In the North Aegean islands (Lesvos, Lemnos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria), orchestras were very common. Initially, in the late 19th century, they consisted of many musicians, who were professional or semi-professional, specialised in the instruments they played. The main musical instruments were the violin and the santouri (santur), but often also the daouli (a type of drum). The main musical instruments were the violin and the sandour, but often also the dauli. And wind instruments, however, musical instruments they played an important role, especially at weddings, feasts and festivals, such as the clarinet, the trumpet, the trombone, the euphonium. For this is why most musical groups are called and "blower companies". Oud was also known on Lesbos, but rarely joined companies. Later (after the 1950s) on the accordion, the bouzouki, the harmonium and the drums.

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Musical instruments belong to categories, depending on the way they are played which produces the sound!

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• Percussion instruments: they produce sound by striking them daouli, toubeleki, defi (tambourine), drums.
• Brass and Reeds instruments: they generate sound by blowing air into them, through a mouthpiece. Gaida, euphonium, zournas, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tsabouna, recorder.
• Strings instruments: they use strings to produce sound. Violin, cello, kanonaki, guitar, double bass, lute, lyra, mandolin, baglamas, viola, bouzouki, oud, saz, tzouras.
• Keyboards instruments: they produce sounds through keys. Accordion, harmonium.