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List of Indian musical instruments

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Woman playing pulluvan veena

Musical instruments of the Indian subcontinent can be broadly classified according to the Hornbostel–Sachs system into four categories: chordophones (string instruments), aerophones (wind instruments), membranophones (drums) and idiophones (non-drum percussion instruments).

Bowed strings

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Tribal fiddle instruments called "Dhodro Banam" used by Santhal people in Eastern India.

Other string instruments

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Single reed

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Snake charmer playing pungi
Bansuri player at Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur.
Indian Harmonium

Double reed

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Flute

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Bagpipes

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Free reed

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Free reed and bellows

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Brass

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Hand drums

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Learning to play tabla
Tumbaknaer, drum from Jammu and Kashmir for accompanying devotionals
Chenda (top) and Chande (below) are different drums
Chande of Yakshagana

Hand frame drums

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  • Daf, duf, or dafli – medium or large frame drum without jingles, of Persian origin
  • Dubki, dimdi or dimri – small frame drum without jingles
  • Kanjira – small frame drum with one jingle
  • Kansi – small drum without jingles
  • Patayani thappu – medium frame drum played with hands

Stick and hand drums

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Stick drums

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Chennakeshava Temple, 12th century A.D. Goddess playing an hourglass drum, possibly an udukai.

Idiophones

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A medieval instrument, labeled nagaveena (snake veena), is a type of musical scraper.

Melodic

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Jaltarang

Hand harmonium

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Dwarkanath Ghose (Dwarkin) modified the French pedal harmonium.

Electronic

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See also

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References

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