| Credit | Indexed? | Heading | Subheading | Notes |
| Artwork By |
N |
|
|
NON-LINKED CREDIT - This credit will not create any new artist, nor link to any artist page. |
| Photography |
N |
|
|
NON-LINKED CREDIT - This credit will not create any new artist, nor link to any artist page. |
| Executive Producer |
N |
|
|
NON-LINKED CREDIT - This credit will not create any new artist, nor link to any artist page. |
| Other |
N |
|
|
NON-LINKED CREDIT - This credit will not create any new artist, nor link to any artist page. To be used for roles credited on the release that are not musical or technical, and should not be linked, for example, catering personnel, managers, drivers etc. Please see the note here regarding 'Thank You' type credits. |
| Written By |
N |
|
|
NON-LINKED CREDIT - This credit will not create any new artist, nor link to any artist page. This is a special unlinked role that can be used to group all credited writers of the music and display their names as formatted on the release. e.g. Lennon/McCartney. If the full name of the artist is displayed on the release you must use the linked Written-By credit, but can also use the unlinked credit if the formatting is of significance. The Artist Name Variation function should also be considered when deciding which credit should be used. |
| Written-By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
This is the new version of the Written By credit that is linked. It is used in the same way as all other linked credits. Note the dash '-', it is vital it is entered exactly this way. |
| Adapted By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
Somewhat similar to Arranged By. |
| Arranged By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
|
| Composed By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
Person who writes the musical composition or melody to songs (valid for all genres) |
| Concept By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
|
| Copyist |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
Employed by the music industry to produce written parts for individual musicians from an orchestral score or composer's manuscript. |
| Instrumentation By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
For orchestral and other groups, refers to the selection of instruments to play the different parts. |
| Libretto By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
The text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass and requiem. |
| Lyrics By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
Person who writes the lyrics to songs |
| Music By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
|
| Orchestrated By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
|
| Programmed By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
(also programming) - Working a computer or electronic instrument in order to create a sound or sequence of notes (see also Drum Programming, Sequenced By) |
| Score |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
This is almost the same as Composed By |
| Sequenced By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
The act of programming a computer, drum machine, or other sequencer to play a sequence of musical events. |
| Songwriter |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
Use if the artist is credited as "Songwriter" or with "Songs By" or "Songs written by" on the release |
| Translated By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
|
| Words By |
N |
Writing and Arrangement |
|
Appears on many records as an alternative to "Lyrics By". |
| Featuring |
Y |
Featuring and Presents |
|
|
| Hosted By |
N |
Featuring and Presents |
|
An alternative credit for someone who presents a show, mixtape etc. |
| Presenter |
N |
Featuring and Presents |
|
If no specific credit is apparent on the release, an artist with a following 'Presents' joiner must be credited with 'Presenter' in the credits section, with specific tracks indicated if relevant |
| Chorus Master |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
|
| Concertmaster |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
(also concert-master, leader, concertmistress) The leader of the first violin section of a symphony orchestra. Any violin solo in an orchestral work is played by the concertmaster (except in the case of a concerto, in which case guest soloists may be heard). |
| Concertmistress |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
(also concertmaster, leader) The leader of the first violin section of a symphony orchestra. Any violin solo in an orchestral work is played by the concertmaster (except in the case of a concerto, in which case guest soloists may be heard). |
| Conductor |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
Conducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. Orchestras, choirs, concert bands and other musical ensembles are often conducted. The principal conductor of an orchestra or opera company is sometimes referred to as a music director or chief conductor, or by the German word, Kapellmeister. Conductors of choirs or choruses are sometimes referred to as choral director, chorus master, or choirmaster, particularly for choirs associated with an orchestra. Conductors of military bands and other bands may hold the title of bandmaster, or drum major. Respected senior conductors are sometimes referred to by the Italian word, maestro ("master"). |
| Contractor |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
A musical casting assistant, he is the person who hires the musicians to form an orchestra / choir / etc for a specific piece. |
| Directed By |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
Can be used for all types of music or non-music (radio plays etc) Director roles, but not to be used for video roles. |
| Leader |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
Also Band Leader or Orchestra Leader, the head of a group, orchestra, or other music ensemble who often takes on tasks such as organization, musical arrangement, hiring and firing musicians, musical direction, and other group based tasks. |
| Recording Supervisor |
N |
Leaders and Conductors |
|
Follows the orchestral scores during the recording process in a very critical way, in order to spot any mistakes that musicians or a conductor wouldn't notice or simply ignore. Common on classical recordings. For example on Deutsche Grammophon, it is "Aufnahmeleitung". |
| Co-producer |
Y |
Production |
|
|
| Compilation Producer |
N |
Production |
|
Use instead of Other [Compilation Producer] or Producer [Compilation] |
| Compiled By |
N |
Production |
|
|
| Producer |
Y |
Production |
|
In the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. This has been a major function of producers since the inception of sound recording, but in the latter half of the 20th century producers have also taken on a wider entrepreneurial role. |
| Reissue Producer |
N |
Production |
|
Someone who oversees the production of a reissued release. |
| Research |
N |
Production |
|
|
| Supervised By |
N |
Production |
|
|
| Remix |
Y |
Remix |
|
|
| DJ Mix |
Y |
DJ Mix |
|
DJ Mix [Megamix] - to be used for crediting the creation of megamixes (this is a track that is made up of sections from many other tracks, cut together one after the other) |
| Abridged By |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
The person who condenses text from a book to be used as an audio book |
| Adapted By (Text) |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
Similar to Abridged By but in this case although the text has been condensed down it will also be rearranged and have additional text also. More commonly used for Radioplays. |
| Film Director |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
This umbrella role is for any visual director, for example, a music video director or a director of a concert recording. An alternative name may be "video director", but the role usually appears on video / DVD releases as "directed by".
|
| Film Producer |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
Not to be confused with the audio-producer role. Audio producers (the "Producer" credit may be listed as "Concert Sound Production" or "DVD Post Production Producer" or similar on video / DVD releases. |
| Interviewee |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
The person getting interviewed |
| Interviewer |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
|
| Narrator |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
|
| Read By |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
The act of reading from a book or other manuscript. |
| Script By |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
Used for radio plays etc. |
| VJ |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
Video Jockey - Someone who mixes video footage and graphics. |
| Voice Actor |
N |
Non-Musical |
|
Used for actors in radio plays etc. |
| Edited By |
N |
Technical |
|
|
| Engineer |
N |
Technical |
|
|
| Mastered By |
N |
Technical |
|
|
| Mixed By |
Y |
Technical |
|
This is for the person that mixes the multitrack music to the final release mixdown, NOT for a mix by a DJ, which should be credited as"DJ Mix" |
| Recorded By |
N |
Technical |
|
|
| Remastered By |
N |
Technical |
|
An engineering / production role where previously released audio is put through the mastering process again, often to improve upon previous efforts, taking into account more up to date technology, different tastes, and changed requirements of the mastering process, for example for digital releases. |
| Technician |
N |
Technical |
|
General, non-specific role for technical credits, use the brackets [...] to add more information if available. |
| Tracking By |
N |
Technical |
|
The act of recording, most likely overdubbing and building up the track. |
| Alto Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Backing Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Baritone Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Bass Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Choir |
N |
Vocal |
|
A company of singers, esp. an organized group employed in church service or sings sacred music. |
| Chorus |
N |
Vocal |
|
An ensemble which performs the non-soloist parts of an opera or musical theatre production (or sometimes an oratorio). Chorus can mean a section of a song, but it should not be used in this way for the credits. The specific instrument should be listed if possible, otherwise a generic role should be used, such as Performer [Chorus]. |
| Contralto Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
A few popular music enthusiasts define the contralto and alto separately, as the contralto having an especially dark range, from the D above low C to Tenor C, which is essentially a female of tenor range, while alto is a voice with a range from G below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C, and is closer to the mezzo-soprano. The majority however define contralto and alto as synonyms, and assign the adjectives light and dark, with a dark alto being a female of tenor range, while a light alto, commonly referred to as simply alto, to include mezzo-sopranos as well. |
| Coro |
N |
Vocal |
|
Literally 'chorus' in Spanish, the coro in most Latin music has fixed melody and lyrics. Most coros feature two or three parts, rarely more, moving in parallel lines. The coro singer's function in a band is more like an instrumentalist's than a singer's. |
| Countertenor Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Harmony Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Human Beatbox |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Humming |
N |
Vocal |
|
A hum is a sound made by singing a wordless tone with the mouth completely closed, forcing the sound to emerge from the nose.
