Idiophones

Idiophones are a unique category. These instruments create sound by vibrating without using strings or a membrane.

A Western example of an idiophone is the glockenspiel. Glockenspiels are played by striking rubber-tipped mallets on top of metal bars. Maracas, rattles, gongs, claves, and triangle fall into this category. In general, instruments that are scraped or shaken to create sound are idiophones.

Photo(s) Attribution
Description: maraca rattles, claves
Source: wikimedia