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 subcategories2Membranophones4 subcategories3Chordophones3 subcategories4Aerophones3 subcategories5Electrophones6 subcategories
51Electro-acoustic instruments and devices5 subcategories52Electromechanical instruments and devices5 subcategories53Analogue electronic instruments, modules and components3 subcategories54Digital instruments, modules and components7 subcategories55Hybrid analogue/digital configurations56Software
541Digital synthesizers4 subcategories542Digital control sources and interfaces543Digital signal mixing, modifying, and processing devices544Digital samplers and sampling synthesizers545Digital record/playback devices546Other digital modules, components or configurations547Digital modules communicating between devices
541.1Digital synthesizers using frequency modulation2 subcategories541.2Digital synthesizers using additive synthesis2 subcategories541.3Digital synthesizers using phase distortion2 subcategories541.4Digital synthesizers using physical modelling2 subcategories
541.31Phase-distortion digital synthesizers without fixed keyboard541.32Phase-distortion digital synthesizers with fixed keyboard

Phase-distortion digital synthesizers with fixed keyboard (541.32)