As you may know, most advanced music textbooks and audio plugin software available on the market are currently in English. Whenever you come across an unfamiliar word, you often have to look it up in a dictionary – which can be quite cumbersome. Today, we've compiled a comprehensive bilingual instrument list (Chinese–English) for you – so you no longer need to spend time translating! Why not dive in and start learning today?
Woodwinds: Woodwind instruments
1. Piccolo flute
2. Flute
3. Soprano Recorder – High-register recorder
4. Oboe
5. English Horn
6. Bassoon / Tenor Bassoon
7. Contrabassoon
8. Clarinet in E-flat major (Small Black Tube)
9. Clarinet in A major (Single-reed instrument)
10. Clarinet in Bb (B-flat) – Single-reed clarinet
11. Bass Clarinet
12. Soprano Saxophone – High-register Saxophone
13. Alto Saxophone – Middle-register Saxophone
14. Tenor Saxophone – Tenor Saxophone
15. Baritone Saxophone – Upper Bass Saxophone
16. Alto Flute*
17. Bass Flute
18. Oboe d'Amore – a type of oboe.
19. Piccolo Clarinet (High-register Clarinet)*
20. Alto Clarinet – Tenor clarinet (in E-flat tuning, classified as a bass clarinet)
21. Contrabass Clarinet
22. Descant Recorder – High-Pitched Flute
23. Alto Recorder – Middle-register Flute
24. Tenor Recorder – Middle-register flute
25. Bass Recorder
26. Bagpipes
27. Basset Horn (clarinet)
28. Panpipes / Re Xiao
Instrument: Organ
1. Church Organ – Church Organ
2. Draw Organ – Lever-operated tongue organ
3. Percussion Organ – Percussion Tube Organ
4. Pipe Organ
5.ReedOrgan harmonium
6. Rock Organ – Rock Organ Pipe Organ
Brass: Brass wind instruments
1. Cornet (Short Note)
2. Trumpet in Bb (B-flat); Trombone
3. Trumpet in C major – Trombone
4. Flugelhorn (commonly used by marching bands)
5. Horn in F major – Horn
6.Trombone
7. Tenor Trombone tenor trombone
8.Bass Tromone
9.Baritone(T.C.) Euphonium
10.Baritone tenor
11. Euphonium euphonium
12.Tuba large size
13.Bass Tuba
14. Piccolo Cornet soprano cornet
15.Piccolo Trumpet in A A soprano trumpet
16.Bass Trumpet in C C bass trumpet
17.Alto Trombone
18.Contrabass Trombone double bass trombone
Drums: Drums
1.Drum Set drum set
2.Bongo Drums (a small drum played with fingers, sandwiched between the legs)
3.Timbales Timbal drums
4.Conga Drums Conga Drums (olive-shaped)
5.Snare Drum
6.Quad Toms 4 sets of drums
7.Quint Toms five sets of toms
8. Tenor Drum tenor drum
9.Tom Toms drum
10.Roto Toms wheel drum
11.Bass Drum bass drum
12. Aerial Tom-Toms
13. FloorTom-Tom/Tom-Tom/Tenor Drum
14. Hi-Hat Cymbal
15. Side Cymbal – Small Cymbal
16. Top Cymbal
17. Side Drum Strike
Ethnic and Other Instruments: Traditional Chinese musical instruments
1. Accordion
2. AGOGO BELL – Brother Bell
3. Alpine Herd Cowbell
4. Angklung – Bamboo Drum
5. Appalachian Dulcimer (a traditional American musical instrument)
6. Autoharp ***Hurdy-Gurdy**
7. Bagpipe (a Scottish folk instrument)
8. Balalaika – a Russian string instrument with a triangular body.
9. Bamboo Chime
10. Bandurria – Traditional Mexican guitar
11. Banjo – a five-stringed or six-stringed instrument played by finger plucking (traditionally believed to have originated in West Africa).
