Abeng - An animal horn used as a Trumpet in Ghana. In Haiti and Jamaica, the trumpet is made from a cow’s horn.
Accordion - A free reed instrument with a keyboard. It was developed in Saxony (Germany) and Bohemia (Czech Republic) and is now common throughout the world in many traditions. Various types include piano and button keyboards; chromatic and diatonic tunings; concertinas and bandoneon. The accordion is sometimes referred to as squeezebox.
Achere - Santería shaker. Cuba.
Acoustic - Any musical instrument that can provide sound without the use of electronic amplification.
Aerophone - An aerophone is a musical instrument that produces sound primarily by causing a body of Air to vibrate, without the use of strings or membranes (which are respectively Chordophones and Membranophones), and without the vibration of the instrument itself adding considerably to the sound. The Scientific term for any instrument that produces sound by moving air. Includes all wind instruments, along with Trumpets and Organs.
Afuche (aka Cabasa) - A shaker comprised of a dried hollow gourd with a handle and a net of metal beads loosely attached around the outside surface. Used in afoxe music. Also known as a Cabasa. Country of origin: Brazil.
Agogo - A set of two bells, one larger and one smaller, that is struck with a wooden stick.Found in Africa and Brazil.
Akogo - The Akogo, also known as the Thumb Piano, is the primary instrument utilized in the traditional Akogo dance. Crafted from bamboo tubes of varying lengths, this fascinating instrument is played by holding it in both hands and the lines are plucked using thumbs and sometimes the fore fingers.Thumb piano.
Ajaeng - A Korean string instrument, which is a wide zither with strings of twisted silk. It is played with a slender stick of forsythia wood that is drawn across the strings in the manner of a bow. The ajaeng mainly plays the bass part in ensemble music. Some instruments have as many as nine to twelve strings. It is similar to the Japanese koto, but is bowed rather than plucked.
Angklung - Tuned bamboo rattles from Java and Sumatra hung from a frame. Indonesia. The tubes are carved to produce a resonant pitch when struck and are tuned to octaves, similar to Western handbells. The base of the frame is held in one hand, while the other hand shakes the instrument, causing a repeating note to sound.
Antara - Pentatonic pan flute of the Andes region, Peru.
Amadinda - Log xylophone. Also known as embairé. Uganda.
Amplifier (guitar) - Guitar amplifiers are used for electric Bass, Guitars and by other instruments. They come in all sizes and options from Combos (Amplifier with Speakers included) to custom build combinations of Amp Stacks with separate powered Heads and Speaker cabinet(s). This type of setup provides for future expansion with easier maintenance by replacing the Head or Speaker Cabinet separately. Handy when on the road playing different size Venues to scale to size. Small Rig for a small Club and Large Rig for an Arena or Outdoor shows.
Amplifier (drums) - Electronic Drum Amplifiers allow mutiple inputs from key Drum Trigger pads so the Drummer can hear their Electronic Drum kit. Since these amps are self-powered and with a Horn and Speaker they are considered to be a Combo Amp.
Autoharp - The autoharp is a 36-string zither-family instrument featuring chord bars with felt pads that mute unwanted strings when pressed, allowing for easy, chord-based playing by pressing a button and strumming. Popularized by musicians like June Carter Cash, it is lauded for being beginner-friendly, portable, and versatile for folk, country, and bluegrass music. Strummed or Picked.
Axe - A slang term for Guitar.
