Best Visual Encyclopedias of Musical Instruments: 2 Illustrated Guides
About the Author
Sesera editorial account organizes laptop, mini PC, smartphone, and gadget buying guides so readers can check the important points before buying.
Choosing a visual encyclopedia can be tricky when you want to know how its coverage is organized before you buy.
Family-based organization and historical context can help readers explore instruments across different traditions and periods.
This time, we’ll round up two illustrated directories of musical instruments.
Quick-reference table of recommended products
| Product name | Format | Pages | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
 Musical Instruments of the World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia with more than 4000 original drawings | Paperback | 320 | Grouped by instrument families, with cross-references to geographical distribution and historical periods |
 An Illustrated Directory of Musical Instruments and a History of The Orchestra | Hardcover | 256 | Organized by instrument families; also includes the voice, rare instruments, and historical instruments |
Musical Instruments of the World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia with more than 4000 original drawings
For readers who want a broad visual reference to instruments from different musical traditions, Musical Instruments of the World is recommended. It presents over 4,000 drawings and covers orchestral, popular, classical, ancient, and folk instruments, with entries grouped by family and cross-referenced by geographical distribution and historical period. Scores and diagrams of correct playing techniques add reference material alongside the instrument entries.
An Illustrated Directory of Musical Instruments and a History of The Orchestra
For readers who want an illustrated guide that covers instrument families alongside the history of the orchestra, An Illustrated Directory of Musical Instruments and a History of The Orchestra is recommended. Its visual directory is organized by instrument families and includes the voice, rare and historical instruments, with over 450 photographs. The introduction adds a history of music-making around the world and an outline of how the orchestra evolved, so the book connects its instrument directory with broader musical history.
Choose by the musical context you want to explore
- Readers looking for instruments across musical traditions, with family groupings and geographical and historical cross-references
- Readers interested in instrument families alongside the history and evolution of the orchestra