12. Bell Plate – Iron Plate
13. Bell Tree (Tree Bell)
14. Bongos – Small Bongos / Mando drums (Latin music)
15. Boobam Rocket Launcher Drum
16. Bouzouki – a Greek string instrument resembling a mandolin.
17. Cabasa Coconut Bell / KabaSha Bell / Beaded Bell
18/Castanets – Castanets (commonly used in the Spanish Fórgo dance)
19. Caxixi Weaving Bell
20. Charango – Charango guitar/compact eight-string instrument (popular in Central and South America)
21. Chinese hand drum (Hand-cranked drum)
22. Chinese temple bell (Chinese bowl)
23. Cittern (a pear-shaped ancient instrument similar to a guitar, popular from the 15th to the 18th century)
24. Concertina – Hexagonal accordion (used in Argentine tango compositions)
25. Conga – Conga drum / slender large hand drum / Mexican drum (Latin music)
26. Cowbell
27. Crumhorn – Crumhorn/Hook-shaped pipe/J-shaped pipe (popular in the late 15th century)
28. Cuica: Saw and Drum
29. Darabucca – Turkish hand drum
30. Didgeridoo – an indigenous Australian wind instrument
31. Djembe – African drum (originating from Kenyan tribes; classified as an indigenous musical instrument)
32. Domra – a traditional Russian musical instrument (resembling a guitar, with three or four strings)
33. Fiddle – Classical violin
34. Fife
35. Flagiolet – six-hole flute
36. Flexatone Hammered Piano
37. Frame Drum
38. Gadulka – a traditional Bulgarian string instrument.
39. Gaida flute (a traditional Bulgarian instrument)
40. Gamelan – a traditional Indonesian bamboo percussion instrument
41. Glass Chime – Glass Wind Chime
42. Guiro – Gourd Saw琴 / Shaving / Gourd Scratching (Latin music)
43. Gusli – a traditional Russian string instrument.
44. Harmonica/Mouth-Organ
45. Hurdy-Gurdy – a hand-cranked organ (popular in French social circles during the 18th century)
46. Japanese temple bell – Japanese bowl
47. Jew's Harp – Hand-held harmonica
48. Kalimba
49. Kantele (Finland)
50. Kaval flute / The Shepherd's Flute (a traditional Bulgarian instrument)
51. Kazoo (a wooden or metal toy flute)
52. Kokiriko Drum Cardboard Board
53. Koto – Kotozumi
54.Lithophone
55.Lute (one of the oldest musical instruments)
56.Lyre (ancient Greece)
57.Mark tree / Wind chime wind chime
58.Mirliton membrane flute
59.Nefer ancient Egyptian guitar
60.Ocarina Acarina flute/earthen sweet potato-shaped flute/goose flute (originated in Italy in the second half of the 17th century)
61.Ocean drum wave drum
62.Panpipe/Panpipe
63.Pifano Indian drum
64.Quena eight-hole wooden flute (a musical instrument of the Andes people, with a rich sound)
65.Ratchet Spicy Tooth/Ratchet Device
66.Roarer/Barker Roarer
67.Saltepry (ancient and medieval musical instrument, possibly originated from Iran and India)
68.Shaker metal sand bell
69.Shamisen (Japan)
70. Shanai Shan Naiqin
71.Sistrum fork bell/ㄙㄙbell (ancient Egypt)
72.Sitar/Sitar/Sitar (a North Indian folk stringed instrument that looks like a guitar)
73.Slit drum African crack drum
74.Steel Drum (from Trinidad in the Caribbean)
75.Surdo Indian Flute
76.Symphonle three-stringed resonance string instrument (appeared about thirteenth century ago)
77.Tablas/Indian drum (an Indian hand-beating snare drum)
78.TaikoDrum/Kodo Taiko (Japan)
