Instruments Starting with Q
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From the traditional Qarish flute from Central Asia to the Quitiplás bamboo tubes of Venezuela, learn more about the instruments of the world.
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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.
Qarish
The Qarish is a simple flute made from bamboo or wood, commonly used in Central Asian regions. It is played by blowing across an opening at the top while covering the finger holes to produce different notes. This instrument is classified as an aerophone in the Hornbostel-Sachs system. Originating from Central Asia, it has been used in traditional music for centuries, particularly in folk and ceremonial performances.
Qsiba
The Qsiba is a small reed flute from Morocco, made from a single piece of reed. Musicians play the Qsiba by blowing into the instrument and adjusting finger positions to produce melodic notes. It falls under the aerophone category and is a traditional instrument in Moroccan folk music. Its history dates back many centuries and is often played in rural and ceremonial contexts.
Qengkari
The Qengkari is a small hand-held gong used in traditional Korean music and dance performances. It is struck with a mallet to produce a high-pitched metallic sound and is classified as an idiophone. The instrument has roots in Korean traditional music, particularly in court and folk performances, and has been in use for hundreds of years.
Qin (Guqin)
The Qin, also known as the Guqin, is a plucked seven-string zither with a long wooden body. Musicians play the Qin by plucking the strings with their fingers, producing a soft and melodic sound. This instrument belongs to the chordophone family and has been a significant part of Chinese traditional and classical music for over 3,000 years, often associated with scholars and refined artistic expression.
Qromatica
The Qromatica is a modern variation of the traditional Fula flute (tambin) created by Sylvain Leroux. This instrument includes additional finger holes, making it fully chromatic, meaning it can play every note in a musical scale. It is classified as an aerophone and is mainly used in West African music with contemporary adaptations.
Quena
The Quena is an end-blown vertical flute from the Andean regions of South America, traditionally made from bamboo or wood. It is played by blowing across the open end while covering the finger holes to produce various pitches. Classified as an aerophone, the Quena has been used in Andean music for thousands of years, particularly in folk and ceremonial settings.
Quenacho
The Quenacho is a larger version of the Quena, also originating from the Andes. It is played similarly to the Quena, with a deeper and richer sound due to its larger size. The instrument is classified as an aerophone and is often used in Andean folk music.
Quenira
The Quenira is a medieval Andalusian zither similar to the qanun, with a flat soundboard and strings stretched across it. Musicians pluck the strings to create melodies, making it a chordophone instrument. It hails from Spain’s Andalusian period and has been used in classical and folk genres.
Quijada de Burro
The Quijada de Burro is made from the dried jawbone of a donkey, used as a percussion instrument across Latin America. It is played by striking the jawbone with the hand, creating rattling sounds as the teeth vibrate. This idiophone dates back to colonial times and is still used in folk music, especially in Afro-Latin traditions.
Quinto
The Quinto is a small, high-pitched barrel drum used in Cuban music, especially in Afro-Cuban genres such as rumba. Played with the hands, the Quinto is the smallest and highest-pitched drum in the conga family, classified as a membranophone. It originated in West African musical traditions brought to Cuba during the transatlantic slave trade and is key to percussion ensembles.
Quiribillos
The Quiribillos is a clapper instrument made of 15 cane tubes, played by striking them together. This idiophone instrument comes from Colombia and has been used in traditional folk music for many years, particularly in rural and ceremonial music.
Quitiplás
Quitiplás consists of bamboo tubes of different lengths, which are struck against the ground to produce rhythmic patterns. It is classified as an idiophone and originates from Venezuela, traditionally used in Afro-Venezuelan folk music. This instrument is believed to have developed in the context of African-inspired rhythms and has been a key element in percussion ensembles for centuries.
