Lyre:
- Stringed instrument, most widely known and associated with Greek music
- Made of a wooden frame with strings stretched over it
- Played by plucking the strings with a plectrum or fingers
Aulos:
- Double-reed wind instrument
- Consisted of two pipes with a reed mouthpiece and finger holes
- Produced a piercing and distinctive sound
Kithara:
- Similar to the lyre, but with a larger frame and more strings
- Played with a plectrum or fingers, often used in classical and artistic settings
Salpinx:
- A straight trumpet made of bronze or animal horn
- Used for signaling in military contexts, also in certain religious ceremonies
Syrinx:
- Pan flute, a set of pipes of graduated length
- Played by blowing across the open ends of the pipes, producing a haunting, ethereal sound
Tambourine:
- A frame drum with small metal discs or jingles attached to its frame
- Used for rhythmic accompaniment in dances and festivities
Cymbals:
- Pair of metal discs that produce a clashing sound when struck together
- Used in religious rituals and as a means of signaling
These instruments, along with others like the sistrum (a percussion instrument), the castanets, and the hydraulic organ (an early form of a pipe organ), formed an integral part of ancient Greek musical practices. Music was intertwined with cultural and social life, and certain instruments were associated with specific occasions, from military marches to theatrical performances.