|
| Lead Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| MC |
N |
Vocal |
|
A Master of Ceremonies or MC (sometimes spelled emcee), sometimes called a compère or an MJ for "microphone jockey," MC became associated with what would change to become known as the rapper. Also is the host of an official public or private staged event or other performance, where the MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving |
| Mezzo-soprano Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
A mezzo-soprano (meaning "half soprano" in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above (i.e. A3-A5, middle C = C4). |
| Overtone Voice |
N |
Vocal |
|
Overtone Voice, also known as overtone singing, throat singing, overtone chanting, or harmonic singing, is a type of singing in which the singer manipulates the harmonic resonances (or formants) created as air travels from the lungs, past the vocal folds, and out the lips to produce a melody. Throat singing is both a generic and a specific term. Generally, the term is applied to any singing style which entails the application of a harsh voice or some other constriction, although it is sometimes incorrectly applied to unconstricted overtone singing. Specifically, the term refers to a type of Central Asian overtone singing. |
| Rap |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Scat |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Soprano Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Tenor Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Toasting |
N |
Vocal |
|
Toasting, chatting, or DJing (not to be confused with the more common use of DJ outside of Jamaica to mean someone who plays records) is the act of talking or chanting over a rhythm or beat. Most common in the Reggae genre. |
| Treble Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Vocalese |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Vocals |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Voice |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Whistling |
N |
Vocal |
|
|
| Yodeling |
N |
Vocal |
|
(also yodelling, jodeling) A form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register (or "chest voice") to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound. This vocal technique is used in many cultures throughout the world. |
| Afoxé |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
An Afro Brazilian musical instrument composed of a gourd (cabaça) wrapped in a net in which beads or small plastic balls are threaded. It looks like the xequerê, but the afoxé is smaller. The instrument is shaken to produce its musical noise. |
| Agogô |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
(or agogo bell) - A multiple bell used in samba percussion ensembles. It is made of metal with each bell a different size. The most common arrangement is two bells attached by a U shaped piece of metal. |
| Ashiko |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A drum shaped like a truncated cone and meant to be played with bare hands. Played throughout sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas. In eastern Cuba, it is known as boku. Unlike the sounds of a Djembe whose body offers two main tones, the straight edges offer a continuum of tones depending on how close to the center of the head the drum is struck. Some consider the ashiko to be male and the djembe female. |
| Bass Drum |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Bata |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Sacred drum used by the Yoruba (of West Africa) and in the Caribbean. Bàtá |
| Bell Tree |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A percussion instrument, consisting of vertically nested inverted metal bowls. The bowls, placed on a vertical rod, are arranged in order of pitch (inexactly). The number of bowls can vary between approximately 14 and 28. An effective glissando is done by sliding a triangle beater, a glockenspiel mallet, or a xylophone mallet down the tree. |
| Bells |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
For all types of ringing metal. Use brackets for specifics, for example Bells [Tubular]. Note that Temple Bells have their own credit. |
| Bendir |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A frame drum used as a traditional instrument throughout North Africa, more specifically in Morocco |
| Bodhrán |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A frame drum ranging in anywhere from 10" to 26" in diameter, with most drums measuring from 14" to 18". The sides of the drum are 3 1/2" to 8" deep. A skin head is tacked to one side. |
| Bongos |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Buk |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A traditional Korean drum. It is barrel-shaped, with a round wooden body covered on both ends with animal skin. |
| Cabasa |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Also called Afuche. Similar to the shekere, is a percussion instrument that is constructed with loops of steel ball chain wrapped around a wide cylinder. The cylinder is fixed to a long, narrow wooden or plastic handle. |
| Caixa |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A brazilian snare drum |
| Cajón |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Castanets |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Caxixi |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A Brazilian percussion instrument consisting of a closed basket with a flat-bottom filled with seeds or other small particles. |
| Ching |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A small bowl-shaped finger cymbals of thick and heavy bronze, with a broad rim commonly used in Cambodia and Thailand. |
| Claves |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Also called Clavés or Clave, a pair of short (about 20-8 cm), thick dowels. Traditionally they were made of wood, but nowadays they are also made of fibreglass or plastics. When struck they produce a bright clicking noise. Claves are sometimes hollow and carved in the middle to amplify the sound. |
| Congas |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Cowbell |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Cuica |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Brazilian friction drum |
| Cymbal |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Dhol |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A double-sided sided barrel drum (straight barrels also exist) played mostly as an accompanying instrument to the traditional Punjabi dance of Bhangra, the traditional dance of Gujarat, Raas, and the religious music of Sufism, Qawwali. |
| Djembe |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Drum Programming |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Drums |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
'Baterias' in Spanish. |
| Electronic Drums |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Finger Cymbals |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Finger Snaps |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
The act of creating a cracking/clicking sound with one's fingers by building tension between the thumb and the middle or index finger, and then moving the middle or index finger so it hits the palm of one's hand. |
| Ganzá |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A cylindrically shaped Brazilian rattle, can be either a hand-woven basket, or a metal canister which is filled with beads, metal balls, pebbles, or other similar items. Those made from metal produce a particularly loud sound. |
| Ghatam |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
(also Gatham) - An earthenware pot used in indian classical music |
| Goblet Drum |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Also Called: Darabouka, Darbuka, Doumbek, Dumbek, Dumbeg, Tarambuke, Tombak, Zarb, Dumbelek, Tabla (not to be confused with Indian Tabla), Derbekkeh, Toumbeleki |
| Gong |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A wide variety of metal percussion instruments. |
| Guiro |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Handclaps |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Idiophone |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
An idiophone is any musical instrument which creates sound primarily by way of the instrument vibrating itself, without the use of strings or membranes. Idiophones are probably the oldest type of musical instrument (not counting the human voice). Most percussion instruments which are not drums are idiophones. Struck idiophones (sometimes called concussion idiophones) include most of the non-drum percussion instruments familiar in the west. They include all idiophones which are made to vibrate by being hit, either directly with a stick or hand (like the wood block, singing bowl, triangle or marimba), or indirectly, by way of a scraping or shaking motion (like maracas or flexatone). Various types of bells fall into both categories. The other three sub-divisions are rarer. They are plucked idiophones, such as the jew's harp, amplified cactus, music box or mbira (lamellophone / thumb piano); blown idiophones, of which there are a very small number of examples, the Aeolsklavier being one; and friction idiophones, such as the singing bowl, glass harmonica, glass harp, turntable, verrophone, daxophone, styrophone, musical saw, or nail violin (a number of pieces of metal or wood rubbed with a bow). A number of idiophones that are normally struck, such as vibraphone bars and cymbals, can also be bowed. |
