What is the primary purpose of an idiophone?

The primary purpose of an idiophone is to produce sound through vibration. Idiophones are a category of musical instruments that generate sound primarily by the instrument itself vibrating without the use of strings or membranes. When struck, plucked, or shaken, idiophones resonate to create musical tones. Instruments such as bells, marimbas, and xylophones fall under this category, demonstrating the distinctive characteristic of making sound directly from the material of the instrument itself.

This definition distinguishes idiophones from other types of instruments, like membranophones, which rely on vibrating membranes to create sound, or chordophones, which depend on vibrating strings. The production of sound is not limited to amplification, rhythm creation, or enhancing other instruments, but is fundamentally rooted in the vibration of the instrument’s material.