with its history dating back centuries.
Iyesá
Iyesá is a set of four sacred two-headed drums from Matanzas, Cuba, used in religious ceremonies. These membranophones are played with sticks and are an essential part of Afro-Cuban religious practices.
Izeze
The Izeze is a spike lute from the Wagogo people of Tanzania, with varying numbers of strings. As a chordophone, it has been used in Tanzanian traditional music for many years, often accompanying dances and ceremonies.
