Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication

Erich Moritz von Hornbostel und Curt Sachs


Sets of single-skin cylindro-conical drums

with membrane lapped onto a ring of cord


Individual single-skin cylindrical drums


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, one skin used for playing


Sets of double-skin cylindrical drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin cylindrical drums with single playing heads


Individual double-skin barrel drums, both heads played

Individual double-skin barrel drums, one skin used for playing


Individual single-skin double-conical drums


Sets of double-skin barrel drums with single playing heads

Sets of double-skin barrel drums, both heads played


Sets of single-skin double-conical drums


Individual double-skin double-conical drums

Sets of double-skin double-conical drums


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication

Individual double-skin double-conical drums, one skin used for playing

Individual double-skin conical drums, one skin used for playing

Individual double-skin conical drums, both heads played

Individual double-skin double-conical drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, one skin used for playing

Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, both heads played


Individual single-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Sets of double-skin double-conical drums with single playing heads

Sets of double-skin double-conical drums, both heads played


Sets of single-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums with single playing heads


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums

Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication

Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, one skin used for playing


Individual single-skin cylindro-conical drums.


Sets of double-skin conical drums, both heads played

Sets of double-skin conical drums with single playing heads


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums, both heads played

Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums with single playing heads


Sets of single-skin cylindro-conical drums


Individual hourglass-shaped rattle drums


Individual double-skin frame rattle drums


Stationary friction drums with friction cord


Double-skin stationary drums with friction-cord

Single-skin stationary drums with friction-cord


Poly-idiochord musical bows or harp-bows

Polyidiochorde Musikbögen oder Harfenbögen


With the strings in two planes crossing one another

With the strings in two or more parallel planes


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Arched spike harps with tall stringholders


With loose string attached to the drum-head


With string attached to the end of a neck and to the drum-head


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Open single notch flutes with fingerholes


Partly-stopped flutes with external duct


Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes without fingerholes


Individual double-skin barrel drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, one skin used for playing


Sets of suspended bells struck from the outside


Stopped notch flutes without fingerholes used in sets

Stopped single notch flutes without fingerholes


Sets of stopped flutes with internal duct


Poly-idiochord musical bows or harp-bows


With the strings in two or more parallel planes

The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums with single playing heads


Sets of single-skin double-conical drums


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, one skin used for playing


Sets of bossed, flat gongs (with flange) and intermediate types


Sets of double-skin double-conical drums


Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes with fingerholes


Stopped flutes with internal duct with fingerholes


Single-skin stationary drums with friction-cord

Stationary friction drums with friction cord

with membrane lapped onto a ring of cord


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Individual single-skin cylindrical drums


Arched spike harps with tall stringholders


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, both heads played


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums with single playing heads


Bossed gongs, flat gongs (with flange) and intermediate types


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Double-skin stationary drums with friction-cord


Analogue synthesizers and other electronic instruments with thermionic valve (vacuum-tube) or solid state circuitry (transistor and/or analogue integrated circuitry) generating and/or processing electric sound signals

Analogue electronic instruments, modules and components

Analogue synthesizers and other electronic instruments with solid state circuitry (transistor and/or integrated circuitry) generating and processing electric sound signals

Analogue synthesizers and other electronic instruments with electronic valve/vacuum tube based devices generating and/or processing electric sound signals


Analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis

Modular analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis

Preset analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication

Electro-acoustic instruments and devices


Preset, partially or fully polyphonic analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis


Electromechanical instruments and devices


Voltage control sources - controllers and interfaces


Analogue modules: signal modifiers or processors

Analogue modules: audio signal generators; analogue signal combining, modifying, reproducing and processing devices

Other analogue modules or configurations


Digital instruments, modules and components


Digital Synthesizers using additive synthesis

Digital synthesizers using phase distortion techniques

Digital synthesizers using physical modelling techniques

Digital synthesizers using frequency modulation synthesis


Digital Synthesizers using additive synthesis without fixed keyboard controllers

Digital Synthesizers using additive synthesis with fixed keyboard controllers


Digital synthesizers using phase distortion techniques without fixed keyboard controllers


Digital synthesizers using physical modelling techniques with fixed keyboard controllers


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


With loose string attached to the drum-head

With string attached to the end of a neck and to the drum-head


Edge-tone instruments that are not flutes


Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes without fingerholes

Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes with fingerholes


Flutes with internal duct formed by an internal baffle (natural, node, block of resin) plus an external duct


Kombiniert offene und gedackte Panflöten


Open single notch flutes with fingerholes


Stopped single notch flutes with fingerholes


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Reedpipes with a reed which vibrates through a closely fitted frame


End-blown labrosones with curved or folded tubes


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Sets of suspended bells struck from the outside


