Rubab- The national instrument of Afghanistan. It is a short-neck lute with 3 melody strings and 11-12 sympathetic strings. The rubab is featured in essentially every form of Afghan music.

 

 

 

Zirbhagali- A drum made of pottery. It’s native to Samangan.

 

 

 

Dhol – A large barrel-shaped folk drum used in Northern Indian, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan,

 

 

 

Ghichak- A 3 stringed spiked fiddle.

 

 

 

Dambura(dutar)- a long necked bowl lute with 2 playing strings. It’s typically played in Kazakhstan and the Hazaragi people of Afghanistan.

 

 

 

Sarangi- a short-necked bowed lute with 3 melody strings and multiple sympathetic strings. Popular in forms of Hindustani classical music and ghazal(Indo/Pak/Afghan semi-classical)

 

 

 

Tabla- a pair of drums used in North India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.  It’s used in classical and folk music.

 

 

 

Sitar- a long necked plucked stringed instrument with drone, melodic and sympathetic strings used in Hindustani classical music. It’s also popularly used in Pakistan, North India, and Bangladesh.

 

 

 

Sarod- a lute like instrument that is an adaptation of the rubab. It’s used predominantly in Hindustani classical music.

 

 

 

Harmonium- an organ-like instrument that pumps air through metal reeds. It sounds similar to an accordion, used in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

 

 

 

Sarenda- A bowed string instruments used in Indian and Nepali folk music.

 

 

 

Tanpur- a drone instrument that resembles a sitar.

 

 

 

Dilruba- an instrument that is a  cross between a sitar and sarangi. It’s played with a bow and has multiple strings and is used in the north western part of India.