| Janggu |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Also called janggo or changgo. A percussion instrument used in most kinds of Korean traditional music. It is made from a hollow wooden body and two leather skins. The two sides produce sounds of different pitch and tone. |
| K'kwaengwari |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Metal idiophone. |
| Kanjira |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
(also ganjira) is a South Indian frame drum, an instrument of the tambourine family |
| Karkabas |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Metal double castanets of the Gnawa (Morocco) |
| Lion's Roar |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A membranophone instrument that has a drum head and a cord or horsehair passing through it. The home-made lion's roar is a drum that sits on the floor. The cord then makes friction with the drumhead as it is moved back and forth. It makes a noise effect like lion roaring. |
| Maracas |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Mridangam |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A percussion instrument from South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. Alternate spellings include mridanga, mrudangam, mrdangam, mrithangam miruthangam and mirudhangam. |
| Pandeiro |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Brazilian tambourine with a tuned skin. |
| Percussion |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Rainstick |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A long, hollow tube which is filled with small baubles such as beads or beans and has small pins arranged helically on its inside surface. When the stick is upended, the beads fall to the other end of the tube, making a sound reminiscent of a rainstorm as they bounce off the pins. The rainstick is generally used to create atmospheric sound effects or as a percussion instrument. |
| Rattle |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Reco-reco |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A scraping instrument that is held in one hand whilst the other scrapes its springs with a metal stick. |
| Repinique |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A two-headed Brazilian drum used in samba baterias (percussion ensembles) |
| Scraper |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Shaker |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A shaker may comprise a container, partially full of small loose objects such as beads, which create the percussive sounds as they collide with each other, the inside surface, or other fixed objects inside the container. |
| Shekere |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A percussion instrument from Africa, consisting of a dried gourd with beads woven into a net covering the gourd. Throughout the continent it is called different things, such as the lilolo, axatse (Ghana), Xequeré, and chequere. |
| Singing Bowls |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Also known as a Himalayan bowl or cup gong. The instrument is made of metal, played by hitting, striking, or slowly rubbing/stirring a wooden striker/mallet within or on the top outer surface of the bowl |
| Slapstick |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A wooden percussion instrument consisting of two flat pieces of wood, hinged at one end, which, when snapped together produce a slapping sound. |
| Spoons |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
(also Lojki / Lozhki in Russian for wooden spoons) Spoons can be played as a makeshift percussion instrument. A pair of spoons is held with concave sides facing out and with a finger between their handles to space them apart. When the pair is struck, the spoons sharply hit each other and then spring back to their original position. The spoons are typically struck against the knee and the palm of the hand. |
| Surdo |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A large bass drum used in many kinds of Brazilian music, most notably samba. Sizes normally vary between 8" or even 14" and 26" or even 29" diameter. |
| Tabla |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres. |
| Taiko |
N |
Instrument |
Drums and percussion |
Generic Japanese word for 'drum'. |
| Talking Drum |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Also called Odondo, Dondo, Lunna, Donno, Kalangu, Doodo, Tama, Tamma, Dundun, Gangan - A West African drum whose pitch can be regulated to the extent that it is said the drum "talks". The player puts the drum under one shoulder and beats the instrument with a stick. A talking drum player raises or lowers the pitch by squeezing or releasing the drum's strings with the upper arm. |
| Tambora |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
(from the Spanish word tambor, meaning "drum") is a name for a group of Afro-Caribbean musical instruments. It is used in many Latin American countries musical styles; in the Dominican musical folkloric styles and merengue, the Cumbia in Colombia, and the Venezuelan gaita. |
| Tamborim |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A small, round Brazilian frame drum of Portuguese and African origin. The frame is 6" in diameter and may be made of metal, plastic or wood. The head is typically made of nylon and is normally very tightly tuned in order to ensure a high, sharp sound and a minimum of sustain. The drum is devoid of snares or jingles. |
| Tambourine |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Tap Dance |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
The tapping sound made when the small metal plates on the dancer's shoes touch a hard floor. This lively, rhythmic tapping makes the performer not just a dancer, but also a percussive musician. |
| Tar (drum) |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A single-headed frame drum from North Africa and the Middle East. |
| Tüngür |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
While "kenggirge" is the term for "drum" (used in Lamaist temple ceremonies) in Tuvan, the term "tüngür" is used to refer to a shaman drum. Both are approximately two feet in diameter. Drums used by Tuvan shamans frequently have a skin on one side and a handle on the back; they are similar to sub-contrabass tambourines. They have small bells or jingles tied to their handle. |
| Temple Bells |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
Also called: Japanese Temple Bells, Tibetan Bells |
| Temple block |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A percussion instrument originating in China, Japan and Korea where it is used in religious ceremonies. It is a carved hollow wooden instrument with a large slit. In its traditional form, (the Wooden Fish )the shape is somewhat bulbous; modern instruments are also used which are rectangular in shape. |
| Timbales |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Timpani |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Tom Tom |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A cylindrical drum with no snare. |
| Triangle |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Udu |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A water jug with one more holes, usually made of clay |
| Vibraslap |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A percussion instrument consisting of a piece of stiff wire (bent in a handle-like shape) connecting a wood ball to a block of wood with metal "teeth" inside |
| Washboard |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
The washboard and frottoir are used as a percussion instrument, employing the ribbed metal surface of the cleaning device as a rhythm instrument. It is played primarily by tapping and, but also scraping, the washboard with thimbles. |
| Waterphone |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
A unique type of atonal acoustic musical instrument constructed largely of a stainless steel resonator "bowl" with a cylindrical "neck", containing a small amount of water, and with brass rods around the rim of the bowl. The waterphone produces a vibrant ethereal type of music. |
| Wood Block |
N |
Instruments |
Drums and percussion |
|
| Amadinda |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
A tuned log mallet instrument derivative of an Ugandan xylophone.
