Bagpipes of Scotland. Bagpipes are the national instrument of Scotland. It is claimed they can be heard miles away. Players, called pipers, blow air into a bag while squeezing it to force air into the sound-making pipes.
Jazz Saxophone. Many famous jazz musicians have played the saxophone, which has a very expressive sound. The saxophone was invented in about 1840. Jazz is a style of music that African Americans created in the early 1900s.
Blues Guitar. The guitar has always been important to the blues, a musical style invented by African American in the 1800s. In the 1940s, blues musicians in cities like Chicago started playing the electric guitar, giving blues a louder, steelier sound.
Veracruz Harp of Mexico. The Veracruz harp is featured in son jarocho, which is lively dance music from the Veracruz region of eastern Mexico. Son jarocho mixes musical styles that came to Mexico from Spain and Africa hundreds of years ago.
Bluegrass Banjo. Bluegrass is country music from the Appalachian Mountains of the southeastern United States. A bluegrass musician may use their fingers to quickly pluck a five-string banjo, making very lively music.
Panpipe of Bolivia. The panpipe is a type of flute usually made of bamboo. It is one of the world’s most ancient instruments. It is an important part of traditional music in the South American country of Bolivia.
Steel Drums of Trinidad and Tobago. Steel drums are the main instrument of calypso, a type of dance music from the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago. A steel drum is shaped like a bowl and produces different notes depending on where it is struck.
Conga Drums. Conga drums bring a lively beat to many types of music from the Caribbean islands. They are heard sometimes in a fast-paced dance music called merengue, which is from the Dominican Republic.
Hurdy-Gurdy of France. The hurdy-gurdy is a type of fiddle that was invented in Europe on the 1100s. Today, the instrument is still heard in the folk music of France. The hurdy-gurdy is mechanized: A player cranks a wheel to sound the strings and presses keys to change the note.
Accordion of Europe. The accordion is a very popular folk instrument in Europe, where it was invented in the 1800s. An accordion makes sound through the bellows, a chamber for pumping air. Players push buttons and piano-like keys to produce different notes.
Balalaika of Russia. The balalaika is one of Russia’s most popular instruments for folk songs and dances. It has three strings and comes in six different sizes. It was invented in the 1700s.
Santur of Iran. The santur, an ancestor of the piano, has been an important instrument in Iran for thousands of years. Players use spoon-shaped hammers to strike the santur’s wire strings, which are attached to a sound box.
‘Ud of Egypt. The ‘ud is an ancient instrument of Arabic culture. It is an ancestor of similar stringed instruments, like the lute and guitar. Traditional Egyptian music often features the ‘ud.
Talking Drum of West Africa. Talking drums are played in West Africa, where they have long been used for sending messages across great distances. The two head of the drum are strung together with laces. Squeezing the drum’s laces changes its pitch.
Kora of The Gambia. The kora, a traditional instrument of The Gambia, is similar to a harp. It has 21 strings, which are attached to a long neck. Its body is made from a hollow, dried gourd (hard-skinned fruit).
Mbira of Zimbabwe. The mbira (pronounced em-BEER-a) of Zimbabwe is a type of thumb piano invented in Africa. A player uses thumbs or forefingers to pluck metal strips that are attached to a sound board or box.
Sitar of India. The sitar is a stringed instrument from northern India. It is like a guitar, except its neck is about 3 feet (1 metre) long. It has two layers of strings, which vibrate to create a rippling, wavy sound.
Khaen of Thailand and Laos. The khaen is a type of mouth organ made with long bamboo pipes. To play it, a musician inhales and exhales through an air chamber, never stopping to catch a breath.
Qin of China. The qin (pronounced chin) has been a classical instrument of China for more than 1,000 years. The qin is a type of stringed instrument called a zither. The qin has seven strings attached to a long wooden body.
Taiko of Japan. The tradition of taiko drumming has existed for more than 1,000 years in Japan. In Japanese, taiko means “fat drum.” The drums were traditionally used by warriors in battle and in religious ceremonies.
Bonang of Indonesia. In Indonesia, large groups of musician called gamelans play only percussion instruments (gongs, chimes, xylophones, and drums).
Didjeridu of Australia. The didjeridu is a type of trumpet invented by the Aboriginal people of Australia. It is made from a hollow tree branch. A player vibrates his or her lips on the mouthpiece while inserting vocal – trills, buzzes, barks and grunts – to imitate animal sounds.
