Here you’ll find 52 Musical instruments that start with S, organized from “Sackbut” to “Säckpipa”. This collection spans orchestral, folk, and electronic instruments used in performance, teaching, and composition.
Musical instruments that start with S are playable devices or named instruments whose common English names begin with the letter S. Many entries have deep cultural roots — for example, the Sackbut is the Renaissance ancestor of the modern trombone.
Below you’ll find the table with Instrument, Family, Origin, and Materials.
Instrument: The common name of each instrument is shown so you can quickly spot familiar items or discover unfamiliar ones.
Family: Shows a concise classification (for example, string, brass, aerophone) so you can compare instruments by how they produce sound.
Origin: Gives country or region and a rough era to help you understand each instrument’s cultural and historical background.
Materials: Lists the primary construction materials so you can compare likely timbre, weight, and practical maintenance considerations.
Musical instruments that start with S
| Instrument | Family | Origin (region/country; era) | Materials (primary) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sackbut | Brass | Europe; 15th century | Brass |
| Säckpipa | Woodwind (bagpipe) | Sweden; Medieval era | Wood, leather, reed |
| Sampler | Electrophone | Global; 1970s | Electronics, plastic, metal |
| Sandpaper Blocks | Percussion (idiophone) | USA; early 20th century | Wood, sandpaper |
| Sanshin | Plucked strings (lute) | Okinawa (Japan); 15th century | Wood, snakeskin, silk strings |
| Santoor | Percussion-string (zither) | Persia/India; Ancient | Wood, metal strings, mallets |
| Sarangi | Bowed strings | Indian subcontinent; c. 17th century | Wood, goat skin, gut/metal strings |
| Saron | Percussion (metallophone) | Indonesia; Ancient | Bronze, wood |
| Sarod | Plucked strings (lute) | Indian subcontinent; 19th century | Wood, goat skin, metal |
| Sarrusophone | Woodwind | France; 1856 | Brass, double reed |
| Saw (Musical Saw) | Percussion (idiophone) | USA; 19th century | Steel, wood handle |
| Saxophone | Woodwind | Belgium; 1840s | Brass, reed, plastic |
| Saz (Bağlama) | Plucked strings (lute) | Turkey/Persia; Ancient | Wood, metal strings |
| Scottish Smallpipes | Woodwind (bagpipe) | Scotland; 18th century | Wood, leather, reeds |
| Scraper (Güiro) | Percussion (idiophone) | Latin America; Pre-Columbian | Gourd, wood, plastic |
| Serpent | Brass | France; c. 1590 | Wood, leather, brass |
| Setar | Plucked strings (lute) | Persia (Iran); Ancient | Mulberry wood, metal strings |
| Shaker | Percussion (idiophone) | Global; Ancient | Gourd, wood, plastic, seeds, beads |
| Shakuhachi | Woodwind (flute) | Japan (from China); 8th century | Bamboo |
| Shamisen | Plucked strings (lute) | Japan; 16th century | Wood, cat/dog skin, silk strings |
| Shawm | Woodwind | Near East/Europe; Medieval era | Wood, double reed |
| Shekere | Percussion (idiophone) | West Africa; Ancient | Dried gourd, beads, shells |
| Sheng | Woodwind (free-reed mouth organ) | China; c. 1,100 BCE | Gourd, bamboo pipes, metal reeds |
| Shinobue | Woodwind (flute) | Japan; Ancient | Bamboo |
| Shofar | Brass | Ancient Israel; c. 1,000 BCE | Ram’s horn |
| Siku (Panpipe) | Woodwind (flute) | Andes region (South America); Pre-Columbian | Bamboo, cane reeds |
| Singing Bowl (Himalayan Bowl) | Percussion (idiophone) | Himalayan region; Ancient | Metal alloy |
| Siren | Aerophone | Global; 19th century | Metal, electronics |
| Sistrum | Percussion (idiophone) | Ancient Egypt; c. 2,500 BCE | Metal, wood, clay |
| Sitar | Plucked strings (lute) | Indian subcontinent; Medieval period | Gourd, wood, metal strings |
| Slapstick (Whip) | Percussion (idiophone) | Global; Ancient | Wood |
| Sleigh Bells | Percussion (idiophone) | Global; Ancient | Metal bells, leather/wood handle |
| Slenthem | Percussion (metallophone) | Indonesia; Ancient | Bronze, wood |
| Slide Guitar | Plucked strings | USA; late 19th century | Wood, metal strings, slide |
| Slide Whistle | Woodwind (flute) | Global; 19th century | Metal, plastic |
| Slit Drum | Percussion (idiophone) | Global; Ancient | Wood, bamboo |
| Snare Drum | Percussion (membranophone) | Europe; Medieval (Tabor drum) | Wood/metal shell, plastic/skin heads, metal snares |
| Sopilka | Woodwind (flute) | Ukraine; Medieval era | Wood, plastic |
| Sousaphone | Brass | USA; 1890s | Brass, fiberglass |
| Spinet | Keyboard (harpsichord) | Europe; 15th century | Wood, metal strings, quills |
| Spoons | Percussion (idiophone) | Global; Ancient | Wood, metal |