|
| Angklung |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
A musical instrument made out of two bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. The tubes are carved so that they have a resonant pitch when struck. The two tubes are tuned to octaves. The base of the frame is held with one hand while the other hand shakes the instrument rapidly from side to side. This causes a rapidly repeating note to sound |
| Carillon |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
At least 23 cup-shaped bells played from a baton keyboard using fists and feet (such an instrument with fewer than this number of bells is known as a chime). Carillon bells are made of bell bronze, approximately 78% copper and 22% tin, normally housed in bell towers. However, there are indoor carillons usually of light weight bells which may be hung inside shopping malls or in theatres |
| Celesta |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
|
| Chimes |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned percussion |
An orchestral percussion instrument which is a set of about 18 metal tubes tuned chromatically and played with a hammer |
| Crotales |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
(also antique cymbals) - Percussion instruments consisting of small, tuned bronze or brass disks. Each is about 4 inches in diameter with a flat top surface and a nipple on the base. They are commonly played by being struck with hard mallets. They may also be played by striking two disks together in the same manner as finger cymbals, or by bowing. Their sound is rather like a small tuned bell, only with a much brighter sound, and a much longer resonance. |
| Glockenspiel |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
|
| Kalimba |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
Also called Thumb Piano, Finger Harp, Mbira, Kissansi, Sansa. An African plucked idiophone. |
| Marimba |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
|
| Marimbula |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
A lamellophone played by plucking metal keys attached to a resonator box |
| Musical box |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned percussion |
(also music box) is a 19th century automatic musical instrument that produces sounds by the use of a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc so as to strike the tuned teeth of a steel comb. |
| Steel Drums |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
|
| Vibraphone |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
Also called 'Vibraharp' or shortened to 'Vibes' - in the mallet subfamily of the percussion family. It is similar in appearance to the xylophone and marimba, although the vibraphone uses aluminum bars instead of the wooden bars of those instruments. Also features tuned resonators below the bars, with motor driven discs that vary the amplitude, giving the distinctive wavering sound to the instrument. |
| Xylophone |
N |
Instruments |
Tuned Percussion |
|
| Baby Grand Piano |
N |
Instrument |
Keyboard |
A grand piano that may be shorter than it is wide. |
| Concert Grand Piano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
A grand piano that is between about 2.2 m to 3 m long. |
| Electric Piano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
For Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, and variations. |
| Fortepiano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
The fortepiano has leather-covered hammers and thin, harpsichord-like strings. It has a much lighter case construction than the modern piano and it has no metal frame or bracing. The action and hammers are lighter. The tone of the fortepiano is quite different from that of the modern piano, being softer with less sustain. Accents tend to stand out more than on the modern piano, as they differ from softer notes in timbre as well as volume, and decay rapidly. |
| Grand Piano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
Grand pianos have the frame and strings placed horizontally, with the strings extending away from the keyboard. |
| Harmonium |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
Pedal or hand pumped keyboard reed instrument, common in Indian music styles. |
| Harpsichord |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
|
| Keyboards |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
|
| Mellotron |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
An electromechanical polyphonic keyboard musical instrument, in effect the world's first sample-playback keyboard. Works by playing back a bank of magnetic tape strips, each tape with approximately eight seconds of playing time |
| Melodica |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
|
| Omnichord |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
An electronic musical instrument manufactured by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It typically features a touch plate and numerous chord buttons. |
| Ondes Martenot |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
(also Ondium Martenot, Martenot and ondes musicales) is an early electronic musical instrument, invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot and originally very similar in sound to the Theremin. The instrument is especially known for its eerie wavering notes produced by the thermionic valves that produce oscillating frequencies. |
| Organ |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
For Hammond organ use Organ [Hammond] |
| Parlour Grand Piano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
A grand piano that is about 1.7 m to 2.2 m. |
| Pedalboard |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
A keyboard played with the feet |
| Piano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
|
| Player Piano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
A piano that records a performance using rolls of paper with perforations, and then replays the performance using pneumatic devices. |
| Regal |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
A small late-medieval portable organ, furnished with beating reeds and having two bellows like a positive organ. |
| Synthesizer |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
|
| Upright Piano |
N |
Instruments |
Keyboard |
Upright pianos, also called vertical pianos, are more compact because the frame and strings are vertical, extending up and down from the keyboard and hammers. |
| Acoustic Bass |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A bass version of the acoustic guitar. Please use carefully, as this is also sometimes used as a synonym for the Double Bass |
| Acoustic Guitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Arco Bass |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
An acoustic bass guitar redesigned to be played upright. |
| Arpa |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A native instrument from Paraguay (South America). Unlike "Harp", this doesn't have pedals. Called also "Arpa Paraguaya" or "Arpa Criolla". Also used in folkloric music of Venezuela and Honduras. Today, Japanese artists play it in experimental music. |
| Autoharp |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A zither-like musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers which, when depressed, mute all the strings other than those that form the desired chord |
| Baglama |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A member of the long-necked lute family, used by various cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean. Also called a Saz. |
| Bajo Quinto |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A five course version of the bajo sexto |
| Bajo Sexto |
N |
Instrument |
Stringed instruments |
A type of 12 string guitar, fused with a bass, used in Mexican music |
| Balalaika |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Bandura |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A Ukrainian plucked string instrument similar to a zither. |
| Bandurria |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A plectrum plucked chordophone from Spain, similar to the cittern and the mandolin, primarily used in Spanish folk music. |
| Banhu |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A Chinese traditional bowed string instrument in the huqin family of instruments. It is used primarily in northern China. Ban means a piece of wood and hu is short for huqin. Like the erhu and gaohu, the banhu has two strings, is held vertically, and the bow hair passes in between the two strings. The banhu differs in construction from the erhu in that its soundbox is generally made from a coconut shell rather than wood, and instead of a snakeskin that is commonly used to cover the faces of huqin instruments, the banhu uses a thin wooden board. |
| Banjo |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Bass |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also known as a bass guitar, similar in appearance to an electric guitar. Please use Double Bass for the upright acoustic instrument. |
| Bass Guitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Another method of crediting this popular instrument, instead of having to use 'Bass [Bass Guitar]. Either method is acceptable. |
| Berimbau |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Single-string instrument, a musical bow, from Brazil |
| Biwa |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A Japanese short-necked fretted lute, and a close variant of the Chinese pipa. |
| Blaster Beam |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also called just 'Beam' |
| Bouzouki |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Bulbul Tarang |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A small music box like a combination of a typewriter, a mandolin and a dulcimer. 5 metal strings (usually all tuned the same) run over a square wooden box. The keys (usually keys from an old typewriter) press their arm onto the strings like it is a fret, shortening the strings to the appropriate note. |
| Byzaanchi |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Chinese long necked instrument |
| Cavaquinho |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Brazilian predecessor to the ukulele |
| Cello |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Short name for violoncello |
| Chanzy |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Sometimes spelled "tschansy", a lute with three strings |
| Chapman Stick |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Charango |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A small South American stringed instrument of the lute family, about 66 cm long, traditionally made with the shell of the back of an armadillo |
| Cimbalom |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also cymbalum, cymbalom, tambal, tsymbaly, tsimbl or santouri, a musical instrument found mainly in the music of Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Greece and Ukraine. In Czechoslovakia it was also known as a Cimbal. It is related to the hammered dulcimer of Western Europe. |
| Cittern |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A stringed instrument of the guitar family dating from the Renaissance. The name "cittern" has also been applied in the late twentieth century to a number of variant members of the mandolin family. |
| Clavichord |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed Instruments |
A stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. The clavichord produces sound by striking brass or iron strings with small metal blades called tangents. Vibrations are transmitted through the bridge(s) to the soundboard. |
| Clavinet |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
