Musical Instruments presents the first comprehensive survey to explain how Western musical instruments work, how they developed historically, how they are manufactured, and how they are used to make music. After introducing the nature of sounds and production mechanisms, the authors survey each family in turn, covering acoustical features, historical development of instrument forms, sizes and shapes in current use, the manufacturing processes, and commonly-used playing techniques. The full index and glossary also contain definitions of technical terms and notes on instruments not included in the text, making this the essential reference for everyone researching and working with musical instruments and performance.