Alphabetical List of Instruments – R
From the traditional Rabab fiddle from North Africa to the Ryuteki flute from Japan, 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.
Rabab
The rabab is a short-necked fiddle commonly used in North Africa, featuring a wooden body and a single string. It is played with a bow, producing melodic and rhythmic sounds for classical Arabic music. Classified as a chordophone in the Hornbostel–Sachs system, the rabab has a rich history dating back centuries. Its typical use is in traditional Arabic music, and it remains a vital part of Middle Eastern and North African folk performances.
Rababa
The rababa is an Afghan lute with three gut strings stretched over a goat skin-covered body, along with 13 sympathetic strings. Played by plucking or strumming, it creates resonant melodic sounds typical of Afghan and regional folk music. As a chordophone, the rababa originates from Afghanistan and has been central to regional music for centuries. It is prominently used in Afghan classical and folk traditions.
Rabeca
The rabeca is a folk fiddle related to the rabab, originating in Brazil. It is played with a bow and used in traditional Brazilian music styles like forró and maracatu. As a chordophone, this instrument reflects the blending of European and local influences in Brazilian culture. The rabeca is typically used in folk and rural musical traditions, with a history that stretches back to colonial times.
Rabel
The rabel is a bowed folk instrument from Spain, closely related to the Middle Eastern rabab. It has a narrow body and two or three strings and is played with a bow. Classified as a chordophone, the rabel has medieval origins and is typically found in folk music across northern Spain. It is played in rural and traditional Spanish folk performances, particularly in pastoral settings.
Rag dung
The rag dung is a long brass trumpet used in Tibetan ritual music. Played in pairs, it is used to signal calls to prayer, preludes, and processions. As an aerophone, this instrument is part of Buddhist liturgical music, with origins in Tibet dating back centuries. It is typically associated with religious ceremonies and Tibetan temple rituals.
Rainstick
The rainstick is a long, hollow tube filled with pebbles or seeds, often made from cactus in South America. When tilted, the pebbles strike the walls, mimicking the sound of falling rain. Classified as an idiophone, it originates from Chile and has been used for centuries in ceremonial and ritual music. Today, it is often found in folk music and even modern ambient music.
Rajão
The rajão is a small five-string guitar from the island of Madeira, and is one of the ancestors of the Hawaiian ukulele. It is played by strumming, producing bright and rhythmic sounds characteristic of Portuguese folk music. As a chordophone, the rajão has its roots in Portugal and has been used in regional music for centuries. It is central to traditional Madeiran music and has influenced other musical forms globally.
Ratatak
The ratatak is a shaker made with gourd jingles, creating loud clacking sounds when the gourds hit each other. Played by shaking, it functions as a rhythmic idiophone in West African musical traditions. Originating from Ghana, this instrument has been used in folk music and traditional ceremonies for generations. It is often seen in performances that require strong percussive elements, such as festivals and dances.
Rebec
The rebec is a medieval European fiddle derived from the Arabic rabab, featuring a small, rounded body and three strings. Played with a bow, it produces high-pitched melodies, often used in medieval and Renaissance music. This chordophone was widely used in Europe during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. Today, it is found in early music ensembles and historical performances.
Reco-reco
The reco-reco is a Brazilian scraper, typically made from metal or wood, and played by dragging a stick across its ridged surface. It produces a percussive, rasping sound, classified as an idiophone. Originally from Angola, the reco-reco is widely used in samba and other Brazilian music styles. It has a deep history in both African and Afro-Brazilian musical traditions.
Recorder
The recorder is a European wooden or plastic whistle flute, available in various sizes, and played by blowing air into the mouthpiece while covering finger holes to change pitch. Classified as an aerophone, the recorder dates back to the Middle Ages and is used in Western classical, folk, and children’s music education. It remains a popular instrument for beginners and in early music ensembles.
Redondo (Culo e Puya)
The redondo is an Afro-Venezuelan drum set composed of long cylindrical drums laid on the ground and played with hands and sticks. This membranophone is central to Venezuelan folk music, with roots in African slave traditions. It is typically used in religious and festival music, particularly in Afro-Venezuelan communities.
Repinique
The repinique is a small samba drum with a metallic sound, played with one stick and a bare hand. This membranophone comes from Brazil and is an essential part of samba and carnival music. It has a long history in Brazilian musical culture and continues to play a prominent role in rhythmic sections of samba schools and parades.
Repique
The repique is an Afro-Uruguayan drum used in candombe, a traditional drum-based music style. Played with sticks or hands, it provides the higher-pitched rhythms in candombe ensembles. As a membranophone, it originates from Uruguay and is central to the candombe genre, which has been played for centuries by the Afro-Uruguayan community.
Reque Reque
The reque reque is a South American scraper found in Bolivia and other Andean nations. Played by rubbing a stick along its ridged surface, it is an idiophone used in folk music traditions. Originating in the Andes, the instrument has been part of rural music for generations, contributing to the percussive sounds of traditional Andean ensembles.
Requinto
The requinto is a small guitar found in Spain and Latin America, played similarly to a regular guitar but producing a higher pitch. This chordophone has roots in Spanish-speaking countries and is widely used in folk and regional music. It has a long tradition in the music of Mexico, Spain, and other Latin American countries, particularly in romantic and folk genres.
