Violin

🎼 Bowed or plucked

🌍 Italy, 1500s

Guitar

🎼 Plucked or strummed

🌍 Spain (modern form)

Cello

🎼 Bowed, played seated

🌍 Italy, 1500s

Harp

🎼 Plucked by hand

🌍 Ancient (5000+ yrs)

Double Bass

🎼 Bowed or plucked

🌍 Europe, 1500s

Sitar

🎼 Plucked

🌍 India

Flute

🎼 Blown across a hole

🌍 Ancient worldwide

Clarinet

🎼 Blown via a reed

🌍 Germany, ~1700

Saxophone

🎼 Blown via a reed

🌍 Belgium, 1846

Oboe

🎼 Blown via 2 reeds

🌍 France, 1600s

Recorder

🎼 Blown into a mouthpiece

🌍 Medieval Europe

Bagpipes

🎼 Air squeezed from a bag

🌍 Scotland & beyond

Trumpet

🎼 Buzz lips into mouthpiece

🌍 Ancient (modern ~1815)

Trombone

🎼 Slide changes pitch

🌍 Europe, 1400s

French Horn

🎼 Buzz lips, hand in bell

🌍 France/Germany

Tuba

🎼 Buzz lips into mouthpiece

🌍 Germany, 1835

Bugle

🎼 Lips only, no valves

🌍 Military use

Drum Kit

🎼 Hit with sticks & feet

🌍 USA, early 1900s

Xylophone

🎼 Struck with mallets

🌍 Africa & Asia

Cymbals

🎼 Clashed or struck

🌍 Ancient

Marimba

🎼 Struck with mallets

🌍 Africa & Central America

Tabla

🎼 Tapped with fingers & palms

🌍 India

Steel Drum

🎼 Struck with mallets

🌍 Trinidad & Tobago

Piano

🎼 Keys move tiny hammers

🌍 Italy, ~1700

Organ

🎼 Keys release air through pipes

🌍 Ancient Greece

Harpsichord

🎼 Keys pluck strings

🌍 Europe, 1500s

Accordion

🎼 Keys + squeezed bellows

🌍 Europe, 1820s

Synthesizer

🎼 Keys trigger electronics

🌍 1960s–70s