| Sralai | Woodwind (quadruple reed) | Cambodia; Ancient | Wood, metal, palm leaf |
| Steel Guitar | Plucked strings | USA; early 20th century | Wood, steel, electronics |
| Steelpan (Steel Drum) | Percussion (idiophone) | Trinidad and Tobago; 1930s | Steel (oil drum) |
| Stroh Violin | Bowed strings (hybrid) | UK; 1899 | Wood, metal, horn |
| Stylophone | Electrophone | UK; 1967 | Plastic, metal, electronics |
| Suona | Woodwind (double reed) | China (from Central Asia); c. 3rd century | Wood, brass/copper bell |
| Surbahar | Plucked strings (lute) | India; c. 1825 | Gourd, wood, metal strings |
| Surdo | Percussion (membranophone) | Brazil; 20th century | Aluminum/wood shell, skin/plastic heads |
| Suling | Woodwind (flute) | Southeast Asia; Ancient | Bamboo |
| Swarmandal (Surmandal) | Plucked strings (zither) | Indian subcontinent; Medieval period | Wood, metal strings |
| Synthesizer | Electrophone | Global; 1950s | Electronics, plastic, metal, wood |
Descriptions
Sackbut
An early ancestor of the modern trombone. The sackbut has a gentler, more vocal tone and a smaller bell, used primarily in Renaissance and Baroque music.
Säckpipa
A Swedish type of bagpipe with a cylindrical bore and a single drone. It was a common folk instrument that saw a revival in the 20th century for traditional music.
Sampler
An electronic instrument that records, alters, and plays back digital audio “samples”. It’s a cornerstone of electronic music, hip hop, and modern pop production.
Sandpaper Blocks
A simple percussion instrument made of two blocks of wood covered with sandpaper. Rubbing them together creates a soft, shuffling sound, often used for sound effects.
Sanshin
A three-stringed Okinawan lute covered in snakeskin, an ancestor of the Japanese shamisen. It produces a distinct, bright tone and is central to Okinawan folk music.
Santoor
A trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer with many strings, struck with small wooden mallets. It creates a delicate, shimmering cascade of notes in Indian classical music.
Sarangi
A fretless, short-necked bowed instrument from India, famed for its ability to imitate the nuances of the human voice. It’s notoriously difficult to play.
Saron
A key instrument in the Indonesian gamelan orchestra, consisting of bronze bars placed over a resonating frame. It is struck with a mallet to play melodic patterns.
Sarod
A fretless, lute-like instrument used in Hindustani classical music. It has a deep, resonant sound and allows for long, sliding notes (meend).
Sarrusophone
A double-reed instrument made of brass, invented as a louder, more robust alternative to the oboe and bassoon for military bands. It’s rarely used today.
Saw (Musical Saw)
A standard handsaw played by bending the blade and bowing it with a cello or violin bow. It produces a haunting, ethereal, theremin-like sound.
Saxophone
A single-reed woodwind made of brass with a conical bore. Invented by Adolphe Sax, it is known for its powerful, versatile tone in jazz, classical, and pop music.
Saz (Bağlama)
A long-necked folk lute from Turkey and surrounding regions. It has a pear-shaped body and movable frets, and is central to Turkish folk and classical music.
Scottish Smallpipes
A bellows-blown bagpipe from Scotland, much quieter than the Great Highland Bagpipe. It is played indoors for traditional Scottish music and dance.
Scraper (Güiro)
An instrument made from a hollow gourd or wood with notches cut into the side. A stick is scraped along the notches to create a distinctive rhythmic rasp.
Serpent
A bass wind instrument with a conical bore, shaped like a snake. It is an ancestor of the tuba and was used in military bands and churches from the Renaissance to the 19th century.
Setar
A small, delicate long-necked lute from Persia with four strings. It is known for its soft, intimate sound and is a principal instrument in Persian classical music.
Shaker
A category of percussion instrument that is shaken to create sound from the loose materials inside. Varieties include maracas, egg shakers, and shekeres.
Shakuhachi
A Japanese end-blown bamboo flute. It has a distinctive, breathy tone and is traditionally associated with Zen Buddhist meditation as well as folk and classical music.
Shamisen
A three-stringed Japanese lute played with a large plectrum called a bachi. It has a sharp, percussive sound and is used in kabuki theatre, puppet plays, and folk songs.
Shawm
A loud, conical-bore, double-reed instrument, the ancestor of the modern oboe. It was widely used in outdoor ceremonies and military music during the Medieval and Renaissance periods.