Requinto Jarocho
The requinto jarocho is a small four-string guitar from the Veracruz region of Mexico. Played by strumming or plucking, it is integral to the son jarocho genre of Mexican folk music. Classified as a chordophone, this instrument has been part of Mexican musical heritage for centuries and is central to traditional folk performances in the region.
Rewap
The rewap is a three-string long-necked lute of the Uyghur community in China. Played by plucking, it produces resonant tones used in Uyghur folk music. As a chordophone, it originates from China’s Xinjiang region and has been used in Uyghur music for centuries. It is commonly seen in traditional Uyghur performances, reflecting the culture’s rich musical history.
Rígófová píšťala
The rígófová píšťala is an end-blown Slovak shepherd’s pipe, traditionally used by shepherds in the mountainous regions of Slovakia. This aerophone has been played for centuries in Slovak folk music, particularly in rural areas. It produces clear, melodious sounds that are central to traditional Slovak pastoral music.
Rigurigi
The rigurigi is a one-string fiddle of the Acoli people in Uganda. Played with a bow, it is used in traditional Ugandan folk music. As a chordophone, this instrument has been used for centuries in Acoli musical culture, providing both melodic and rhythmic support in performances.
Riq
The riq is a Middle Eastern tambourine, also known as rik or riqq, made of wood or metal with jingles attached to the frame. Played by striking with hands or fingers, it is an idiophone central to Middle Eastern and North African music. The riq has been a part of Arabic classical and folk music for centuries, often used in dance and religious ceremonies.
Riti
The riti is a one-string fiddle, also known as nyanyero, found in Gambia. Played with a bow, it produces melodic lines that are a key part of West African folk traditions. This chordophone has been used in West Africa for generations, often accompanying griots and traditional storytellers.
Rkan-dun
The rkan-dun is a Tibetan horn made from human thigh bones, used in Buddhist rituals. Played by blowing, it produces low, haunting tones central to Tibetan religious music. This aerophone has been used for centuries in Tibetan monastic ceremonies, particularly in meditation and temple rituals.
Rolmo
The rolmo is a set of domed cymbals used by Tibetan monks in Buddhist rites. Played by striking together, these idiophones produce rhythmic sounds integral to Tibetan ritual music. They have been used in Buddhist practices for centuries, contributing to the spiritual and meditative atmosphere of the ceremonies.
Rommelpot
The rommelpot is a European friction drum, producing sound by rubbing a stick or hand across the drumhead. This membranophone has been used in European folk music for centuries, particularly in rural celebrations and festivals. It is commonly found in the folk music of northern Europe.
Rondador
The rondador is a small cane panpipe found in Ecuador and Peru, arranged in a single row of tubes. It is played by blowing across the open ends, producing soft, harmonious sounds typical of Andean music. This aerophone has ancient roots in South America and remains central to traditional Andean folk performances.
Roneat ek
The roneat ek is a curved, high-pitched xylophone from Cambodia, shaped like a boat. Played with mallets, it serves as the leading xylophone in Cambodian orchestras. Classified as an idiophone, it has been a part of Cambodian musical traditions for centuries and is commonly used in classical and ceremonial music.
Roneat thung
The roneat thung is a low-pitched curved xylophone from Cambodia. Played with mallets, it provides bass tones in traditional Cambodian ensembles. As an idiophone, it has been central to Cambodian music for generations, often used in ceremonial and classical performances.
Ronroco
The ronroco is an Andean string instrument, part of the charango family, with five double strings and a wooden sound box. Played by strumming or plucking, it produces rich, resonant tones. Classified as a chordophone, it originates from the Andes and has been used in Andean folk music for centuries, especially in traditional charango ensembles.
Rozenice
The rozenice is an Istrian shawm made of wood, producing reedy, piercing tones. Played by blowing through a reed, this aerophone has a long history in Croatian folk music. It is commonly used in traditional Istrian and Dalmatian music.
Rozhok
The rozhok is a wooden trumpet from Russia, also known as Vladimir horn. Played by blowing, it produces bright, brassy tones typical of Russian folk music. This aerophone dates back centuries and is commonly used in traditional rural music throughout Russia.
Ruan
The ruan is a short-necked, fretted Chinese lute with a round body and four strings. Played by plucking, it produces mellow, melodic sounds central to traditional Chinese classical music. As a chordophone, the ruan has been part of Chinese musical heritage for centuries and is often used in both traditional and modern Chinese music.
Rubab
The rubab is a plucked lute with a short neck, three main playing strings, and several drone strings, originating in Central Asia. Played by plucking, it produces resonant, melodic sounds central to Afghan classical music. Classified as a chordophone, the rubab has ancient origins and remains a key instrument in Afghan , Pakistan and Central Asian musical traditions.
Rubboard
The rubboard, or washboard, is a percussion instrument from southern Louisiana, made from metal and played by scraping a stick or spoon across its ridged surface. Classified as an idiophone, it is commonly used in Cajun and Zydeco music. The rubboard has been part of Louisiana’s musical culture for over a century, contributing to the rhythmic sections of dance music.
Rubel
The rubel is a Russian washboard made of wood with grooves, played by rubbing a rod across the surface. This idiophone has been used in Russian folk music for generations, typically providing rhythmic support in rural and traditional settings.
Ryuteki
The ryuteki is a Japanese transverse bamboo flute, also known as the dragon flute. Played by blowing across the mouthpiece, it produces a clear, high-pitched sound used in gagaku (court music). As an aerophone, it has been part of Japanese musical traditions for centuries and is central to classical performances in temples and royal courts.
