ELECTROPHONE

any of a class of musical instruments in which the initial sound either is produced by electronic means or is conventionally produced (as by a vibrating string) and electronically amplified. Electronically amplified conventional instruments include guitars, pianos, and others. Among instruments that use electronic means of generating sound are the theremin, the ondes martenot, electronic organs, and electronic music synthesizers. The vibraphone, or vibraharp, a metallophone that looks somewhat like the orchestral xylophone, makes use of electric fans at the upper ends of the vibrator tubes in order to produce a vibrato sound. Compare aerophone; chordophone; idiophone; membranophone.