An electrophonic keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs. Not to be confused with clarinet! |
| Contrabass |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also called 'Double Bass'. |
| Cuatro |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Any of several Latin American instruments of the guitar or lute family. The cuatro is smaller in size than a guitar. Cuatro means four in Spanish, although the current instruments may have more than four strings. |
| Dilruba |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A cross between the sitar and sarangi. It is extremely close to the esraj and the mayuri vina. It so close that most people are unable to tell them apart. The difference is to be found in the shape of the resonators and the manner in which the sympathetic strings attach. Still they are so similar that a dilruba player has no trouble playing an esraj or a mayuri vina and vice versa. |
| Domra |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(Ukrainian: домра) - A long-necked Ukrainian string instrument of the lute family with a round body and three or four metal strings. |
| Doshpuluur |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Long-necked Tuvan lute made from wood. |
| Double Bass |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also called: Bass Fiddle, Contrabass, Upright Bass, String Bass, Standup Bass, Acoustic Bass (careful with this, as there are sit-down acoustic basses as well), Bass Viol, Contrabass Viol, Bass Violin, Doghouse Bass, Dog-House, Bull Fiddle, Hoss Bass, Bunkhouse Bass |
| Dulcimer |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Ehru |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Chinese violin type instrument |
| Ektare |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
From Nepal, consists of one string tied to a small drum with two flexible supports stretching the string to the 'head' of the instrument, which is constructed as a smaller version of the drum body. Played by plucking the string or playing the drum with the hand, the note can be altered by bending the supports, or by holding the string. |
| Electric Bass |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also just 'Bass'
|
| Electric Guitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
See also Guitar and Acoustic Guitar |
| Electric Upright Bass |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also EUB, Stick Bass, Baby Bass) - An electronically amplified version of the double bass that has a smaller or non-existent body, which greatly reduces the size and weight of the instrument, as well as enhances the feedback resistance of the amplified instrument. The EUB retains enough of the features of the double bass so that double bass players are comfortable performing on it. While the EUB retains some of the tonal characteristics of the double bass, its electrically-amplified nature also gives it its own unique sound. Although invented in the 1930s, it wasn't really until the introduction in the late 1950s of the Ampeg Baby Bass that the concept took off. |
| Erhu |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also 二胡, èrhú, nanhu 南胡, southern fiddle, Chinese violin, Chinese two-string fiddle) - A two-stringed bowed musical instrument, used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most popular instrument in the huqin (胡琴) family of Chinese bowed string instruments. |
| Esraj |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also এস্রাজ, इसराज, israja) A string instrument found in the east and central areas of India, particularly Bengal, as well as Bangladesh, and it is used in a somewhat wider variety of musical styles than is the dilruba. |
| Fiddle |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A violin, often used in folk music. One very slight difference between "fiddles" and ordinary violins may be seen in American (e.g., bluegrass and old-time music) fiddling: in these styles, the top of the bridge may be cut so that it is very slightly less curved. This reduces the range of right-arm motion required for the rapid string-crossings found in some styles, and is said to make it easier to play double stops and shuffles (bariolage), or to make triple stops possible, allowing one to play chords. |
| Gaohu |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also 高胡, pgāohú, yuehu, 粤胡) is a Chinese bowed string instrument developed from the erhu in the 1920s. It belongs to the huqin family of instruments, together with the zhonghu, erhu, banhu, jinghu, and sihu, its name means "high pitched huqin". It has two strings and its soundbox is covered on the front (playing) end with snakeskin (from a python). |
| Gayageum |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also spelled kayagûm) - A traditional Korean zither-like string instrument, with 12 strings, although more recently variants have been constructed with 21 or other numbers of strings |
| Geomungo |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also spelled komungo or kŏmungo) is a traditional Korean stringed musical instrument of zither family instrument with both bridges and frets. |
| Guimbri |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
North African lute. |
| Guitalele |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also guitarlele) A guitar-ukulele hybrid. |
| Guitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Guitarrón |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(literally "large guitar" in Spanish) A very large, deep-bodied Mexican 6-string acoustic bass played in mariachi bands. |
| Guqin |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also 古琴, gǔqín, ku-ch'in) - The modern name for a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family. |
| Gusli |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
An ancient generic Slavic term for a stringed musical instrument. The term and its derivatives is used for either a plucked psaltery or zither-like instrument or for the violin or bowed equivalents. Originally the instrument had gut strings made from pig entrails. In recent times concert versions of the instrument have steel strings. |
| Guzheng |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also gu zheng, gu-zheng, 古箏, gǔzhēng) A Chinese musical instrument that belongs to the zither family of string instruments. |
| Hardingfele |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A Hardanger fiddle or hardingfele (Norwegian) is a traditional stringed instrument from Norway. In modern designs, the instruments are very similar to the violin, but typically with thinner wood. The instrument typically has eight or nine strings; four are played like a violin, while the rest (aptly named sympathetic strings) resonate under the influence of the other four. |
| Harp |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Huqin |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A family of bowed string instruments used in Chinese music. The most common huqin are the erhu (essentially a Chinese violin, also spelt Urhu), zhonghu (Chinese viola), and gaohu (a higher pitched instrument commonly used in Cantonese music.) Over thirty types of huqin instruments have been documented. |
| Hurdy Gurdy |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
On this instrument, several strings arranged so that they can be played simultaneously by a rotating wheel covered with rosin. It is essentially a mechanical violin. Use Hurdy Gurdy [Nyckelharpa] for Nyckelharpa. |
| Igil |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Two-stringed Tuvan musical instrument, played by bowing the strings. The strings, and those of the bow, are traditionally made of hair from a horse's tail (strung parallel), but may also be made of nylon. |
| Jarana |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A guitar-shaped fretted stringed instrument from Mexico
|
| Jinghu |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A Chinese bowed string instrument in the huqin family, used primarily in Beijing opera. It is the smallest and highest pitched instrument in the huqin family. |
| Kabosy |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A box-shaped wooden guitar commonly played in music of Madagascar. It has four to six strings and is commonly thought to be a direct descendant of the Arabic lute. Known to locals as a 'mandoliny', also spelt kabossy |
| Kantele |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A traditional plucked string instrument of the zither family. It is related to the Russian gusli, the Latvian kokle and the Lithuanian kanklės. Together these instruments make up the family known as Baltic Psalteries. |
| Kemenche |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(Kurdish: kemençe, Turkish: kemençe, Laz: Ç'ilili Greek: κεμεντζές) is a bottle-shaped, 3-stringed type of rebec or fiddle from the Black Sea region of Asia Minor also known as the "kementche of Laz" in Turkey. In Greece and the Pontian Greek diaspora, it is known as the "Pontian lyra". It is the main instrument used in Pontian music. The kemenche is played in the upright position, either by resting it on the knee when sitting, or held in front of the player when standing. |
| Kokyu |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also kokyū) - A traditional Japanese string instrument, the only one played with a bow. |
| Kora |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A 21 string harp-lute used extensively by Mandingo peoples in West Africa. |
| Koto |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Traditional stringed musical instrument from Japan resembling a zither. |
| Laúd |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also Laud) - Belongs to the cittern family of instruments. Although "laúd" translates as "lute" in Spanish, it is a different instrument than the lute. A plectrum plucked chordophone from Spain, it consists of twelve metallic strings (six double), as the bandurria, but the neck is longer than a bandurria. Traditionally it forms part of serenaders or folk string musical groups, together with the guitar and the bandurria. |
| Lute |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Lyre |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A stringed musical instrument well known for its use in Classical Antiquity. The recitations of the Ancient Greeks were accompanied by lyre playing. The lyre is a member of the zither family, and was ordinarily played by strumming with a plectrum, like a guitar, rather than being plucked, like a harp. |
| Mandoguitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A hybrid musical instrument that allows you to play mandolin music, sounding more or less like a mandolin, while playing the left-hand fingerings like a guitar. It has 6 single or double strings tuned to allow guitar-style fingerings and that it can be played in the tonal range of a standard mandolin. |
| Mandola |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also tenor mandola) A fretted stringed musical instrument with the same relationship to the mandolin as the viola to the violin. |
| Mandolin |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Morinhoor |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also spelt as Morinhuur, A Horse-headed Mongolian Cello. |
| Musical bow |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A simple string musical instrument consisting of a string supported by a flexible string bearer, usually made out of wood. Often, it is a normal archery bow used for music rather than as a weapon. |
| Oud |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Small, pear-shaped, stringed musical instrument, used in traditional Middle Eastern music. |