79. Talking Drum – Information Drum
80. Tambura or Bula (a Bulgarian folk string instrument)
81. Thunder Sheet
82. Timbales – Tingba Drum
83. Tin Whistle / Penny Whistle – Six-hole small whistle (a toy whistle made of tinplate)
84. Tub Fiddle – Jinben Qin
85. Tupan Leather Drum
86. Ukulele – The ukulele is a string instrument originating from Portugal, resembling a small guitar.
87. Vibra-Slap Oscillator/Chord Board
88. Vihuela guitar (originating from Mexico)
89. Viola da Gamba – Classical Cello
90. Waterphone
91. Whistle
92. Wind Machine
93. Zither (a European flat-stringed instrument)
94. Dulcimer / Qinqin
95. Crotales/Antique Cymbals
96. Temple Block – Western-style wooden fish-shaped ornament
Electric Instrument: Electronic Instrument
1. Clavinova Digital Piano/Digital Electronic Keyboard
2. Double-Neck Guitar
3. Electone Electronic Keyboard
4. Electric Guitar
5. Electric Organ
6. Electric Piano
7. Electronic Piano
8. Pedal Steel Guitar / Hawaiian Guitar – Standing Electric Guitar / Hawaiian-style Electric Guitar
9. Portatone Keyboards – Portable Electronic Keyboard
10. Synthesizer – Electronic Synthesizer
Percussion: Small percussion instruments
1. Percussion – Small percussion ensemble
2.Wind Chimes
3. Bell Tree
4. Triangle
5. Crotales Percussion Set
6. Finger Cymbals – Finger Cymbals
7. Sleigh Bells
8. Cymbals – Large Cymbal
9. Cowbell
10. Agogo Bells (composed of two conical iron tubes; sounds higher than the Niuling sound)
11.Flexatone
12. Musical Saw
13. Brake Drum
14. Tam Tam Grand Gong
15. Gong
16. Claves – Hammer
17. Slapstick Strike
18.VibraSlap
19. Sand Block Abrasive Wheel
20. Ratchet Gear Rattle Device
21. Guiro (wooden, scraped with an iron rod)
22. Cuica (a Latin instrument whose sound resembles a dog's bark)
23. Maracas
24 – Castanets
25. Wood Blocks – Boxed Baseballs
26. Temple Blocks – Wooden Fish
27. Log Drum – Wooden Drum
28. Tambourine
29. Whistle
30. Siren
31.Jawbone
32. Anvil Diamond Tool
33. Bar Chimes – Wind Chimes
34. Crash Cymbal – Double-sided cymbals
35. Finger Cymbal
36. Gong Gong
37. Jingle-ring
38. Maracas – Melodious Gourd / Sand Ball / Sand Bell
39. Rotary Tom Drum
40. Sleighbells
41. Suspended Cymbal
Pitched Percussion: pitched percussion instruments
1. Timpani drum
2. Bells – Rowed Bell System
3. Glockenspiel
4.Crystal Glasses
5. Xylophone
6. Vibraphone
7. Marimba
8. Bass Marimba – Low-Range Marimba
9. Tubular Bells
10. Chimes
11. Steel Drums
12. Mallets – Triangle Harp
Plucked Strings: Plucked instruments
1. Harp / Lute
2. Guitar
3.Scoustic Guitar
4. Electric Guitar
5. Banjo
6. Bass
7. Acoustic Bass – Non-electric bass guitar
8. Electric Bass
9. String Bass
10. Mandolin
11. Lute
12. Ukulele – Hawaiian four-stringed instrument
13. Zither
14. Sitar
Keyboards: Keyboard
1. Piano
2. Organ
3. Harpsichord
4. Celesta鋼片琴
5. Accordion
6. Clavichord (Ancient Piano)
7. Harmonium – Pedal Organ
8. Synthesizer – Electronic Synthesizer
Chorus: Chorus
1. Soprano – Female High Register
2. Soprano I – Female High Register
3. Soprano II – Female High Register 2
4. Mezzo-Soprano – Female High Register
5. Contralto – Female Low Register
6. Alto – Female Low Register
7.Counter-Tenor
8. Tenor (male high voice)
9. Tenor I – Male High Register 1
10. Tenor II – Male High Voice 2
11. Baritone (Male)
12. Bass
