Musical instruments were found on many different planets. They could be divided into string instruments, wind instruments, percussion instruments, and mental instruments. Wind instruments could be further subdivided into woodwind instruments and brass instruments.
String instruments
As the name implies, these instruments possessed strings that needed to vibrate in order to produce sound. This could be achieved by either plucking the strings, drawing a bow across them, or striking the strings with a hammer. Human instruments belonging to this group included guitars, kitharas, violins, mandolins, cellos, and pianos. The Vulcan lute also belonged to this group.
Wind instruments
Wind instruments consisted of a tube containing a column of air which was set into vibration by the player blowing into it. Instruments belonging to this group included trombones, trumpets, clarinets, oboes, bagpipes, and the Ressikan flute.
Percussion instruments
These instruments were played by being struck (by hand or with sticks or mallets) or shaken. Instruments belonging to this group included drums, bells, chimes, the Algolian musical instrument, and Bajoran rattle and cabasa.
Mental instruments
These instruments were played or controlled by thought and usually by a touch of the hand. The Aldean musical instruments and Elanin singer stones belonged to this group. Another such instrument was the Enaran musical instrument. This was played while held in the lap. Its surface was manipulated with the tips of the fingers, producing a harp-like melodious tone.
List of musical instruments
- Aldean
- Musical instrument (unnamed)
- Algolian
- Musical instrument (unnamed)
- Bajoran
- Cabasa
- Gong
- Harp
- Lute
- Percussion instrument (unnamed)
- Rattle
- Woodwind instrument (unnamed)
- Belaklavion
- Betazoid
- Chime
- Enaran
- Musical instrument (unnamed)
- Human
- Kataan (community of Ressik)
- Klingon
- Kriosian
- Musical instrument (unnamed)
- Mataline II
- Piano
- Other
- Adam's guitar
- Ermine violin
- Mavig's harp
- Risian
- Lute
- Taresian
- Chime
- Teplan
- Phonograph
- Trill
- Piano
- Valtese
- Vulcan
- Bells
- Gong
- Lute
- Marriage drum
See also
- Boatswain's whistle
- Elanin singer stone
- Jukebox
- Music box
- Talosian singing plant
- Sikarian atmospheric sensor
Unknown instruments
- In a holographic recreation of the Café des Artistes in the year 2342, a musician played an instrument that consisted of a small rectangular box with several glass tubes. (TNG: "We'll Always Have Paris")
- An alien musician played a strange percussion instrument in Quark's when it was re-opened after the Cardassians withdrew from Bajor and the station in 2369. (DS9: "Emissary")