The organistrum, octapad, organ, ondes martenot, and oboe rank among the better known musical instruments whose names begin with the letter O. Below is a rundown of instruments that start with O, along with a short note on what each one is.
- OBLENTE – A standing drum that is large from Ghana.
- OBOE – A double reed instrument that is used in orchestras.
- OBONU – A West African set of hourglass-shaped royal drums.
- OBRENTEN – A single-headed hourglass-shaped royal drum.
- OCARINA – A vessel flute that is made varies from material, such as clay, ceramic, or terracotta.
- OCTABAN – A cylindrical drum.
- OCTAPAD – An electronic drum pad.
- OCTAVILLA – A Spanish musical instrument that has 12 strings and is similar to a banduria.
- OCTOCONTRABASS CLARINET – A variety of clarinet that is an octave below the contrabass clarinet.
- ODAIKO – A large Japanese drum.
- ODONO – A talking drum that is shaped like an hourglass.
- OGUNG – A set of four Sumatran iron gongs.
- OJA – A Nigerian Ibo flute that has three holes.
- OJEH – A Nigerian Igede iron gong that is played during festivities.
- OKO – A Nigerian side-blown trumpet.
- OKONKOLO – The smallest Cuban batá drums that are traditionally played in ceremonies of Afro-Cubans.
- OMELE – A small Nigerian talking drum.
- ONDES MARTENOT – A theremin-like electronic instrument that is played using the keyboard.
- ORGAN – A keyboard instrument with a variety of pipes that make music, played with the keys and pedalboard, as well as an electronic version.
- ORGANISTRUM – The ancient version of a hurdy-gurdy.
Conclusion
That covers a broad sweep of musical instruments that begin with the letter O. From hand drums and gongs to keyboards and woodwinds, the list shows just how much variety sits behind a single letter, with each one offering its own distinct sound.
So, whether you’re looking for an instrument to play in an orchestra or band, or something to add to your collection, be sure to check out some of these options.
