A musical instrument is any device created or adapted to make musical sounds, distinguished by its intended purpose. Dating back to the earliest human cultures, instruments initially served ritualistic functions before evolving for entertainment, with the oldest identified being a simple flute from 50,000–60,000 years ago. While instruments developed independently across many regions, contact among civilizations led to their rapid global spread and adaptation.
Development became dominated by the Occident by 1400, seeing many new instruments emerge during the Classical and Romantic periods (roughly 1750-1900). The 20th century brought significant innovation with the advent of electricity, leading to electric and electronic instruments like electric guitars and synthesizers. The academic study of these devices, called organology, often classifies them using systems like Hornbostel–Sachs, based on how they produce sound.