Do you want to know which music instruments are the most expressive?

With expressive I mean the amount of emotion and expression you can put into the performance with playing styles, articulations, techniques etc. Instruments that can truly sing with emotion!

Some instruments like piano and guitar are incredible for their potential to add harmony, chords, bass lines, rhythm and dynamics into a performance.

But the king of expression in music is to be able to shape the expression curves when you sustain any note in the performance.

Meaning to be able to change the very curve of dynamics, vibrato and tonal character when the note is being held. Let’s explore the top list now:

7 Most Expressive Music Instruments

1 – The Human Voice

Now, this is probably no surprise to you. The human voice is by far the most expressive music instrument in the world, even if some may argue it is not really an instrument.

I would however say that it is, and the best thing is that we all carry it with us, so it is also the most convenient and portable instrument.

The voice is the only instrument that can do true legatos between any 2 notes, and even perfect glissandos over the whole tonal register.

This while also being able to control the vibrato curve with both depth and speed, at the same time as you shape the dynamics and legato transitions.

2 – The Violin

I have chosen to pick the violin here, because it is recognised as the most melodic of the string instruments in the violin family due to its higher range (violin, viola, cello and double bass).

It has incredible expressive capabilities due to the bowing aspect. You can shape the tone character, dynamics, and add a ton of various playing techniques simply from how you use the bow. 

All this while also being able to add beautiful vibrato, and even glide smoothly between notes for emotional legatos and portamentos.

3 – The Saxophone

An instrument family that is often said to be the closest to the human voice. A huge dynamic range, but more importantly tonal character over the dynamic register.

From smooth and mellow in the softest dynamics, to bright and proud higher dynamics. And can also add human voice like “grit” with growling etc. 

The saxophone’s expression can truly sing anything from smooth jazz, to powerful rock and pop tunes.

4 – The Trumpet

The sound of the trumpet can be anything from smooth and sweet, to bold and heroic. From beautiful legato melodies, to action rhythmic phrases, to royal fanfares. 

The dynamic range is huge, as is the potential for scoops, bends, vibrato and other expressive playing techniques.

5 – The Clarinet

Closely related to the saxophone, this single reed instrument shares the incredible expressive range, but with a different overall tone.

Darker and more mellow, a more pure tone, but with even more dynamic range all the way to the absolute lowest dynamics. 

It can also do incredible bends, legatos and most importantly true glissandos over large intervals. 

6 – The Flute

The flute is like the “angel” of the orchestra, with its very pure tone, and higher register.

Leading melodies on the flute sounds amazing, and especially so because of the incredible and focused vibratos, where you literally breath life and soul into the notes of the music.

With open hole design of the keys, you can also do bends, micro-tones, and other expressive techniques.

7 – The Oboe

With it’s unique double-reed and almost nasal tone it can be one of the most romantic and nostalgic sounding melodic instrument of the orchestra.

It is extremely dynamic, and has one of the most pronounced and lyrical sounding vibratos of all wind instruments.

Listen to “Gabriel’s Oboe” by the great Ennio Morricone to truly hear the beauty of this expressive instrument in its full glory.