| Outi |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A post-Baroque instrument similar to a lute |
| Pipa |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also pípá) - A plucked Chinese string instrument. Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body. |
| Psaltery |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A stringed musical instrument of the harp or the zither family. |
| Rebec |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(sometimes rebeck, and originally various other spellings) A bowed string musical instrument. In its most common form, it has three strings and is played on the arm or under the chin, like a violin. Dates back to the Middle Ages and was particularly popular in the 15th and 16th centuries. The instrument is European, but probably developed from the arabo-islamic instrument, the rebab. |
| Requinto Guitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Has six nylon strings and is about 18% smaller than a standard guitar scale. Requintos made in Mexico have a deeper body than a standard classical guitar (110 mm as opposed to 105 mm). Requintos made in Spain tend to be of the same depth as the standard classical. Requinto guitars are also used throughout Latin America. |
| Resonator Guitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also Dobro) - An acoustic guitar whose sound is produced by one or more metal cones (resonators) instead of the wooden soundboard (guitar top/face). Resonator guitars were originally designed to be louder than conventional acoustic guitars which were overwhelmed by horns and percussion instruments in dance orchestras. They became prized for their distinctive sound however, and found life with several musical styles (most notably bluegrass and also blues) well after electric amplification solved the issue of inadequate guitar sound levels. |
| Ruan |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Chinese moon shaped, short necked, lute type instrument family. Please use the brackets to give the type - Ruan [Gaoyin], Ruan [Da], Ruan [Zhong], Ruan [Ziao] |
| Santoor |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer often made of walnut, with seventy strings. The special-shaped mallets (mezrab) are lightweight and are held between the index and middle fingers. A typical santoor has two sets of bridges, providing a range of three octaves. |
| Sanxian |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also 三弦) A Chinese lute — a three-stringed fretless plucked musical instrument. It has a long fingerboard, and the body is traditionally made from snakeskin stretched over a rounded rectangular resonator. It is made in several sizes for different purposes and in the late 20th century a four-stringed version was also developed. |
| Sarangi |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A bowed string instrument of India |
| Sarod |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Indian classical musical instrument, a 25-stringed lute-like instrument |
| Shamisen |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Sintir |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Three stringed bass lute from the Sub-Saharian West African region. |
| Sitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Spinet |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A smaller type of harpsichord, or other keyboard instrument such as a piano or organ. A spinet is a cheaper and more compact version of the full-size original, used primarily in the home. |
| Steel Guitar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed Instruments |
Refers to at least three types of horizontally played guitar: "Pedal Steel Guitar" (Discogs credit "Steel Guitar [Pedal]")- A type of Electric guitar that uses a metal slide to stop the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. The pedal steel is placed horizontally on a stand, with the strings facing up towards the player, and is typically plucked with fingerpicks. The instrument's pedals are used to change the pitch of its strings while being played; the action of the pedals may either be fixed, or may be configurable by the player to select which strings are affected by the pedals. The pedal steel, with its smooth portamenti, bending chords and complex riffs, is one of the most recognizable and characteristic instruments of American country music. "Console Steel Guitar" (Discogs credit "Steel Guitar [Console]")- (also table steel guitar) A type of electric steel guitar intermediate between the lap steel guitar and the pedal steel guitar. Table steel guitars typically have multiple necks and/or more than six strings per neck, and are too large to be easily played in lap steel fashion. "Lap Steel Guitar" (Discogs credit "Steel Guitar [Lap]") - A guitar in which the strings are raised at both the nut and bridge ends of the fingerboard, typically to about half an inch. This makes the frets unusable, and they may be replaced by markers on some guitars. |
| Strings |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Generic credit for stringed instruments |
| Stroh Violin |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also violinophone or horn-violin) A violin that amplifies its sound through a metal resonator and metal horns rather than a wooden sound box as on a standard violin. The instrument is named after its German designer, Johannes Matthias Augustus Stroh. |
| Strumstick |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A stringed instrument that uses a diatonic scale fretting (the notes of a major scale). The strings are tuned in a drone relationship (octaves and fifth). |
| Surbahar |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of North India. It is related to the better-known sitar but has a lower tone. |
| Swarmandel |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also spelt Swarmandal and also credited as Indian harp, this is an Indian stringed instrument. The Indian harp is used in many traditional Hindu and Muslim rituals, and is a traditional instrument. |
| SynthAxe |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A fretted, guitar-like MIDI controller, created in 1986 by Bill Aitken and manufactured in England in the middle to late 1980s. |
| Tambura |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also called Tanpura, Tamboura. Found in various models in Bulgaria, Croatia, and India. |
| Tamburitza |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A Balkan stringed instrument similar to a mandolin in shape and sound. Variants include samica (three double strings), bisernica (two double strings and two single strings; four tones), prim (one double string and three single strings; four tones), bas-prim or brac (instrument) (two double strings and two single strings; four tones), celovic (two double strings and two single strings; four tones), celo (four strings), bas or berda (four strings), and the bugarija or kontra (one double string and three single strings; four tones). |
| Tapboard |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A guitar-based instrument which uses parts of a shower hose and an egg timer |
| Tar (lute) |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A long-necked, waisted lute found in Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and other areas near the Caucasus region. |
| Theorbo |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A number of long-necked lutes with second peg-boxes, such as the liuto attiorbato, the French théorbe des pieces, the English theorbo, the archlute, the German baroque lute, the angelique or angelica |
| Tiple |
N |
Stringed instruments |
|
A small chordophone of the guitar family |
| Tipple |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Small ten-stringed instrument |
| Tonkori |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A plucked string instrument played by the Ainu people of Hokkaido, northern Japan and Sakhalin. It is unfretted and has between three and five strings which are not stopped but instead played "open." |
| Tres |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Ukulele |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also Ukelele, also abbreviated as uke.) A Hawaiian interpretation of small Portuguese guitar-like instruments. Ukuleles come in four sizes; Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone. |
| Valiha |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A bamboo tube zither from Madagascar. It is played by plucking the strings, which may be made of metal or (originally) the bamboo skin which is pried up in long strands and propped up by small bridges. |
| Veena |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A plucked stringed instrument used in Indian classical music from Southern India |
| Vielle |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A European bowed stringed instrument used in the Medieval period, similar to a modern violin but with a somewhat longer and deeper body, five (rather than four) gut strings, and a leaf-shaped pegbox with frontal tuning pegs. |
| Vihuela |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed Instruments |
A name given to two different guitar-like string instruments: one from 15th and 16th century Spain, usually with 12 paired strings, and the other, the Mexican vihuela, from 20th century Mexico with five strings and typically played in Mariachi bands. |
| Viol |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, fretted stringed musical instruments developed in the 1400s and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. |
| Viola |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Viola d'Amore |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
A 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin. |
| Violin |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Xalam |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
Also spelled khalam, also called bappe, diassare, hoddu, koliko, komsa, kontigi, koni, konting, molo, ndere, ngoni, and tidinit. a simple lute with one to five strings. The wooden body (soundbox) of the instrument is oval-shaped and covered with the hide of cattle. The strings of the xalam are typically made of two or three tightly wound strands of low-gauge nylon fishing line; these strings are fixed to the instrument's wooden neck by long and narrow leather strips and to its wooden bridge by cotton strings. By moving these strips, the instrument's tune can be adjusted. The xalam usually has two main melody strings that are fingered by the left hand (like the strings of a guitar or banjo) and two to three supplementary strings of fixed pitch. |
| Yang T'Chin |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
No information available. |
| Yangqin |
N |
instruments |
Stringed instruments |
(also 扬琴, 揚琴, yángqín) A Chinese hammered dulcimer originally from Central Asia (Persia (modern-day Iran)). |
| Zither |
N |
Instruments |
Stringed instruments |
|
| Accordion |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Alphorn |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also called alpenhorn, a wind instrument consisting of a natural wooden horn of conical bore, having a cup-shaped mouthpiece. |
| Apito |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A whistle from Brazil. Unlike the European variety the Apito has two openings at the sides and can thus make three different pitches. |
| Bagpipes |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
For all types of bagpipe, for example for Uilleann Pipes please use Bagpipes [Uilleann], Northumbrian Pipes use Bagpipes [Northumbrian], Highland Pipes use Bagpipes [Highland] etc |
| Bandoneon |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A free-reed instrument particularly popular in Argentina |
