Alphabetical List of Instruments – Y
From the traditional Yanggum dulcimer from Korea to the Yun-lo gong from China, 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.
Yanggum
The Yanggum is a hammered dulcimer with a trapezoidal frame and multiple strings stretched across. Musicians play it by striking the strings with small bamboo or wooden mallets. Classified as a chordophone under the Hornbostel–Sachs system, it originates from Korea. Dating back to the Joseon Dynasty, it is commonly used in Korean traditional music, including folk and court music.
Yaogu
The Yaogu is a traditional Chinese drum often used in temple ceremonies or during festive flower-drum performances. It is played by striking its drumhead with sticks, sometimes while the player dances. This instrument is classified as a membranophone and hails from China, with a history tied to ancient rituals and celebrations. It is still used today in traditional and ceremonial Chinese music.
Yaraki
The Yaraki, also known as the didjeridu, is a long, hollow wind instrument made from tree branches hollowed by termites. Musicians play it by blowing air through it and using circular breathing techniques to produce continuous drone-like sounds. It is classified as an aerophone and originates from the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. The Yaraki has been used in ceremonial and cultural music for over 1,500 years and remains a core element of Indigenous Australian music.
Yataga
The Yataga is a 13-stringed plucked zither made with a convex rectangular soundbox and a bent end resting on the ground. Musicians play it by plucking the strings with their fingers or picks. It is a chordophone and is found in Mongolia and among the Buryat people. This instrument is historically significant in Mongolian and Buryat folk music, with roots going back centuries in Central Asian music traditions.
Yidaki
The Yidaki, another name for the didjeridu, is an Australian Aboriginal wind instrument similar to the Yaraki. Players use circular breathing techniques to create deep, resonant tones. As an aerophone, it originates from northern Australia, particularly the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land. Its use in Indigenous Australian music dates back at least 1,500 years and remains an essential part of ceremonial and cultural performances.
Yoik
Yoik is a traditional form of unaccompanied vocal music practiced by the Sami people of Sweden and Norway. It is performed solo, with the singer conveying stories, emotions, or depicting people and landscapes through melodic tones and chants. As a vocal music form, it does not fit the traditional Hornbostel–Sachs classification but holds a unique place in indigenous Scandinavian culture. Yoik has been an integral part of Sami traditions for centuries, often performed in folk and ceremonial contexts.
Yotsutake
Yotsutake are bamboo castanets used in Japanese traditional dances, particularly in Kabuki and Noh theatre. Musicians or dancers clap the bamboo pieces together to produce rhythmic accompaniment. As an idiophone, it is native to Japan and has been used in Japanese performing arts for centuries. Yotsutake is often heard in classical Japanese music and traditional theater performances.
Yueqin
The Yueqin is a moon-shaped lute with a circular wooden body and four strings, often plucked or strummed with a plectrum. It is classified as a chordophone and originates from China, with roots dating back to the Han Dynasty. Traditionally used in Chinese opera and folk music, the Yueqin is a staple of many regional Chinese musical forms, especially in theatrical and narrative performances.
Yuka
The Yuka is a long, vertical cylindrical drum of Congolese origin used in Cuban music. It is played by striking the drumhead with the hands or sticks, and in some traditions, it is also danced upon. Classified as a membranophone, it originated in Africa but became a central part of Cuban musical traditions after its introduction in the colonial period. The Yuka drum is often featured in Afro-Cuban religious music and traditional folk dances.
Yun-lo
The Yun-lo, or cloud gong, is a set of ten small, tuned gongs suspended in a wooden frame. Musicians strike the gongs with mallets to produce melodious tones of varying pitches. It is an idiophone from China, with historical roots in ancient Chinese ceremonial music. The Yun-lo continues to be used in traditional Chinese orchestras and religious performances, dating back over a thousand years.