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, one skin used for playing


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication

Individual double-skin barrel drums, both heads played


with membrane lapped onto a ring of cord


Sets of stopped flutes with internal duct


Stopped notch flutes without fingerholes used in sets

Stopped single notch flutes without fingerholes


Bossed gongs, flat gongs (with flange) and intermediate types


Digital Synthesizers using additive synthesis without fixed keyboard controllers

Digital instruments, modules and components


Digital modules communicating between devices/signal convertors


Digital samplers and sampling synthesizers


Digital signal mixing, modifying, reproducing and processing devices


Digital Synthesizers using additive synthesis with fixed keyboard controllers


Digital synthesizers using phase distortion techniques without fixed keyboard controllers

Digital synthesizers using phase distortion techniques with fixed keyboard controllers


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Digital synthesizers using physical modelling techniques with fixed keyboard controllers

Digital synthesizers using physical modelling techniques without fixed keyboard controllers


Other digital modules, components or configurations


Stationary friction drums with friction cord


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Individual hourglass-shaped rattle drums


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums with single playing heads


Sets of suspended bells struck from the outside


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, one skin used for playing


With the strings in two planes crossing one another


Open single notch flutes with fingerholes


Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Reedpipes with a reed which vibrates through a closely fitted frame


Sets of double-skin barrel drums, both heads played


With string attached to the end of a neck and to the drum-head


Arched spike harps with tall stringholders


Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes without fingerholes


Partly-stopped flutes with external duct


Sets of double-skin cylindrical drums, both heads played


with membrane lapped onto a ring of cord


Individual double-skin double-conical drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin double-conical drums


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Stopped flutes with internal duct with fingerholes


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes with fingerholes


Sets of single-skin double-conical drums


Stopped sets of notch-flutes or panpipes


Individual double-skin frame rattle drums


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Individual hourglass-shaped rattle drums


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, one skin used for playing


Individual single-skin double-conical drums


Stationary friction drums with friction cord


Reedpipes with a reed which vibrates through a closely fitted frame


End-blown labrosones with curved or folded tubes


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Sets of single-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Sets of double-skin conical drums with single playing heads


Individual double-skin barrel drums, one skin used for playing


Single-skin stationary drums with friction-cord


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums with single playing heads


Sets of single-skin double-conical drums


Sets of gongs with divided surface sounding different pitches


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, both heads played


with membrane lapped onto a ring of cord


Edge-tone instruments that are not flutes


With the strings in two or more parallel planes


Poly-idiochord musical bows or harp-bows


Sets of bossed, flat gongs (with flange) and intermediate types


Sets of stopped flutes with internal duct


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Stopped notch flutes without fingerholes used in sets

Stopped single notch flutes without fingerholes


Double-skin stationary drums with friction-cord

Stationary friction drums with friction cord


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, one skin used for playing


Individual double-skin barrel drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, one skin used for playing


Sets of double-skin barrel drums with single playing heads


Sets of bells with attached external clappers


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin conical drums, one skin used for playing

Individual double-skin double-conical drums


Sets of double-skin double-conical drums with single playing heads


Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Gongs with divided surface sounding different pitches


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, both heads played


with membrane lapped onto a ring of cord


Individual single-skin cylindrical drums


Sets of double-skin double-conical drums, both heads played


Flutes with internal duct formed by an internal baffle (natural, node, block of resin) plus an external duct


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin cylindrical drums with single playing heads


Individual double-skin double-conical drums


Open single notch flutes without fingerholes


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Individual double-skin double-conical drums, one skin used for playing


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums


Individual single-skin hourglass-shaped drums


End-blown labrosones with curved or folded tubes


Individual double-skin conical drums, both heads played


Individual single-skin cylindro-conical drums.


Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, one skin used for playing


Sets of partly-stopped flutes with internal duct


Reedpipes with a reed which vibrates through a closely fitted frame


With loose string attached to the drum-head


Gefäßflöten (Ohne ausgebildeten Schnabel)


Sets of double-skin conical drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, both heads played


Single-skin stationary drums with friction-cord

Stationary friction drums with friction cord

The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


With string attached to the end of a neck and to the drum-head


Sets of double-skin barrel drums, both heads played


Arched spike harps with tall stringholders


Individual double-skin double-conical drums, one skin used for playing


Open single notch flutes without fingerholes


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Individual single-skin hourglass-shaped drums

The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Sets of double-skin cylindrical drums with single playing heads


Individual single-skin cylindro-conical drums.


Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, one skin used for playing


Sets of partly-stopped flutes with internal duct


Individual double-skin conical drums, both heads played

Individual double-skin double-conical drums


End-blown labrosones with curved or folded tubes


Reedpipes with a reed which vibrates through a closely fitted frame


Sets of double-skin cylindrical drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin double-conical drums, both heads played


Stopped sets of notch-flutes or panpipes


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums


Individual hourglass-shaped rattle drums


Stationary friction drums with friction cord

The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums


Individual single-skin double-conical drums


Sets of double-skin conical drums with single playing heads


Sets of single-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Individual double-skin frame rattle drums


Sets of double-skin double-conical drums, both heads played


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Individual double-skin barrel drums, one skin used for playing


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Flutes with internal duct formed by an internal baffle (natural, node, block of resin) plus an external duct


Individual single-skin cylindrical drums


Sets of bells with attached external clappers


Sets of double-skin barrel drums with single playing heads

The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Individual double-skin conical drums, one skin used for playing

Individual double-skin double-conical drums


Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin double-conical drums with single playing heads


Gongs with divided surface sounding different pitches


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, both heads played


Sets of gongs with divided surface sounding different pitches


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums, both heads played


Edge-tone instruments that are not flutes

The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Stopped single notch flutes with fingerholes


Stopped single notch flutes without fingerholes


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Reedpipes with a reed which vibrates through a closely fitted frame


Sets of dissimilar flutes with internal duct


Sets of bells with attached external clappers


Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, one skin used for playing

Individual double-skin cylindrical drums, both heads played


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Individual double-skin barrel drums, one skin used for playing


Sets of double-skin barrel drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin cylindrical drums with single playing heads


Sets of single-skin double-conical drums


Individual double-skin hourglass-shaped drums

Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, one skin used for playing

Individual double-skin cylindro-conical drums, both heads played


Individual double-skin double-conical drums, both heads played


Sets of double-skin conical drums with single playing heads


Sets of double-skin cylindro-conical drums with single playing heads


Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums with single playing heads

Sets of double-skin hourglass-shaped drums, both heads played


Individual single-skin cylindro-conical drums.

Sets of single-skin cylindro-conical drums


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Bossed gongs, flat gongs (with flange) and intermediate types


Double-skin stationary drums with friction-cord

Stationary friction drums with friction cord


Individual double-skin frame rattle drums


Single-skin stationary drums with friction-cord


with membrane lapped onto a ring of cord


Individual single-skin cylindrical drums


Individual single-skin hourglass-shaped drums


Electro-acoustic instruments and devices


Electromechanical instruments and devices

Electromechanical sound processing devices


Analogue electronic instruments, modules and components

Digital instruments, modules and components


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Analogue synthesizers and other electronic instruments with thermionic valve (vacuum-tube) or solid state circuitry (transistor and/or analogue integrated circuitry) generating and/or processing electric sound signals

Other analogue modules or configurations


Analogue synthesizers and other electronic instruments with electronic valve/vacuum tube based devices generating and/or processing electric sound signals


Analogue synthesizers and other electronic instruments with solid state circuitry (transistor and/or integrated circuitry) generating and processing electric sound signals

Analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis

Analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using additive synthesis

Analogue synthesizers using hybrid subtractive and additive synthesis


Modular analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis


Preset analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis

Preset, partially or fully polyphonic analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis

Preset, monophonic analogue synthesizers with solid state circuitry based devices generating and processing electric sound signals using subtractive synthesis


Analogue modules: audio signal generators; analogue signal combining, modifying, reproducing and processing devices


Analogue modules: signal modifiers or processors


Digital signal mixing, modifying, reproducing and processing devices

Digital samplers and sampling synthesizers

Other digital modules, components or configurations

Digital modules communicating between devices/signal convertors


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication

Digital instruments, modules and components

Digital synthesizers using frequency modulation synthesis without fixed keyboard controllers

Digital synthesizers using frequency modulation synthesis with fixed keyboard controllers


Modules communicating between devices/signal convertors other than transducers

Other analogue modules or configurations

Analogue electronic instruments, modules and components


Voltage control sources - controllers and interfaces

Voltage control sources - control voltage sequence generators


Stopped flutes with internal duct with fingerholes


Sets of stopped flutes with internal duct


Sets of partly-stopped flutes with internal duct


Sets of dissimilar flutes with internal duct


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Sets of reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication


Reedpipes with a reed which vibrates through a closely fitted frame


End-blown labrosones with curved or folded tubes


Edge-tone instruments that are not flutes


Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes with fingerholes


Partly-stopped single end-blown flutes without fingerholes


Open single notch flutes with fingerholes

Open single notch flutes without fingerholes


Stopped single notch flutes with fingerholes

Stopped single notch flutes without fingerholes


Stopped notch flutes without fingerholes used in sets


Partly-stopped flutes with external duct


Stopped sets of notch-flutes or panpipes


Bossed gongs, flat gongs (with flange) and intermediate types

Gongs with divided surface sounding different pitches


Sets of bossed, flat gongs (with flange) and intermediate types

Sets of gongs with divided surface sounding different pitches


Sets of bells with attached external clappers

Sets of suspended bells struck from the outside


The vibrations are coupled with a transducer to create an electrical signal that is processed through an amplifier and loudspeaker -Applied only to instruments that have not been structurally modified or designed to be played through a loudspeaker; all these are classed as Electrophones in Group 5


Sets of dissimilar flutes with internal duct


(Single) reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds

Reedpipes with double (or quadruple) reeds


Sets of single-skin cylindro-conical drums