| Bansuri |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
An Indian side-blown flute made of bamboo or reed with six or seven holes |
| Bass Harmonica |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Basset Horn |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also basset-horn) A member of the clarinet family. A wind instrument with a single reed and a cylindrical bore. However, the basset horn is larger and has a bend near the mouthpiece rather than an entirely straight body |
| Bassoon |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Bayan |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A type of chromatic button accordion developed in Russia in the early 20th century and named after the bard, Boyan. It differs from western chromatic button accordions |
| Bellowphone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
http://www.bellowphone.com/ |
| Blues Harp |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also called a richter tuned harmonica or 10-hole harmonica (in Asia), is the most widely known type of harmonica. In the United States and Europe, it is called a diatonic harmonica. It has ten holes which offer the player 19 notes (10 holes times a draw and a blow for each hole minus one repeated note) in a three octave range. |
| Bombarde |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A folk musical instrument from Brittany and Cornwall that is a cross between an oboe and a conical-bored pipe chanter |
| Brass |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Bugle |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Chanter |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
|
| Clarinet |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Claviola |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Similar to a melodica, but worn like an accordion, the claviola has a set of piano keys on the right side that range 2 1/2 octaves. The left side is a set of pipes that range in length depending on the corresponding pitch. |
| Concertina |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A member of the free-reed family of instruments. Concertinas typically have buttons on both ends and are distinguished from an accordion (piano or button) by the direction of their button travel when pushed. Concertina buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows |
| Conch |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Contrabassoon |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
The contrabassoon, also contrafagotto or double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon sounding an octave lower. |
| Cor Anglais |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also known as English Horn |
| Cornet |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Cornett |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
An early wind instrument, dating from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. It is not to be confused with the trumpet-like instrument cornet. |
| Crumhorn |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A musical instrument of the woodwind family, a capped reed instrument. A double reed is mounted inside a windcap at one end of a long pipe. Blowing into the windcap produces a musical note. The pitch of the note can be varied by opening or closing finger holes along the length of the pipe. |
| Daegeum |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also spelled taegum or taegŭm) is a large bamboo transverse flute used in traditional Korean music. It has a buzzing membrane that gives it a special timbre. |
| Didgeridoo |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also spelt Didjeridu |
| Dizi |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also dízi di 笛, hengdi 橫笛, has varieties including the qudi 曲笛 and bangdi 梆笛), is a Chinese transverse flute, it is a major Chinese musical instrument, and is widely used in many genres of Chinese folk music, as well as Chinese opera, and the modern Chinese orchestra. |
| Drone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
|
| Duduk |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A traditional woodwind instrument of Armenian origins.[1][2] This English word is often used generically for a family of ethnic instruments including the doudouk or duduk (դուդուկ) (previously dziranapogh (ծիրանափող, literally "apricot horn") in Armenia, the düdük or mey in Turkey, the duduki in Georgia, the balaban in Azerbaijan, the narmeh-ney in Iran, the duduka or dudka in Russia and Ukraine, duduk in Serbia, and the daduk in Bulgaria. |
| Dunduk |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A traditional woodwind instrument of Armenian origins. |
| Electronic Wind Instrument |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also EWI) - A combination of a controller and synthesizer that lets wind musicians (for example saxophonists) play electronic synthesizers using their breath and fingering technique. |
| English Horn |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also known as Cor Anglais |
| Euphonium |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. |
| Flageolet |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A woodwind instrument and a member of the fipple flute family |
| Flugabone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A mix of trombone and flugelhorn |
| Flugelhorn |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Flute |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| French Horn |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Harmonica |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A free reed wind instrument which is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes (reed chambers) or multiple holes. The pressure caused by blowing or drawing air into the reed chambers causes a reed or multiple reeds to vibrate up and down creating sound. Each chamber has multiple, variable-tuned brass or bronze reeds which are secured at one end and loose on the other end, with the loose end vibrating and creating sound. The harmonica is used in blues and American folk music, jazz, classical music, country music, rock and roll, and pop music. The harmonica has other nicknames, especially in blues music, including: "harp," "blues harp," and "mouth organ." |
| Heckelphone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
A double reed instrument of the oboe family, but with a wider bore and hence a heavier and more penetrating tone. It is pitched an octave below the oboe. Approximately four feet in length, and is quite heavy, it rests on the floor, supported by a short metal peg attached to the underside of its bulbous bell. (An alternate second bell, called a "muting" bell, is also available, which serves to muffle the instrument for playing in a small ensemble.) |
| Horn |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Please use French Horn, Alphorn, Cor Anglais, Crumhorn, English Horn, and Flugelhorn if these are specifically used. |
| Horns |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Jug |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A jug (usually made of glass or stoneware) played with the mouth. With an embouchure like that used for a brass instrument, the musician holds the mouth of the jug about an inch from his or her mouth and emits a blast of sound, made by a "buzzing" of the lips, directly into it. The jug does not touch the musician's mouth, but serves as a resonating chamber to amplify and enrich the sound made by the musician's lips. Changes in pitch are controlled by loosening or tightening the lips, and an accomplished jugplayer might have a two octave range. |
| Kaval |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A chromatic end-blown flute traditionally played throughout Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo / Serbia (Kavall), northern Greece (Kavali or Dzhamara), southern Romania (Caval), Armenia (Բլուլ or Blul) and Kurdistan (Blul). |
| Kazoo |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A simple musical instrument (membranophone) that adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when one hums into it. |
| Khene |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A mouth-organ whose pipes are connected with a small, hollowed-out wooden reservoir into which air is blown. Associated with the Lao of Laos and Northeast Thailand, similar instruments date back to the bronze age of Southeast Asia. |
| Low Whistle |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also concert whistle) A variation of the traditional tin whistle / pennywhistle, distinguished by its lower pitch and larger size. |
| Lur |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
The more recent type is made of wood and was in use in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages. The older type, named after the more recent type, is made of bronze, dates to the Bronze Age and was often found in pairs, deposited in bogs, mainly in Denmark. |
| Lyricon |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
An electronic wind instrument. It enabled instrumentalists to control a synthesizer by playing a type of electronic saxophone, the synthesizer being contained in a fur-lined plastic case. |
| Mellophone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
The mellophone is a brass instrument that is typically used in place of the horn in marching bands or drum and bugle corps. |
| Melodeon |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also diatonic button accordion) - A type of button accordion where the melody-side keyboard is limited to the notes of diatonic scales in a small number of keys (sometimes only one). The bass side usually contains the principal chords of the instrument's key and the root notes of those chords. |
| Mizmar |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
In Arabic music, a mizmar is any single or double reed wind instrument. In Egypt mizmar usually refers to a surnay. Mizmar is also a term used for a group of musicians, usually a duo or trio, that play a mizmar instrument along with an accompaniment of one or two double-sided bass drums. |
| Ney |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
End-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music |
| Nose flute |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A popular musical instrument played in Polynesia and the Pacific Rim countries. Other versions are found in Africa, China and India. |
| Oboe |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Oboe d'Amore |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A woodwind instrument. It is a member of the double reed family, very similar to the oboe. Slightly larger than the oboe, it has a less assertive and more tranquil and serene tone, and is considered the mezzo-soprano or alto of the oboe family. |
| Ocarina |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
Sometimes called the sweet potato, an ancient flute-like wind instrument. It usually is made up of an oval-shaped enclosed space and four to thirteen finger holes, though there are some variations on the standard design. |
| Ophicleide |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A family of conical bore, brass keyed bugles, and an early ancestor of the saxophone. |
| Panpipes |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also called Bolivian Pipes |
| Piccolo Flute |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Pipe |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A wide range of instruments used especially in folk music. There are many specific types of pipes known, just to name Piszczałka (Poland), Fujara (Slovakia), Fluieraş (Romania), Zhaleika (Russia). |
