This list includes 20 Musical instruments that start with J, from “Jaleika” to “Jūshichigen”. They include folk, classical, and modern instruments across strings, winds, percussion, and electronic families. You can use this list for quick reference, study, or instrument discovery.
Musical instruments that start with J are instruments whose common English names begin with the letter J. Many reflect regional traditions, such as the Japanese jūshichigen, a 17-string koto variant used in modern and classical repertoire.
Below you’ll find the table with instrument, family, origin, and materials.
Instrument: The instrument name as commonly used, so you can quickly recognize and search for each entry.
Family: Shows the instrument family (for example, string, percussion, wind), letting you group related instruments at a glance.
Origin: Lists country or region and era when known, so you can understand cultural background and historical context.
Materials: Notes the primary construction materials, including typical woods, skins, or metals, helping you assess sound and maintenance.
Musical instruments that start with J
| Name | Family | Origin | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaleika | Aerophone (single-reed hornpipe) | Russia, Belarus, c. 19th c. | Wood, cow horn, cane reed |
| Jaltarang | Idiophone (struck bowls) | India, c. 17th c. | Porcelain or ceramic bowls, water, wood mallets |
| Janggu | Membranophone (hourglass drum) | Korea, Silla Dynasty (57 BCE–935 CE) | Paulownia wood, animal hide |
| Jawbone | Idiophone (percussion) | Africa and Latin America | Animal (horse, donkey) jawbone |
| Jaw Harp | Lamellophone (plucked idiophone) | Ancient, widespread origin | Metal, bamboo, wood |
| Jazzophone | Aerophone (keyed brass) | USA, c. 1920s | Brass |
| Jegog | Idiophone (bamboo gamelan) | Bali, Indonesia, 20th c. | Bamboo tubes |
| Jegongan | Idiophone (metallophone) | Bali, Indonesia | Bronze, wood |
| Jengglong | Idiophone (gong) | Java, Indonesia | Bronze, wood |
| Jenta | Idiophone (rattle) | Norway | Wood, metal rings |
| Jeuré | Idiophone (stamping tube) | Martinique | Bamboo |
| Jhale | Idiophone (cymbals) | India | Brass, bronze |
| Jhanj | Idiophone (cymbals) | India | Brass, bronze |
| Jingle Bells | Idiophone (sleigh bells) | Ancient, widespread origin | Metal |
| Jingle Stick | Idiophone (rattle) | Modern | Wood, metal jingles |
| Jogi Sārangī | Bowed string (chordophone) | Rajasthan, India | Wood, animal hide, gut strings |
| Jouhikko | Bowed lyre (chordophone) | Finland, Karelia, medieval era | Birch or alder wood, horsehair strings |
| Jug | Aerophone (vessel flute) | USA, 19th c. | Earthenware, glass |
| Jun-jun | Membranophone (bass drum) | West Africa | Wood, cowhide |
| Jūshichigen | Plucked zither (chordophone) | Japan, 1921 | Paulownia wood, silk or nylon strings |
Descriptions
Jaleika
A simple folk clarinet with a piercing, bagpipe-like sound, often featuring a cow horn bell. Also known as a Zhaleika.
Jaltarang
A melodic percussion instrument consisting of ceramic bowls filled with water. The bowls are tuned by adjusting the water level and struck with small sticks.
Janggu
A traditional Korean hourglass-shaped drum. It’s struck on both heads with different beaters to produce a variety of sounds, providing rhythm for many traditional music forms.
Jawbone
Also known as a quijada, this idiophone is made from the dried jawbone of a horse or donkey. The sound is produced by striking it, causing the loose teeth to rattle.
Jaw Harp
A small instrument played by placing it in the mouth and plucking a flexible tongue. The player’s mouth acts as a resonator to change the pitch and timbre.
Jazzophone
A novelty brass instrument from the 1920s, shaped like a saxophone with a straight bell and played with a cup mouthpiece. It was designed to capitalize on the jazz craze.
Jegog
A massive Balinese gamelan instrument made of giant bamboo tubes laid horizontally. It produces a deep, resonant bass sound and is played by a group of musicians.
Jegongan
A low-pitched metallophone in the Balinese gamelan gong kebyar ensemble. It typically has five bronze keys and plays a core part of the main melody, or pokok.
Jengglong
A set of pitched, suspended gongs in a Javanese gamelan ensemble. They are smaller than the large gong ageng and play a key role in punctuating the musical structure.
Jenta
A Norwegian folk percussion instrument, essentially a wooden stick with loose metal rings or discs attached. It creates a jingling sound when shaken, often used to accompany dancing.
Jeuré
A percussion instrument from Martinique made from long bamboo stamping tubes. Players strike them vertically on the ground to create deep, resonant tones for traditional bèlè music.
Jhale
A pair of small to medium hand cymbals from India, also known as jhallari or kartal. They are used in devotional, folk, and dance music to keep rhythmic time.
Jhanj
A pair of large, broad-rimmed brass cymbals from the Indian subcontinent. They produce a loud, clashing sound and are prominent in processions, folk theater, and religious music.
Jingle Bells
Small, hollow metal spheres with a pellet inside, creating a bright ringing sound when shaken. Commonly associated with winter holidays and often mounted on sticks or straps for percussion.
Jingle Stick
A percussion instrument consisting of a stick or frame with attached metal jingles, similar to those on a tambourine. Often used in educational settings. Also called a jingle tree.
Jogi Sārangī
A folk version of the Indian sārangī, primarily used by the Jogi community of Rajasthan. It is a bowed string instrument used to accompany storytelling and devotional singing.
Jouhikko
An ancient bowed lyre from Finland and Karelia with two or three horsehair strings. It’s played upright on the lap, with the player’s fingers pressing the strings from the side.
Jug
An empty earthenware or glass jug used as a wind instrument in American folk music. The player buzzes their lips into the opening to produce a low, trombone-like tone.
Jun-jun
A family of West African double-headed cylindrical bass drums, also known as dundun. They are played with a stick and provide the rhythmic and melodic foundation in many ensembles.
Jūshichigen
A modern, 17-string Japanese koto developed by Michio Miyagi. The extra strings expand the instrument’s bass range, allowing for more complex contemporary compositions.