Hornbostel–Sachs

Hornbostel–Sachs taxonomy

Musical instruments classified by how they produce sound — from the five abstract families down through ever more particular subclasses.

1Idiophones6 subcategories 2Membranophones4 subcategories 3Chordophones3 subcategories 4Aerophones3 subcategories 5Electrophones6 subcategories

11Struck idiophones2 subcategories 12Lamellaphones2 subcategories 13Friction idiophones4 subcategories 14Blown idiophones2 subcategories 15Metal sheets4 subcategories 16Flexed diaphragms

111Idiophones struck directly2 subcategories 112Idiophones struck indirectly3 subcategories

111.1Concussion idiophones (clappers)4 subcategories 111.2Percussion idiophones4 subcategories

111.11Concussion sticks or stick clappers 111.12Concussion plaques or plaque clappers 111.13Concussion troughs or trough clappers 111.14Concussion vessels or vessel clappers3 subcategories