Shekere
A West African percussion instrument made from a dried gourd covered with a net of woven beads or shells. It is shaken or struck to create complex rhythmic patterns.
Sheng
An ancient Chinese mouth organ consisting of bamboo pipes set in a gourd windchest. It produces a beautiful, harmonious sound and is an ancestor of the accordion and harmonica.
Shinobue
A high-pitched, transverse Japanese bamboo flute. It is commonly used in traditional Japanese folk music, festival ensembles (hayashi), and for kabuki theatre.
Shofar
An ancient horn made from a ram’s horn, used in Jewish religious ceremonies. It produces a raw, powerful sound and is one of the oldest wind instruments still in use.
Siku (Panpipe)
A traditional Andean panpipe consisting of multiple tubes of cane tied together. Often played by two musicians who interlock notes to form a complete melody.
Singing Bowl (Himalayan Bowl)
A type of standing bell, often made from a seven-metal alloy. It produces a rich, resonant tone when struck or when the rim is circled with a mallet, used for meditation.
Siren
An acoustic or electronic device designed to make a loud, piercing wail. While used for warnings, it’s also used as a musical instrument in experimental and orchestral music.
Sistrum
An ancient rattle with a handle and U-shaped frame, holding small metal discs on crossbars. It was shaken during religious ceremonies to produce a jingling sound.
Sitar
A long-necked Indian lute with sympathetic strings that resonate to create a rich, shimmering sound. It’s the most famous instrument in Hindustani classical music.
Slapstick (Whip)
A percussion instrument made of two hinged wooden planks that are slapped together. It creates a loud, sharp “crack” sound, like a whip, used for dramatic effect.
Sleigh Bells
A cluster of small, spherical “jingle” bells, often mounted on a stick or a leather strap. They produce a classic festive, jingling sound.
Slenthem
A metallophone in the Indonesian gamelan orchestra with thin bronze keys suspended over tube resonators. It plays the core melody of a piece in a soft, sustained tone.
Slide Guitar
A method of playing guitar where a metal or glass tube (a slide) is pressed on the strings to change pitch. It’s a key sound in blues, country, and Hawaiian music.
Slide Whistle
A simple wind instrument with a slide mechanism instead of finger holes. Pushing and pulling the slide creates a comical, swooping glissando effect.
Slit Drum
A hollowed-out log or bamboo tube with one or more slits on top. It is struck with mallets to produce different pitches, used for communication and music.
Snare Drum
A drum with metal wires (snares) across the bottom head, creating a sharp, rattling sound. It provides the backbeat for countless musical genres.
Sopilka
A Ukrainian folk fipple flute, similar to a recorder. It typically has six to ten finger holes and is a popular instrument in Ukrainian traditional music.
Sousaphone
A large tuba designed to be worn and carried, wrapping around the player’s body. It projects its sound forward and is a staple of marching bands and Dixieland jazz.
Spinet
A small, domestic type of harpsichord where the strings run at an angle to the keyboard. It has a delicate, plucked sound and was popular during the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Spoons
A pair of ordinary spoons played by holding them back to back and striking them against the hand and leg. They are a staple of folk and traditional music worldwide.
Sralai
A powerful quadruple-reed oboe from Cambodia. Its piercing, intense sound makes it a lead instrument in traditional Pinpeat ensembles used for court music and theatre.
Steel Guitar
A type of guitar played horizontally (lap steel) or on a stand (pedal steel) with a metal bar. The pedal steel version uses foot pedals to change the pitch of the strings.
Steelpan (Steel Drum)
A pitched percussion instrument made from a 55-gallon oil drum. The top surface is hammered into tuned note “pans” that are struck with rubber-tipped mallets.
Stroh Violin
A violin with a metal resonator and horn instead of a wooden body, designed to amplify sound for early acoustic recordings. It has a thinner, louder tone than a standard violin.
Stylophone
A miniature, pocket-sized analog synthesizer played by touching a stylus to a metal keyboard. It produces a quirky, buzzing electronic tone.
Suona
A loud, conical double-reed Chinese shawm with a piercing, high-pitched tone. It is used in folk music, particularly for festivals, weddings, and funeral processions.
Surbahar
Often called the “bass sitar,” the surbahar is a larger, deeper-toned version of the sitar. It allows for extended, resonant glissandos and is used in Hindustani classical music.
Surdo
A large bass drum used in Brazilian samba music. Surdos are played with mallets and provide the deep, driving heartbeat of the samba batucada ensemble.
Suling
A Southeast Asian ring flute made of bamboo. It has a soft, breathy tone and is used in Indonesian gamelan and other traditional music forms across the region.
Swarmandal (Surmandal)
A small, harp-like zither used in Indian classical music. It is typically strummed with the fingers or a pick to provide a shimmering, atmospheric drone accompaniment for vocalists.
Synthesizer
An electronic instrument that generates audio signals to create a wide variety of sounds. It can imitate other instruments or create entirely new timbres.