Talk:Musical instrument

Should VOCALS be Considered a "Musical Instrument"?

I noticed the definition in this article says: "A musical instrument makes sounds. Once humans moved from making sounds with their bodies—for example, by clapping—to using objects to create music from sounds, musical instruments were born."

This excludes the human voice. However, most articles on Wikipedia about singers list in the info box that one of their instruments is "Vocals".

I would like to see consistency on Wikipedia. Would it be best just to amend this one article to conform to all the articles that consider Vocals an instrument? --Diligens (talk) 22:45, 11 March 2019 (UTC)

@Diligens: The best place for that discussion would either be the talk page of {{infobox musical artist}}, or one of the Village Pumps. Nikkimaria (talk) 23:54, 11 March 2019 (UTC)

Worklist toward FAC

Collaboration with Popcornduff

• Due attention to modern instrumentation era
• Improved coverage of electronic instruments
• Improved coverage of drum machines and samplers

--Laser brain (talk) 14:02, 17 January 2020 (UTC)

I've added a sentence on samplers. Still lots to do!

IMO, the lead also needs rewriting. It basically just summarises the history of mainly early instruments - missing coverage of how instruments are actually used. Popcornduff (talk) 10:44, 26 January 2020 (UTC)

Great to see that you guys are going for FAC. If you go to PR or just want early feedback, I'd be happy to leave some comments. I wonder, isn't the Hornbostel–Sachs system the most widely used? I would think something like that should be included in the lead. Oops I see it is included, though either way, I meant rather listing out Idiophone, Membranophone etc. after the fact, if that makes sense. Aza24 (talk) 01:52, 20 January 2021 (UTC)

Israeli instruments

Musical instruments of Israel mostly perform during their religious activities. Aerophones, membraphones, percussion and chordophones instruments are its types 119.93.223.239 (talk) 14:00, 17 March 2022 (UTC)

I will be astonished to be shown a source claiming that there is so little secular music in Israel that saying "Musical instruments of Israel mostly perform during their religious activities." is anywhere near accurate. Just plain Bill (talk) 14:23, 17 March 2022 (UTC)

Commons files used on this page or its Wikidata item have been nominated for deletion

The following Wikimedia Commons files used on this page or its Wikidata item have been nominated for deletion:

• Bone flute, Early Neolithic period,骨笛IMG 1852.jpg
• Stone flute, Neolithic period, mongolian Culture, 四孔石笛, 新石器時代, IMG 0562 10.jpg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 03:48, 4 July 2022 (UTC)

"Field instruments" listed at Redirects for discussion

An editor has identified a potential problem with the redirect Field instruments and has thus listed it for discussion. This discussion will occur at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2022 October 7#Field instruments until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. _signed, Rosguill ^talk 15:14, 7 October 2022 (UTC)

Proposed merge of Music instrument technology into Musical instrument

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section. A summary of the conclusions reached follows.

To blank and redirect Music instrument technology to Musical instrument as there is no salvageable content. Klbrain (talk) 07:47, 28 December 2023 (UTC)

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"Technology" (not to be confused with high technology) is an integral aspect of musical instruments, esp. in their design and construction. fgnievinski (talk) 05:17, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

I don't see anything at that article that is both sourced and appropriately placed here. Some of the details could, if sourced, be added to their respective specific instrument articles (eg timpani). Nikkimaria (talk) 03:03, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

That article is pretty much a nothing burger, and I doubt there's much to merge. I would perhaps just blank and redirect. Why? I Ask (talk) 05:41, 27 July 2023 (UTC)

Yeah, there's nothing worth salvaging in that article. Blank and redirect. Popcornfud (talk) 12:33, 28 July 2023 (UTC)

Blank and redirect. Jacqke (talk) 17:15, 27 September 2023 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Article review

It has been a while since this article was reviewed, so I took a look and noticed uncited statements, including the entire "Range" section. Should this article go to WP:GAR? Z1720 (talk) 17:55, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

GA Reassessment

Musical instrument

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

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Article (edit | visual edit | history) · Article talk (edit | history) · Watch • Watch article reassessment page • Most recent review

Result: Issues with the article seem to have been resolved. Insults toward other editors making good-faith GAR nominations will not be tolerated. Bgsu98 (Talk) 17:36, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

Uncited statements, including the entire "Range" section. Z1720 (talk) 03:34, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

There, I fixed it. Happy now? I find your systematic nit-picking of GA articles a bit offensive, not to mention destructive and bordering on bad-faith. — Jonathanischoice (talk) 10:44, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

• @Jonathanischoice: If you are concerned about my reviews, and find them "destructive, and bordering on bad-faith", please post to WT:GA or the appropriate noticeboard. In the meantime, I invite you strike the last part of the sentence as I don't think it complies with WP:AGF. I have added some citation needed templates to the article to highlight the remaining uncited text. Z1720 (talk) 15:09, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

  Agreed: Zed's reviews are grounded in valid, good-faith improvement, and should not be attacked. In any case, I have resolved the last three issues: 1) Keyboard percussion sentence is reworked and cited to a dictionary definition, Theremin sentences are tweaked and cited to a reliable source, MIDI keyboard sentence similarly tweaked and cited; 2) slightly reworded and given concrete example to allow reliable sourcing; 3) unchanged, given citations from several reliable sources. @Z1720, does this address your remaining concerns? Thanks, UpTheOctave! • 8^va? 17:03, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

@Z1720: my apologies, I see from your user page that you are doing good work. — Jonathanischoice (talk) 20:30, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

• Keep. Concerns are resolved. Z1720 (talk) 17:17, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.