Here you’ll find 11 Musical instruments that start with X, organized from “Xalam” to “Xylosynth”. They include acoustic lutes, idiophones, and modern electronic controllers used in folk and contemporary music.
Musical instruments that start with X are an eclectic group of mostly regional and experimental instruments. Notably, the “Xalam” is central to West African griot traditions, while the “Xylosynth” represents modern electronic innovation.
Below you’ll find the table with family, origin, and materials.
family: Shows the instrument family (Hornbostel‑Sachs or common type) so you quickly see its sound role and classification.
origin: Gives the country or region and era, helping you trace cultural context and historical roots of each instrument.
materials: Lists primary construction materials so you can understand timbre, durability, and typical construction at a glance.
Musical instruments that start with X
Name
Family
Origin
Materials
Xylophone
Percussion
Global, ancient origins
Wood, metal, cord
Xalam
String
West Africa, traditional
Wood, animal skin, nylon strings
Xun
Wind
China, ancient (Neolithic)
Clay, ceramic
Xiao
Wind
China, ancient
Bamboo
Xylorimba
Percussion
USA, early 20th century
Wood, metal
Xaphoon
Wind
USA, 1970s
Bamboo, plastic
Xirula
Wind
Basque Country, traditional
Wood
Xylosynth
Electronic
UK, late 20th century
Wood, plastic, electronics
Xizambi
Percussion
South Africa, traditional
Wood, gourds, shells
Xylocorde
Keyboard
Germany, 19th century
Wood, metal, felt
Xtyre
String
Australia, late 20th century
Wire, wood, metal
Descriptions
Xylophone
A classic percussion instrument with tuned wooden bars struck by mallets. A staple in orchestras, schools, and various folk music traditions worldwide.
Xalam
A traditional West African lute, considered an ancestor of the American banjo. It is central to the musical traditions of peoples like the Wolof and Fula.
Xun
An ancient Chinese globular flute made of clay, one of the oldest known instruments in China. It produces a haunting, mellow, and mournful sound.
Xiao
A Chinese vertical end-blown flute known for its gentle and mellow tone. It is typically made of bamboo and is longer than the common Dizi flute.
Xylorimba
A percussion instrument that combines the higher-pitched range of a xylophone with the lower-pitched range of a marimba, creating a single, versatile instrument.
Xaphoon
A small, single-reed instrument often called a “bamboo sax” or “pocket sax.” It has a full chromatic range and a rich, powerful sound for its size.
Xirula
A high-pitched, three-holed flute from the Basque region of Spain and France. It is traditionally played with one hand, freeing the other to play percussion.
Xylosynth
A modern electronic mallet percussion controller. It looks like a xylophone but uses its bars to trigger digital sounds, offering vast sonic versatility.
Xizambi
A friction instrument of the Tsonga people. A notched stick is rubbed with another stick, creating a buzzing sound from attached gourd rattles.
Xylocorde
A rare 19th-century keyboard instrument. Its hammers strike tuned wooden bars instead of strings, essentially creating a keyboard-operated xylophone.
Xtyre
An experimental long-wire instrument, a type of bowed zither. It is known for producing complex, resonant, and drone-like ambient sounds over vast distances.
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