13. Bass I – Low Bass 1
14. Bass II – Low B2
15. Voice
16. Vocals – Vowels
Strings: String instruments
1. Violin
2. Violin I
3. Violin II (Violin 2)
4. Viola
5. Cello
6. Cello
7. Contrabass
8. Double Bass
9. Solo Violin – Solo Violin Performance
10. Solo Viola – Violin solo
11. Solo Cello – Cello Solo
12. Solo Bass – Bassoon
13.Viola d' Amore
Handbells: Handbells
1. Handbells
2. Handbells (T.C) – Handbells (Middle Range)
piano
0 Acoustic Grand Piano (Acoustic Piano)
1 Bright Acoustic Piano
2 Electric Grand Piano
3 Honky-Tonk Piano – Bar Piano
4 Rhodes Piano – A gentle electric piano
5 Chorused Piano – Electric piano with choral effects
6 Harpsichord – Harpsichord (Struck Piano)
7 Clavichord (Struck Piano)
Colorful percussion instruments
8 Celesta Steel Harp
9 Glockenspiel
10 Music Box
11 Vibraphone
12 Marimba
13 Xylophone
14 Tubular Bells
15 Dulcimer & Grand Yangqin
Organ
16-voice Hammond Organ Hammered Organ
17 Percussive Organ – Percussion Organ
18 Rock Organ – Rock Organ
19 Church Organ
20 Reed Organ Spring-Action Organ
21 Accordian Accordion
22 Harmonica Ukulele
23 Tango Accordion – Tango Accordion
guitar
24 Acoustic Guitar (nylon strings)
25 Acoustic Guitar (Steel String)
26 Electric Guitar (Jazz) – Jazz Electric Guitar
27 Electric Guitar (Clean) – Clean electric guitar
28 Electric Guitar (Muted) – Muted electric guitar
29 Overdriven Guitar – Electric guitar with overdrive effect
30 Distortion Guitar – Electric guitar with distortion effect
31 Guitar Harmonics
bass
32 Acoustic Bass – Large Bass Guitar (Acoustic Bass)
33 Electric Bass (Fingerstyle)
34 Electric Bass (pick) – Electric Bass (pick)
35 Fretless Bass – Fretless Bass Guitar
36 Slap Bass 1 – Slap Bass 1
37 Slap Bass 2 – Slap Bass 2
38 Synth Bass 1 – Electronic Synth Bass 1
39 Synth Bass 2 – Electronic Synthesizer Bass 2
Synthetic tonic
80 Lead 1 (Square) – Synthetic Primary Tone 1 (Square Wave)
81 Lead 2 (Sawtooth) – Synthetic Primary Tone 2 (Sawtooth Wave)
82 Lead 3 (Caliope Lead) – Synthetic Principal Tone 3
string music
40 Violin
41 Viola – Violin
42 Cello
43 Contrabass – Double Bass
44 Tremolo Strings – String Ensemble Tremolo Sound
45 Pizzicato Strings – String ensemble pizzicato timbre
46 Orchestral Harp
47 Timpani
Ensemble/Chorus
48 String Ensemble – 1 String Ensemble Sound Color 1
49 String Ensemble – 2-String Ensemble Sound Color 2
50 Synth Strings 1 – Synthetic String Ensemble Sound 1
51 Synth Strings 2 – Synthetic String Ensemble Sound 2
52 Choir Aahs – Vocal Chorus "Aah"
53 Voice Oohs – Human Voice "Doo"
54 Synth Voice – Synthetic Voice
55 Orchestra Hit – Orchestral Percussion Ensemble
copper pipe
56 Trumpet
57 Trombone / Bass Trombone
58 Tuba (Large)
59 Muted Trumpet – Trombone with mute
60 French Horn (French horn)
61 Brass Section (Brass ensemble timbre)
62 Synth Brass 1 – Synthetic Copper Tube Tone 1
63 Synth Brass 2 – Synthetic Copper Tube Tone 2
reed pipe
64 Soprano Saxophone – High-pitched saxophone
65 Alto Sax – Alto Saxophone
66 Tenor Sax – Tenor Saxophone
67 Baritone Sax – Bass Saxophone
68 Oboe
69 English Horn
70 Bassoon
71 Clarinet (Black Tube)
笛
72 Piccolo Flute
73 Flute
74 Recorder Flute
75 Pan Flute (Pan Flute)
76 Bottle Blow [Chinese name temporarily unavailable]
77 Shakuhachi – Japanese Shakuhachi
78 Whistle – Whistle Sound
79 Ocarina