| Pixiephone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A children's toy sold in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s, similar to the Melodica. |
| Rauschpfeife |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A wooden double-reed instrument with the reed enclosed in a windcap |
| Recorder |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple. |
| Reeds |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
For the general crediting of reed instruments. |
| Rozhok |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also vladimirskiy rozhok,Rojok, Владимирский Рожок) An ancient Russian musical instrument made of wood. A rozhok is a conical straight tube with the five playing holes on the top of it and one - below. At the low end is a small bell at the top the pasted in mouthpiece. The total length of a rozhok ranges from 320 to 830 mm. A mouthpiece is cut in the form of a small cap and the lower end of the tube is in the form of a conic bell. |
| Ryuteki |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(龍笛, literally "dragon flute") is a Japanese transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in gagaku, the Shinto classical music associated with Japan's imperial court. |
| Sarrusophone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
A family of transposing musical instruments, its intended use was to serve as a replacement for the oboe and bassoon. |
| Saxello |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Essentially a straight soprano sax, but with a slightly curved neck and tipped bell. |
| Saxophone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Serpent |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A bass wind instrument, descended from the cornett, and a distant ancestor of the tuba, with a mouthpiece like a brass instrument but side holes like a woodwind. It is usually a long cone bent into a snakelike shape, hence the name. |
| Shakuhachi |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Japanese bamboo flute |
| Shanai |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also spelt Shehnai - a tube-like instrument that gradually widens towards the lower end. It usually has between six and nine holes. It employs two sets of double reeds, making it a quadruple reed woodwind. By controlling the breath, various tunes can be played on it. |
| Shawm |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also possably Bass-Shalm ?) A medieval and Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family made in Europe from the late 13th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna and is the predecessor of the modern oboe. |
| Shenai |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Indian reed instrument |
| Sheng |
N |
Instrument |
Wind Instruments |
A mouth-blown free reed instrument (the first) consisting essentially of vertical pipes. |
| Sho |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
|
| Souna |
N |
Instrument |
Wind instruments |
A Chinese a double reed instrument. |
| Sousaphone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the tubist and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried. |
| Sruti Box |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A small wooden instrument that traditionally works on a system of bellows. It is similar to a harmonium and is used to provide a drone in a practice session or concert of Indian classical music. It is used as an accompaniment to other instruments and notably the flute. |
| Suling |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
An Indonesian/Philippine flute made out of bamboo used in gamelan ensembles. |
| Tárogató |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
A single reed instrument. It is made out of wood and has a conical bore, similar to the soprano saxophone. |
| Tin Whistle |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
Also called the tinwhistle, whistle, pennywhistle, or Irish whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. |
| Trombone |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Trumpet |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Tuba |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Whistle |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
|
| Whistling Water Jar |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
An ancient instrument, usually made from pottery, containing water that changes and / or produces the sound. |
| Wind |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
To be used for general wind instruments, when a specific instrument is not specified. Also see Brass and Woodwind for more specific generalisations! |
| Woodwind |
N |
Instruments |
Wind Instruments |
|
| Zhaleika |
N |
Instruments |
Wind instruments |
(also Jaleika) A Russian single-reed woodwind instrument |
| Computer |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| Effects |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| Electronics |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
The general manipulation of electronic instruments and effects |
| Groovebox |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
A self-contained instrument for the production of live, loop-based electronic music. A groovebox consists of three integrated elements; one or more sound sources, such as a drum machine, a synthesizer or a sampler; a music sequencer; and a control surface. |
| Loops |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| MIDI Controller |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
The most common MIDI Controller is the standard keyboard, but MIDI notes can be triggered from almost any imaginable device; electronic drums, wind controllers, breaking light beams etc. |
| Noises |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| Sampler |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| Scratches |
Y |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| Talkbox |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
A musical sound effects device that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by changing the shape of their mouth. Usually an effects pedal that sits on the floor and contains a speaker attached with an air tight connection to a plastic tube |
| Tape |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| Theremin |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
|
| Turntables |
N |
Instruments |
Technical Musical |
Also called decks, phonograph, record player, or gramophone |
| Vocoder |
N |
Instrument |
Technical Musical |
A speech analyzer and synthesizer. A vocoder has two inputs, and combines them such that, for example, a synthesized tone input is filtered to follow the spectral profile of the voice input. Other input combinations can be used for different results. |
| Accompanied By |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
Generic credit for backing musicians. Specific roles should be used instead if known. |
| Audio Generator |
N |
Instruments |
Other muscial |
An unspecified instrument, presumed to be an electronic device such as a test signal generator. |
| Backing Band |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
Used to credit the whole band, common on reggae releases. |
| Bullroarer |
N |
Instruments |
Other Musical |
A longish piece of cord fixed to an oval piece of wood or other suitable material which usually is thicker in the center, and sharpish at the edges. |
| Cadenza |
N |
Instruments |
Other muscial |
(Italian for cadence) Generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display. Often refers to a portion of a concerto in which the orchestra stops playing, leaving the soloist to play alone in free time (without a strict, regular pulse) and can be written or improvised, depending on what the composer specifies. Please also include the instrument they are playing, as a separate credit, if noted on the release. See Soloist. |
| E-Bow |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
This is not an instrument in its own right, as it does not make any sound on its own. It is a battery-powered hand-held electronic device, which effectively gives a performer another method for playing any stringed instrument. As it uses a magnetic field, it only works on steel strings, so is usually only credited for steel-stringed instruments. |
| Ensemble |
N |
Instruments |
Other Musical |
A musical ensemble is a group of two or more musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music. In each musical style or genre, different norms have developed for the sizes and composition of different ensembles, and for the repertoire of songs or musical works that these ensembles perform. Can be expanded on with brackets, for example "Ensemble [Quartet]" |
| Gamelan |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
A musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included.
|
| Glass Harmonica |
N |
Instruments |
Other Musical |
Uses a series of glass bowls or goblets graduated in size to produce musical tones by means of friction. |
| Homus |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
A version of Jew's Harp from Asia. |
| Instruments |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
A general credit for the playing of musical instruments |
| Jew's Harp |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
Also jaw harp, jaws harp, Jew's trump, guimbarde, juice harp, or mouth harp - A flexible metal or bamboo tongue or reed attached to a frame. The tongue/reed is placed in the performer's mouth and plucked with the finger to produce a note. The frame is held against the performer's teeth or lips, using the jaw (thus "jaw harp") and mouth as a resonator, greatly increasing the volume of the instrument. The note thus produced is constant in pitch, though by changing the shape of his or her mouth and the amount of air contained in it the performer can cause different overtones to sound and thus create melodies. |
| Mbira |
N |
Instruments |
Other Musical |
(also Likembe, Sanza, Zanza, Mbila, Thumb Piano, Mbira Huru, Mbira Njari, Mbira Nyunga Nyunga, Karimba or Kalimba) A wooden board or box to which staggered metal or wooden keys have been attached. |
| Orchestra |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
|
| Performer |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
A generic musical role, use brackets to add specifics |
| Saw |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
|
| Siren |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
Sirens are used as musical instruments, such as in Edgard Varèse's Hyperprism (1924), Ionisation (1931), recorded, in his Poeme Electronique (1958), George Antheil's "Ballet Mécanique" (1926), The Klaxon: March of the Automobiles (1929 by Henry Fillmore, The Chemical Brothers's Song to the Siren and, (in a CBS News 60 Minutes segment) by experimental percussionist Evelyn Glennie. |
| Soloist |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
This is a musical role, rather than the more common instrument credit used for musicians on Discogs. It denotes that the musician has taken a solo on the track - where one performer is playing either completely alone, or with accompaniment from the others. Common examples are jazz improvisation, featured musicians in classical music, and lead guitar in rock. Please also include the instrument they are playing, as a separate credit, if noted on the release, for example "Soloist, Guitar - Jimi Hendrix" |
| Sounds |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
General credit sometimes used in a non-specific way on releases, for example Additional Sounds, All sounds by, Sound sources etc
|
| Toy |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
Generic role for the use of toy instruments. |
| Wind Chimes |
N |
Instruments |
Other musical |
|
