Membranophones produce sound by vibrating a stretched membrane. This membrane can vibrate by hitting it, rubbing it or by the means of the human voice (humming).

In the classification created by the German musicologists Erich von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs, chordophones are the second of the five groups of instruments.

Membranophones in Basque traditional music

Struck/beaten/hit

Atabal, bombo, tamboril, tambor, caja, pandero

Rubbed

Pandero, Eltzegor, Zambomba

Vibrated through the voice (humming)

Tulurte, Turuta, Mirlitons that look like wind instruments