Sandra Vabarna of Trad.Attack! playing the Estonian bagpipe

Eesti torupill – Estonian bagpipe.

Edakka – An hourglass shaped drum beaten with one stick from Kerala. India.

Egbong – A wooden drum with a baritone voice used by the Igede people of Nigeria. It forms a set of three with Okpirih and Ubah.

Ekende – Congolese thumb piano with 9 iron tongues.

Ekón – iron or tin Afro-Cuban cowbell used in abakuá ceremonies. Source: Emilio Francisco Casares Rodicio, Instituto Complutense de Ciencias Musicales

Ekpiri – A rattle formed by a set of shiny seeds strung on a wooden or string handle, or on a grass belt. These rattles can be played softly, or are capable of producing a voluminous sound for their size. Nigeria.

Ektar – A one-stringed Indian folk instrument. It consists of a gourd that has been pierced by a stick of bamboo. Another piece of bamboo forms the tuning peg. The bridge is usually formed by a coin, a piece of coconut, plastic or some other material. The ektar is described in ancient Sanskrit texts as the ekatantri vina, literally the one stringed lute.

Ekueñón – Ritual Afro-Cuban drum also known as the executioner. It leads the sacrifices that take place during the rituals.

Ekwe – Two tone Ibo log drum. Played with either a plain wooden stick, or a rubber-tipped beater. Nigeria.

Electrophones – Instruments that depend on electric power for producing sounds and for amplification.

Embairé – Large log xylophone. Uganda.

Embeaxió – Bamboo flute. Brazil.

Embilta – Simple one-note flute used in ceremonial rituals. Ethiopia.

Empegó – Ritual Afro-Cuban drum also known as tambor de orden (order drum). It’s the first drum to be heard during the ritual..

Enanga – A six or seven string arched harp that first entered East Africa with nomadic cattle herders who migrated from what is now Southern Ethiopia. Also known as adungu. Uganda.

Endere – Five fingerhole flute made our of bamboo, reed or lobelia stalk. Uganda.

Endingidi – One-string bowed instrument, also known as tube fiddle. The resonator is resonator made of wood or cow horn. Uganda.

Engalabi – Long lead drum. Uganda.

Engoma – Large African drums from the African Great Lakes region. They are made of wood, covered with cow skin.

Enkelharpa – A keyed fiddle, ancestor to the nyckelharpa, still played today. Sweden.

Enkríkamo – Ritual Afro-Cuban drum. It’s the drum that is used to assemble and communicate with the various íremes (ancestral spirits).

Enkwanzi – A pair of panpipes. Uganda.

Ennanga – Eight-string harp. Uganda.

Entenga – A set of 15 tuned drums used in Ugandan court music.

Epinette des Vosges – A French instrument of the dulcimer family. It is oblong, often with 7 strings, 3 of which are fretted.

Erhu – A 2 string bowed lute. It has a small body and a long neck, with a range of three octaves. Since there is no fingerboard, finger pressure is a critical part of the erhu technique. China.

Erikundi – Cuban abakuá shaker made of intertwined reed or grass.

 Esraj – North Indian bowed instrument with 20 metal frets and 12 to 15 sympathetic strings.

Esterilla – Esterilla means mat in Spanish. It’s a percussion instrument that resembles a small placemat. The esterilla is formed by small round pieces of wood that are woven together. When bent or rubbed, it makes a percussive sound. Colombia.

A set of Isukuti drums – Photo courtesy of Kenya Department of Culture, 2013

Esukuti – Drum and dance of the Isukha and Idakho communities of Western Kenya. Read more: Isukuti dance of Western Kenya Inscribed for Urgent Safeguarding.

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