Folk instrument

Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments.

Violeiro playing, by Almeida Júnior.
The viola caipira is a Brazilian folk instrument.

A folk instrument is a musical instrument that developed among common people and usually does not have a known inventor. It can be made from wood, metal or other material. Such an instrument is played in performances of folk music.

Overview[]

The instruments can be percussion instruments, or different types of flutes or trumpets, or string instruments that are plucked, hammered or use a form of bow.^[1]

Some instruments are referred to as folk instruments because they commonly appear in folk music, even though they do not meet the criteria defining a folk instrument; an example is the harmonica.

List of folk instruments[]

References[]