Arabic musical instruments

Arabic musical instruments can be broadly classified into three categories: string instruments (chordophones), wind instruments (aerophones), and percussion instruments. They evolved from ancient civilizations in the region.

Drawing of Qanun player in 1859, Jerusalem

Traditional flute player from Iraqi folk troupe

Mizwad, a type of bagpipes played mostly in Tunisia and Libya

Mizmar ini Display

the Riqq is one of the instruments used only in the Egyptian and Arabic music, and in most of its varieties

Sagat in Khan El-Khalili, Cairo

Chordophones[]

Plucked lutes[]

• Oud
• Qanbūs
• Buzuq
• Sintir

Zithers[]

• Qanun
• Iraqi Santur

Bowed lutes[]

• Kamancheh
• Rababa

Lyres[]

• Simsimiyya
• Kissar
• Tanbūra

Aerophones[]

Flutes[]

• Ney
• Kawalah
• Salamiyah

Reed instruments[]

• Mizmar
• (Gulfian Mizmar)
• Arghul
• Mijwiz
• (Gulfian Bagpipe)
• (East Tunisian Bagpipe)
• Mizwad (West Tunisian Bagpipe)
• (Maroccan Bagpipe)
• (Arabic Saxophone)

Percussion instruments[]

Drums and frame drums[]

• Riq
• Daf
• Bendir
• Dumbaki
• Tar
• (Shake Tar)
• (Low Tar)
• (High Tar)
• Mirwas
• Zir (Naqarah)
• Tbilat
• (Khamari & Laauwb)
• (Khamari & Laauwb)
• (Khamari & Laauwb)
• Al Ras
• Mazhar

Other percussion[]

• (Sistrum)
• Turah (Egyptian Sajat)
• (Gulf Sajat)
• Krakebs
• Hawan
• (Clay jug)
• Manjur
• Mihbaj
• (Arabic hand clap)