What are common musical instruments?

Musical instruments make sounds. People use them to play music. Here are some common instruments:

• Flute: A long, thin instrument you blow air into. She plays the flute.
• Electric guitar: A guitar that needs electricity to make a loud sound. He has a new electric guitar.
• Cello: A large wooden string instrument, bigger than a violin. The cello makes a deep sound.
• Drums: A set of instruments you hit with sticks. The drums are loud.
• Violin: A small wooden string instrument, held under the chin. She plays the violin beautifully.
• Xylophone: An instrument with wooden bars that you hit with mallets. Children often play the xylophone.
• Keyboard: An electronic instrument with keys, like a piano. I want to learn to play the keyboard.
• Saxophone: A metal wind instrument, often used in jazz music. He plays the saxophone in a band.
• Trumpet: A brass instrument that you blow into. The trumpet has a bright sound.
• Charango: A small string instrument from South America, similar to a ukulele. The charango is a traditional instrument.

What are different types of music (genres)?

Music genres are different styles or types of music. Each genre has its own sound and feeling. Here are some popular genres:

• Salsa: A lively, rhythmic dance music from Latin America. I love to dance to salsa music.
• Jazz: A music style from the USA, often with improvisation. Jazz music is very creative.
• Folk: Traditional music from a specific culture or country. Folk music often tells stories.
• Classical: Music written by composers like Mozart or Beethoven. Classical music can be very relaxing.
• Pop: Popular music, often with catchy melodies and simple lyrics. Pop music is popular all over the world.
• Heavy metal: A loud and powerful rock music style. My brother likes heavy metal music.

Examples

• My favorite instrument is the electric guitar.
• She listens to jazz music every day.
• He wants to learn to play the drums.
• Do you like classical music?
• The charango makes a beautiful sound.
• I like pop music for dancing.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Spanish speakers sometimes make these mistakes:

• Using 'touch' instead of 'play' for instruments: In English, we use the verb play for musical instruments.
  • I play the guitar. (Correct)
  • I touch the guitar. (Incorrect)
• Forgetting 'the' with instruments: When talking about playing a specific instrument, we often use the.
  • She plays the violin. (Correct)
  • She plays violin. (Less common, sometimes used in general contexts like 'She plays violin professionally', but for a hobby, use 'the')
• Confusing instrument names: Some instruments have similar names or sounds in different languages. Always check the English word. For example, cello is not 'violonchelo' in English.

Frequently asked questions

How do I ask someone about their favorite music?

You can ask: What kind of music do you like? or What's your favorite music genre?

What is the word 'charango'?

Charango is the English word for this traditional string instrument from South America. It is the same word in English and Spanish.

Can I say 'I like music' or 'I like the music'?

You can say I like music when talking about music in general. You say I like the music when you are talking about specific music, for example, music playing now in a restaurant.

Related lessons

• Music vocabulary
• Music vocabulary
• Music vocabulary
• Music vocabulary