This list includes 30 Musical instruments that start with L, from “Lahuta” to “Lyricon”. They range from ancient folk and classical instruments to modern electronic devices, used in performance, teaching, and cultural rituals.
Musical instruments that start with L are named instruments whose common names begin with the letter L. Many trace back centuries — for example, the lyre shaped ancient Greek music while the lute shaped medieval European song.
Below you’ll find the table with family, origin, and materials.
Family: It shows the instrument’s family so you can quickly see whether it’s a string, wind, percussion, keyboard, or electronic instrument.
Origin: Explains country or region and era so you can understand cultural background and historical context.
Materials: Lists primary construction materials so you can judge sound, durability, and care considerations.
Musical instruments that start with L
| Name | Family | Origin | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lute | Chordophone — lute | Europe, medieval–Renaissance | spruce top, maple body, gut strings |
| Lyre | Chordophone — lyre | Ancient Near East/Greece, Bronze Age | wood, gut strings, leather bridge |
| Lyra (Byzantine) | Chordophone — bowed lyre | Byzantine Empire, medieval | wood, horsehair bow, gut strings |
| Lyra (Cretan) | Chordophone — bowed lyre | Crete, Ottoman period–present | wood, horsehair bow, gut/metal strings |
| Lyra viol | Chordophone — bowed viol | England, 17th c. | spruce top, maple back, gut strings |
| Lirone | Chordophone — bowed chordophone | Italy, 16th–17th c. | wood, gut strings, horsehair bow |
| Lira da braccio | Chordophone — bowed fiddle | Italy, Renaissance | wood, gut strings, horsehair bow |
| Laúd | Chordophone — lute | Spain/Latin America, 16th c. | wood body, gut/nylon strings |
| Laouto | Chordophone — lute | Greece, Ottoman era–present | wood, steel/nylon strings |
| Liuto | Chordophone — lute | Italy, 16th–17th c. | wood, gut strings |
| Lavta | Chordophone — lute | Turkey, Ottoman era | wood, gut/steel strings |
| Lute-guitar | Chordophone — hybrid guitar | Europe/USA, 19th–20th c. | spruce top, rosewood body |
| Lyre-guitar | Chordophone — guitar | France, early 19th c. | wood, gut strings |
| Lap steel guitar | Chordophone — steel guitar | Hawaii/USA, 19th–20th c. | steel strings, wood/metal body |
| Lever harp | Chordophone — harp | Europe, medieval–present | wood frame, metal strings, levers |
| Low whistle | Aerophone — flute | Ireland, modern (20th c.) | metal tube, plastic/wood mouthpiece |
| Looper | Electronic — effects/instrument | Global, late 20th c. | electronic hardware, metal/plastic |
| Lyricon | Electronic — wind synth | USA, 1970s | electronic circuitry, plastic body |
| Lituus | Aerophone — ancient brass | Ancient Rome/Medieval Europe | wood or metal tube |
| Lur | Aerophone — horn | Scandinavia, Bronze Age–modern | bronze or wood |
| Lujon | Idiophone — tuned metal | USA, mid-20th c. | tuned metal plates |
| Lion’s roar | Membranophone — friction drum | Europe, 19th c. | wood shell, animal skin, cord |
| Log drum | Idiophone — slit drum | Worldwide, traditional | hollowed wood log |
| Lithophone | Idiophone — stone | Southeast Asia/Europe, ancient–modern | stone slabs |
| Langspil | Chordophone — zither | Iceland, 18th c. | wood, metal strings |
| Langeleik | Chordophone — zither | Norway, 18th–19th c. | wood, metal strings |
| Launeddas | Aerophone — reed (triple) | Sardinia, ancient–modern | wood reed pipes |
| Lesiba | Aerophone — mouth-resonated | Southern Africa, pre-20th c. | string, quill, wooden horn |
| Lahuta | Chordophone — bowed lute | Balkans, medieval–present | wood, horsehair string |
| Luntang | Idiophone — bamboo percussion | Philippines (Palawan), traditional | bamboo slats |
Descriptions
Lute
Plucked, pear-shaped string instrument central to Renaissance and Baroque music; ancestor of the modern guitar, used for solo and accompaniment.
Lyre
Ancient plucked lyre with two arms and crossbar; used for song and poetry accompaniment throughout antiquity.
Lyra (Byzantine)
Small bowed lyre from the Byzantine world; precursor to many Eastern Mediterranean fiddles with a distinct nasal tone.
Lyra (Cretan)
Three-stringed bowed instrument central to Cretan folk music; played vertically with lively ornamentation.
Lyra viol
Bass-range viol tuned and played for chordal accompaniment and solo music in 17th-century England.
Lirone
Large bowed continuo instrument with many strings, used in Baroque ensembles for rich sustained chords.
Lira da braccio
Renaissance arm-held bowed instrument used in courtly music; a precursor to the violin family.
Laúd
Spanish long-necked lute used in folk and rondalla ensembles; brighter, more rhythmic than classical lute.
Laouto
Greek fretted lute used in folk music; accompanies song and dance with rhythmic and melodic roles.
Liuto
Italian lute (liuto), used in Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, sometimes in bass registers for continuo.
Lavta
Ottoman fretted lute related to oud and saz; used in urban classical and folk traditions.
Lute-guitar
Modern hybrid combining lute shape with guitar construction; used for historical aesthetics and folk playing.
Lyre-guitar
Early-19th-century salon instrument shaped like a lyre but played like a guitar; popular with amateur musicians.
Lap steel guitar
Guitar played horizontally with a metal slide; central to Hawaiian, country and blues styles.
Lever harp
Portable harp with levers to raise individual strings; common in folk and small classical settings.
Low whistle
Larger, lower-pitched tin whistle producing mellow, haunting tones for Celtic and folk music.
Looper
Pedal or device that records, layers and plays back musical phrases in real time; used as a solo performance instrument.
Lyricon
Early electronic wind instrument played like a sax or clarinet, producing synthesized tones for lead lines.
Lituus
Curved trumpet-like instrument of antiquity and later medieval forms; used for signals and ceremonial calls.
Lur
Long curved Bronze Age horns (and later wooden versions) from northern Europe; loud, ceremonial instruments.
Lujon
Studio percussion instrument created by Emil Richards; low, resonant metallic tones used in film and jazz.
Lion’s roar
Friction drum that produces a roaring sound by rubbing a cord through a membrane; used for special effects.
Log drum
Hollowed wooden slit drum struck with mallets; used across Africa, Asia and Oceania for music and communication.
Lithophone
Tuned stone instrument struck with mallets; produces bell-like pitches in both ancient and modern contexts.
Langspil
Icelandic fretted zither played on the lap, plucked or bowed; integral to Icelandic folk music.
Langeleik
Norwegian single-row psaltery played with a plectrum, often with drone accompaniment in folk tunes.
Launeddas
Traditional Sardinian three-pipe reed instrument played with circular breathing, producing polyphonic drone textures.
Lesiba
Unique Basotho instrument where a string vibrates into a mouth-resonating horn, producing vocal-like tones.
Lahuta
One-stringed bowed instrument of Albanian and Montenegrin epic singers; used to accompany heroic songs.
Luntang
Horizontal bamboo percussion instrument used by Palawan peoples for rhythm, signals and communal performance.