This list includes 14 Musical instruments that start with Z, from “Zabumba” to “Zurna”. They are mostly folk percussion and wind instruments, commonly used in dance, ritual, and ensemble settings.
Musical instruments that start with Z are playable devices named with the letter Z, often reflecting regional traditions. For example, the zabumba anchors Brazilian forró rhythms while the zurna leads outdoor Anatolian and Caucasian celebrations.
Below you’ll find the table with family, origin, and materials.
Family: Shows the instrument’s family or Hornbostel-Sachs type, helping you understand how it produces sound.
Origin: Lists the country or region and typical era, letting you place the instrument culturally and geographically.
Materials: Describes the main construction materials so you can judge the instrument’s timbre, durability, and care needs.
Musical instruments that start with Z
| Name | Family | Origin | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zither | Chordophone | Central Europe, 19th-century folk/classical | Wood, metal strings |
| Zheng | Chordophone | China, ancient to modern | Wood, steel or silk strings, movable bridges |
| Zhonghu | Chordophone (bowed) | China, early 20th century (alto huqin) | Wood body, horsehair bow, metal strings |
| Zhongruan | Chordophone (plucked lute) | China, Ming–modern era | Wood body, fretted neck, metal or nylon strings |
| Zurna | Aerophone (double reed) | Anatolia & Balkans, centuries-old folk tradition | Hardwood, cane reed, metal bell (sometimes) |
| Zampogna | Aerophone (bagpipe) | Southern Italy, rural tradition centuries-old | Wood chanters, animal hide bag, cane reeds |
| Zampoña | Aerophone (panpipe) | Andes (Peru/Bolivia), pre-Columbian to present | Cane or bamboo tubes, cord bindings |
| Zabumba | Membranophone | Brazil (Northeast), 19th–20th century folk | Wood shell, animal or synthetic heads, metal rims |
| Zarb | Membranophone (goblet drum) | Iran (Persia), classical and folk | Carved wood body, goatskin head |
| Zill | Idiophone (clash cymbals) | Middle East, Ottoman-era to modern dance | Brass or bronze |
| Zeze | Chordophone (plucked or bowed) | East Africa, traditional to contemporary | Wood neck/body, metal or nylon strings |
| Zhaleika | Aerophone (reed pipe) | Russia, Belarus, folk tradition | Wood, single reed, simple mouthpiece |
| Zummara | Aerophone (reed pipe) | North Africa & Middle East, folk contexts | Reed or cane body, single/double reed |
| Zhuihu | Chordophone (bowed) | China, late imperial to modern folk/opera | Wood body, silk or metal strings, bow |