Alphabetical List of Instruments – U
From the Ubah drum from Nigeria to the Uubi wind instrument from the Solomon Islands, 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.
Ubah
The Ubah is a low-pitched wooden drum covered with skin on one end, native to the Igede people of Nigeria. The drum is played by striking the skin with the hands or sticks, producing deep resonant tones. Classified under the Hornbostel–Sachs system as a membranophone, the Ubah is part of Nigeria’s traditional music, with origins that likely stretch back several centuries. It is commonly used in ceremonial and folk music contexts.
Ubo
The Ubo is a thumb piano, or lamellophone, made from a decorated gourd, traditionally played by the Igbo people of Nigeria. Musicians pluck the metal tines with their thumbs to produce melodic tunes. As a member of the idiophone family, the Ubo has been in use for centuries and is featured in Nigerian folk music and storytelling traditions.
Ud
The Ud is a short-necked, pear-shaped lute with 11-13 strings, originating from the Middle East and North Africa. Musicians play it by plucking the strings with a plectrum to produce deep, resonant tones. Classified as a chordophone, the Ud has been used since ancient times, with roots dating back to over 5,000 years. It is integral to classical Arabic, Turkish, and Persian music.
Udu drum
The Udu drum is a clay pot drum from Nigeria that creates sound through compression and release of air by striking and covering the two holes with the hands. It falls under the category of idiophones and has been in use for many centuries, particularly in Nigerian folk music and religious ceremonies.
Ui
The Ui is a percussion instrument made from bamboo and used by the Areare people of the Solomon Islands. Players strike the bamboo to produce rhythmic patterns. As an idiophone, it dates back several centuries and is central to traditional Solomon Island music.
Uilleann Pipes
The Uilleann Pipes are a bellows-blown bagpipe from Ireland, characterized by a conical chanter and multiple drones and regulators. Musicians use elbow pressure to control the bellows while playing the chanter and drones simultaneously. These pipes belong to the aerophone family and have been used since the 18th century in traditional Irish music.
Ukulele
The Ukulele is a small, four-stringed guitar-like instrument from Hawaii, adapted from the Portuguese cavaquinho. It is played by strumming or plucking the strings, producing a bright and light sound. As a chordophone, it emerged in the late 19th century and is a key instrument in Hawaiian and American folk music.
‘Uli ‘Uli
The ‘Uli ‘Uli is a feathered gourd rattle from Hawaii, filled with seeds or shells and shaken rhythmically. Classified as an idiophone, this instrument is used in traditional Hawaiian hula performances and dates back several centuries in Polynesian culture.
Uli-Uli
The Uli-Uli is a Sumatran kite bow from Indonesia, traditionally played by plucking the strings. As a chordophone, it has been used for centuries in Indonesian folk music, often during ceremonial and ritual performances.
Ulla
The Ulla is a set of 10-plate gongs arranged vertically, used in Chinese music. Players strike the metal plates to produce a range of harmonic tones. Classified as an idiophone, the Ulla dates back to ancient times and is integral to traditional Chinese ensemble music.
Umakweyana
The Umakweyana is a one-string gourd bow played by young girls in Swaziland. The instrument is plucked with the fingers, producing a resonant tone. Classified as a chordophone, it has been in use for centuries in Swazi folk music.
Umrubhe
The Umrubhe is a traditional Xhosa mouth bow, where the player bows the string with a stick while altering the pitch with their mouth. It is classified as a chordophone and has been used in South African music for centuries.
Umtshingo
The Umtshingo is an end-blown bamboo flute from the Zulu and Bomvana people of South Africa. Played by blowing into the top and covering the single finger hole, it produces high-pitched melodies. This aerophone has been part of South African traditional music for many generations.
Ütőgardon
The Ütőgardon is a string instrument similar to a cello, played by striking the strings with a stick, combining percussive and melodic elements. Originating from Transylvania, Hungary, and Moldova, this chordophone has been used in regional folk music since at least the 17th century.
Uubi (uuhi)
The Uubi, or uuhi, is a bamboo-blown instrument from the Solomon Islands, traditionally used by the Areare people. Musicians blow into the bamboo tubes to create rhythmic patterns, and it falls under the aerophone classification. The instrument has ancient roots and is used in traditional island music.
