This list includes 21 Musical instruments that start with V, from “Valiha” to “Vuvuzela”. These instruments range from plucked strings and brass to percussion, used in performance, folk traditions, and education.
Musical instruments that start with V are named instruments whose common English names begin with the letter V. Notable examples include the Malagasy valiha, central to Malagasy music, and the stadium vuvuzela, known worldwide.
Below you’ll find the table with family, origin, and materials.
Family: Shows the instrument’s Hornbostel-Sachs or common family, so you can compare timbre and playing roles.
Origin: Indicates the country or region and era, helping you understand cultural background and historical context.
Materials: Lists primary construction materials so you can assess durability, sound color, and typical craftsmanship qualities.
Musical instruments that start with V
| Instrument | Family | Origin | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violin | Bowed string | Northern Italy, 16th century | Spruce top, maple body, gut/steel strings, horsehair bow |
| Viola | Bowed string | Italy, 16th century | Spruce top, maple body, gut/steel strings, horsehair bow |
| Viol | Bowed string | Western Europe, 15th–17th century | Spruce or cedar top, walnut body, gut strings, frets |
| Violone | Bowed string | Italy/Germany, 16th–18th century | Spruce top, maple body, gut strings |
| Violoncello | Bowed string | Italy, 17th century | Spruce top, maple ribs, gut/steel strings, endpin |
| Viola da gamba | Bowed string | Western Europe, 15th–18th century | Spruce or cedar top, flat back, gut strings, frets |
| Viola d’amore | Bowed string | Baroque Europe, 17th–18th century | Spruce top, maple body, sympathetic gut/steel strings |
| Vihuela (Spanish) | Plucked lute | Spain, 15th–16th century | Maple/cedar body, gut strings, wooden pegs |
| Vihuela (Mexican) | Plucked lute | Mexico, 19th century (mariachi) | Wood body, five strings, rounded back |
| Veena | Plucked lute | Indian subcontinent, ancient to medieval eras | Teak or jackwood body, gourd resonators, metal/silk strings |
| Vichitra veena | Plucked lute | North India, historical (modern form 19th century) | Wood body, gourd resonators, metal strings, no frets |
| Valiha | Plucked zither | Madagascar, centuries | Bamboo tube, metal or gut strings, pegs |
| Vargan | Plucked idiophone | Siberia/Central Asia, traditional | Metal frame, steel tongue |
| Veeh-harp | Plucked zither | Germany, 1920s (invention) | Wooden board, metal strings, fretted |
| Vibraphone | Struck idiophone | United States, early 20th century | Aluminum bars, resonator tubes, rotating motor, mallets |
| Vibraslap | Plucked/struck idiophone | Invented USA, 1960s (Latin percussion) | Wooden box, steel rod, metal rivet, cowbell-like shell |
| Verrophone | Struck idiophone | Germany, late 20th century | Glass tubes, wooden frame, mallets |
| Vielle | Bowed string | Medieval Europe, 9th–14th century | Wooden body, gut strings, bow |
| Vielle à roue | Wheel-bowed string | Medieval–Renaissance Europe | Wood body, wheel, gut strings, crank |
| Vuvuzela | Lip-vibrated aerophone | South Africa, modern popularized 1990s | Plastic tube, funnel mouthpiece |
| Vocoder | Electrophone | Developed Germany/USA, 1930s–1970s | Electronic circuits/digital processors, microphones |
Descriptions
Violin
The familiar soprano orchestral fiddle played with a bow; cornerstone of Western classical music. Also spelled “violino” in Italian; played under the chin.
Viola
A slightly larger, lower-pitched violin family instrument with a warm midrange. Played like a violin but tuned a fifth lower.
Viol
Also called the viol family (viola da gamba relatives). Fretted, played between the legs with a bow; common in Renaissance and Baroque music.
Violone
Large early-bass fiddle ancestor to the modern double bass; varied sizes and tunings used in Baroque ensembles.
Violoncello
Formal name for the cello (commonly “cello”). A tenor–bass bowed instrument with rich low register used in orchestras and chamber music.
Viola da gamba
Also called “viol da gamba”; held between the legs, fretted, with six or seven strings and deep resonance for consort music.
Viola d’amore
Baroque-era bowed instrument with sympathetic strings that add shimmering resonance; played under the chin or on the shoulder.
Vihuela (Spanish)
Renaissance plucked lute-like instrument from Spain (vihuela de mano) with fretted neck and guitar-like tuning; important for early polyphonic repertoire.
Vihuela (Mexican)
Small, five-stringed Mexican strummed instrument used in mariachi music; distinct from the Spanish vihuela in shape and role.
Veena
General English name for several large South Asian plucked lutes (veena/vina). Deep, resonant instrument central to classical Indian music.
Vichitra veena
Fretless veena variant played with a slide and plectra; produces gliding melodic lines and sympathetic resonance.
Valiha
Traditional Malagasy tube zither played by plucking; considered Madagascar’s national instrument with bright, harp-like tones.
Vargan
Russian/Central Asian jaw harp (also khomus); held to the mouth and plucked to shape resonant rhythmic tones with oral cavity.
Veeh-harp
Simple chorded zither invented for easy home music; usually played flat and strummed or plucked with fingers or plectra.
Vibraphone
Percussion instrument with metal bars and motor-driven resonators creating tremolo/vibrato; staple of jazz and concert percussion.
Vibraslap
Compact percussion “slap” device struck to produce a rattling, jaw-harp-like buzz used for rhythmic accents in popular music.
Verrophone
Modern instrument of tuned glass tubes played with mallets; produces a bell-like, crystalline timbre similar to glass harmonica.
Vielle
Medieval European fiddle (vielle) used for dance and song accompaniment; ancestor of later bowed instruments.
Vielle à roue
French name for the hurdy-gurdy family (literally “vielle à roue”); a crank-turned wheel bows strings, producing sustained drone and melody.
Vuvuzela
Loud plastic trumpet-like instrument blown with lip vibration; known worldwide from football (soccer) events for its buzzing drone.
Vocoder
Signal-processing electrophone that imparts vocal characteristics to instruments or synths; used as a musical effect or performance device.