Traditional Tiv Music Instruments: Classification, Construction, and Contemporary Relevance in Benue State

This study examines the classification, construction techniques, and contemporary relevance of traditional musical instruments used by the Tiv people of Benue State, located in Nigeria's North Central geopolitical zone. The Tiv possess a rich musical heritage featuring a diverse array of idiophones, membranophones, and chordophones that have served ceremonial, communicative, and entertainment functions across generations. However, industrialisation, migration, and the dominance of Western instruments in formal education have placed several traditional Tiv instruments at risk of disappearance. This research adopts an ethnomusicological descriptive approach, combining field surveys, photographic documentation, and in-depth interviews with instrument makers, performers, and cultural custodians in Gboko and Makurdi local government areas. Secondary data are drawn from recent ethnomusicological literature and museum collections relevant to Middle Belt Nigerian musical culture. The study classifies identified instruments using the Hornbostel-Sachs system and documents the materials, tools, and processes involved in their construction. It further investigates the contexts in which these instruments are currently used and assesses community awareness of their cultural significance. Findings are intended to serve as a preservation resource and to inform music education programmes that incorporate indigenous instrument studies. Keywords: Tiv music, traditional instruments, Benue State, classification, cultural preservation.