A lamellophone, also called a lamellaphone or linguaphone, is a type of musical instrument that creates sound using a thin, flexible plate called a lamella or tongue. One end of the plate is fixed, and the other end is free. When a musician presses the free end with a finger or fingernail and then releases it, the plate vibrates. Some lamellophones have one plate, like a Jew's harp, while others have several plates, like a mbira thumb piano.

The word "linguaphone" comes from the Latin word lingua, meaning "tongue," which refers to a long, thin plate attached at only one end. The word "lamellophone" combines the Latin word lamella, meaning "small metal plate," and the Greek word phonē, meaning "sound" or "voice."

Lamellophones are classified as category 12 in the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which groups musical instruments by how they make sound. This category includes plucked idiophones, which are divided into two types: those shaped like a frame (121) and those shaped like a comb (122).

African lamellophones

Many lamellophones come from Africa, where they are called by different names such as mbira, kisanji, likembe, kalimba, kongoma, and sanza. These instruments are important in southeast African music. They were recorded as early as the 16th century, but they likely have an even longer history. The Caribbean marímbula is also part of this group. The marímbula is a lower-pitched version of the mbira and is sometimes used in hip hop music.

Most lamellophones have tongues that are split into two playing sections, with the lowest notes in the center. Notes to the left and right of the center are tuned higher than the ones before them. The tongues can also be arranged in a straight line, like a piano. Some tongues are small enough to be played with individual fingers, which is why these instruments are sometimes called "thumb pianos." (Some instruments, like the mbira, have extra rows of tongues, so fingers other than the thumbs may be used to play them.)

Some people believe African lamellophones were inspired by xylophones and marimbas. However, similar instruments have been found in other places, such as Siberia, where indigenous groups use wooden and metal lamellophones with a single tongue.

Lamellophones can be made with or without resonators. Some models also have electric pickups to amplify the sound.

Electric lamellophones

Electric lamellophones are made electric using either a magnetic pickup (like those on electric guitars) or a piezo pickup that touches the instrument.

There is a clear difference between piezo and magnetic pickups. Most electric lamellophones use piezo pickups. Piezo pickups create sound with more high-pitched tones but can cause more feedback when played very loudly. Lucinda Ellison makes many Embiras, which are solid-body electric mbiras with piezo pickups. This design was first imagined in 1981 and completed in 1996. David Bellinger has been making ekalimbas, which are kalimbas with piezo pickups, for 20 years.

The Array Mbira is a lamellophone with a different arrangement of its tines. It is made electric by adding a 2-channel stereo piezo cable pickup system. A special solid-body version of the Array Mbira also exists.

Ernst Zacharias created a series of electric lamellophones in the 1960s for Hohner. These instruments used reeds made by Hohner, which were already used in accordions, concertinas, melodicas, and harmonicas. The instruments included the Pianet (plucked by a foam pad), the Cembalet (plucked by a rubber pad), and the Guitaret (plucked by fingers). The idea of striking a reed tongue was first developed by the Alexandre brothers in their "Orgues expressifs" (harmoniums) in the 19th century, where these reeds were called percussion stops.

The Space Harp, also called the Frankiphone (designed, built, and played by Phil Cohran), is a well-known example of an electric lamellophone.

Many other mbiras and kalimbas have been created by modern instrument makers. The African band Konono No. 1 uses custom electric kalimbas with magnetic pickups. Neptune’s Jason Sanford makes electric thumb pianos from scrap materials in a similar style. Yuri Landman has created 12-TET bass kalimbas and metal tongue drums.

Schaeffner's classification

In Schaeffner's system, linguaphones (also called lamellophones) are placed at the second highest level of classification.

In 1932, Andre Schaeffner created a classification system that aimed to include all real and imagined musical instruments [Kartomi, p. 176]. Schaeffner's system has two main categories labeled with Roman numerals (Schaeffner, A.: Origine des instruments de musique, pp. 371–377):

• I: Instruments that produce sound through vibrating solids; IA: Solids that cannot be stretched (similar to many Hornbostel & Sachs idiophones); IB: Flexible solids (similar to most linguaphones); IC: Solids that can be stretched (similar to membranophones and chordophones);
• II: Instruments that produce sound through vibrating air (aerophones).

List of lamellophones

The lamellae vibrate within a frame or hoop.

121.1 Clack idiophones or Cricri – The lamella is carved into the surface of a fruit shell, which acts as a resonator. This instrument is also called the galip nut snapper.

121.2 Guimbardes and jaw harps – The lamella is attached to a rod- or plaque-shaped frame. The player’s mouth cavity helps the sound carry.

• (121.21) Đàn môi, Vietnam – An instrument carved from a single piece of bamboo.
• (121.221) Murchunga, Nepal
• (121.222) A Kouxian – Played by plucking the ends near the mouth. The lamellae vibrate to create sound.

The lamellae are attached to a board or shaped like the teeth of a comb.

122.1 With laced-on lamellae.

122.11 Without resonator.
122.12 With resonator.

122.2 With cut-out lamellae
• Comb
• Mechanical music box
• Slit drum
• Steel tongue drum
• Teponaztli