There’s a whole world of instruments out there. You may know some, and some you may have never heard of! Here are a few music makers that come from across the continents.

Native American Flute

The Native American flute is the only flute in the world constructed with two air chambers, which give it a unique tone. The spirit flute was often played solo in courtship, healing, meditation, and spiritual rituals. Many Native American stories tell a tale of a woodpecker that poked holes in hollow branches while searching for termites to eat. When the wind blew through the branches, it made an eerie melody.  When people noticed, they figured out how to make holes in a hollow branch to make the sounds themselves.

Djembe

The Djembe (JEM-bay) is a goblet shaped drum from Western Africa that produces a variety of tones. Like many drums from West Africa, it is traditionally played with the hands, not with mallets or sticks. The word djembe means “everyone gather together.”

Bodhran

The Bodhran (Baw-drahn) is an Irish drum with roots as a traditional Celtic hunting drum. They are typically several inches deep, and range from 10 to 26 inches across. One side features a rawhide skin, while the other is left open. The player keeps one hand inside the drum to change the tension, while beating the skin with a small drumstick with their other hand.

Panpipes

Panpipes are one of the simplest musical instruments, consisting of a group of pipes with closed ends that produce different notes when the player blows across the top. In most cases, the pipes are tuned to the notes of a single scale. These instruments are from many parts of the world, including South America, Asia, and Europe. The earliest forms were most likely crafted from reed or bone, with later versions made from wood or metal.

Kalimba (also called Sansa or Thumb Piano)

Kalimbas (Ka-LIM-bas) are African instruments, also known as thumb pianos. A series of metal reeds are tuned to different notes, attached to a wooden body, and played with the thumbs. The thumb piano has been around in Africa for thousands of years.

Rainstick

Rainsticks are traditional Latin American instruments that are created from dried cacti. The thorns of the cactus are pushed back into the trunk, and beads, pebbles, or dried beans are sealed inside. By turning the stick over, they will fall and strike the thorns, creating a sound similar to rain.

Didgeridoo

A didgeridoo (did-jer-ee-doo) is a wind instrument from Australia. It is a
very old instrument, and is sometimes called a “drone pipe”. The didgeridoo
makes just one low note. The instrument is traditionally made from
Eucalyptus trees which have had their interiors hollowed out by termites.