musical instrument - any of various devices or contrivances that can be used to produce musical tones or soundsbass - the member with the lowest range of a family of musical instruments steam organ, calliope - a musical instrument consisting of a series of steam whistles played from a keyboard celesta - a musical instrument consisting of graduated steel plates that are struck by hammers activated by a keyboard device - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water" jew's harp, jews' harp, mouth bow - a small lyre-shaped musical instrument that is placed between the teeth and played by twanging a wire tongue while changing the shape of the mouth cavity music box, musical box - produces music by means of pins on a revolving cylinder that strike the tuned teeth of a comb-like metal plate wind instrument, wind - a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by an enclosed column of air that is moved by the breath |