Arabic musical instruments

Arabic musical instruments can be broadly classified into three categories: string instruments (chordophones), wind instruments (aerophones), and Percussions. They evolved from ancient civilizations in the region, and were enhanced to adapt with a broader general unified type of music.

Drawing of Qanun player in 1859, Jerusalem, Palestine

Traditional flute player from Iraqi folk troupe

Mizwad, a type of bagpipes played mostly in Tunisia and Libya

Mizmar ini Display

the Riqq is one of the instruments used only in the Arab music, and in most of its varieties

Sagat in Khan El-Khalili, Cairo

Chordophones

Plucked lutes

• Buzuq
• Gimbri
• Guembri
• Lotar
• Oud
• Qanbus
• Sintir
• Lavta

Zithers

• Qanun
• Iraqi Santur

Bowed lutes

• Kamanjah
• Rababa

Lyres

• Simsimiyya
• Kissar
• Tanbūra
• Jewish Lyre

Aerophones

Flutes

• Ney

Reed instruments

• Arghul
• Habbān
• Jirba
• Mijwiz
• Mizmar
• Mizwad
• Rhaita
• Salamiyyah (flute)
• Wazza
• Zummarah-bi-soan

Percussion instruments

Drums

• Bendir
• Daf
• Goblet drum
• Hajir
• Mazhar
• Mirwas
• Naqara
• Naqareh
• Riqq
• Tar
• Taarija
• Tabla
• Tabl baladi

Other percussion

• Krakebs
• Manjur
• Mihbaj
• Sagat (zills)

Mashriq

• Sistrum
• Clapping
• Clay Jug