diff --git a/src/engine/InstrumentEngine.ts b/src/engine/InstrumentEngine.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8211d417
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/InstrumentEngine.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/**
+ * Unified interface for all instrument engines (subtractive synth, sampler, FM).
+ *
+ * Every instrument engine implementation must conform to this interface so that
+ * playback, recording, and automation code can operate on any instrument kind
+ * without branching on the concrete type.
+ */
+export interface InstrumentEngine {
+  /** Trigger note-on for a track (for live playing / recording). */
+  noteOn(trackId: string, pitch: number, velocity: number): void;
+
+  /** Trigger note-off for a track. */
+  noteOff(trackId: string, pitch: number): void;
+
+  /** Play a note with a fixed duration (for sequenced playback). */
+  triggerAttackRelease(trackId: string, pitch: number, duration: number, velocity: number): void;
+
+  /**
+   * Set an engine-specific parameter by name.
+   *
+   * This is a generic escape hatch for automation and preset changes.
+   * Implementations may ignore unknown parameter names.
+   */
+  setParameter(trackId: string, name: string, value: number | string | boolean): void;
+
+  /** Release all currently sounding notes across every track. */
+  releaseAll(): void;
+
+  /** Tear down resources associated with a single track. */
+  removeTrack(trackId: string): void;
+
+  /** Dispose the entire engine and release all resources. */
+  dispose(): void;
+}
diff --git a/src/engine/InstrumentFactory.ts b/src/engine/InstrumentFactory.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b47c9785
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/InstrumentFactory.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+import type { TrackInstrument } from '../types/project';
+import type { InstrumentEngine } from './InstrumentEngine';
+import { synthEngine } from './SynthEngine';
+import { samplerEngine } from './SamplerEngine';
+
+/**
+ * Adapter that wraps the legacy {@link SynthEngine} singleton to conform to
+ * the {@link InstrumentEngine} interface.
+ */
+class SynthEngineAdapter implements InstrumentEngine {
+  noteOn(trackId: string, pitch: number, velocity: number): void {
+    synthEngine.noteOn(trackId, pitch, velocity);
+  }
+
+  noteOff(trackId: string, pitch: number): void {
+    synthEngine.noteOff(trackId, pitch);
+  }
+
+  triggerAttackRelease(trackId: string, pitch: number, duration: number, velocity: number): void {
+    // Delegate to the singleton which handles MIDI-to-freq conversion and preset routing.
+    void synthEngine.playNote(trackId, pitch, velocity, duration, 'piano');
+  }
+
+  setParameter(_trackId: string, _name: string, _value: number | string | boolean): void {
+    // Subtractive synth parameters are not yet dynamically settable.
+    // This will be wired up when the synth UI gets real-time param control.
+  }
+
+  releaseAll(): void {
+    synthEngine.releaseAll();
+  }
+
+  removeTrack(trackId: string): void {
+    synthEngine.removeTrackSynth(trackId);
+  }
+
+  dispose(): void {
+    synthEngine.dispose();
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Adapter that wraps the {@link SamplerEngine} singleton to conform to
+ * the {@link InstrumentEngine} interface.
+ */
+class SamplerEngineAdapter implements InstrumentEngine {
+  noteOn(trackId: string, pitch: number, velocity: number): void {
+    samplerEngine.noteOn(trackId, pitch, velocity);
+  }
+
+  noteOff(trackId: string, pitch: number): void {
+    samplerEngine.noteOff(trackId, pitch);
+  }
+
+  triggerAttackRelease(trackId: string, pitch: number, duration: number, velocity: number): void {
+    samplerEngine.triggerAttackRelease(trackId, pitch, duration, velocity);
+  }
+
+  setParameter(_trackId: string, _name: string, _value: number | string | boolean): void {
+    // Sampler parameters (ADSR, root note, etc.) are set via ensureTrackSampler config.
+    // A future PR will wire individual param updates here.
+  }
+
+  releaseAll(): void {
+    samplerEngine.releaseAll();
+  }
+
+  removeTrack(trackId: string): void {
+    samplerEngine.removeTrack(trackId);
+  }
+
+  dispose(): void {
+    samplerEngine.dispose();
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Stub adapter for FM synthesis.
+ *
+ * FM synthesis is not yet implemented as a standalone engine — tracks with
+ * `kind: 'fm'` fall back to the subtractive synth using {@link FmTrackInstrument.fallbackPreset}.
+ * Once a dedicated FM engine exists this adapter will delegate to it.
+ */
+class FmEngineAdapter implements InstrumentEngine {
+  private readonly fallback = new SynthEngineAdapter();
+
+  noteOn(trackId: string, pitch: number, velocity: number): void {
+    this.fallback.noteOn(trackId, pitch, velocity);
+  }
+
+  noteOff(trackId: string, pitch: number): void {
+    this.fallback.noteOff(trackId, pitch);
+  }
+
+  triggerAttackRelease(trackId: string, pitch: number, duration: number, velocity: number): void {
+    this.fallback.triggerAttackRelease(trackId, pitch, duration, velocity);
+  }
+
+  setParameter(trackId: string, name: string, value: number | string | boolean): void {
+    this.fallback.setParameter(trackId, name, value);
+  }
+
+  releaseAll(): void {
+    this.fallback.releaseAll();
+  }
+
+  removeTrack(trackId: string): void {
+    this.fallback.removeTrack(trackId);
+  }
+
+  dispose(): void {
+    this.fallback.dispose();
+  }
+}
+
+// ── Singletons (one adapter per kind) ──────────────────────────────────────
+
+const subtractiveAdapter = new SynthEngineAdapter();
+const samplerAdapter = new SamplerEngineAdapter();
+const fmAdapter = new FmEngineAdapter();
+
+/**
+ * Return the {@link InstrumentEngine} that should handle playback for the
+ * given track instrument descriptor.
+ */
+export function getEngineForInstrument(instrument: TrackInstrument): InstrumentEngine {
+  switch (instrument.kind) {
+    case 'subtractive':
+      return subtractiveAdapter;
+    case 'sampler':
+      return samplerAdapter;
+    case 'fm':
+      return fmAdapter;
+  }
+}
+
+// Re-export the adapters for direct testing.
+export { SynthEngineAdapter, SamplerEngineAdapter, FmEngineAdapter };
diff --git a/src/engine/SamplerEngine.ts b/src/engine/SamplerEngine.ts
index 20d92f73..c3a50b4e 100644
--- a/src/engine/SamplerEngine.ts
+++ b/src/engine/SamplerEngine.ts
@@ -233,6 +233,17 @@ class SamplerEngine {
     this.removeTrackSampler(trackId);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Set a named parameter on the sampler for a track.
+   *
+   * This is a stub that will be wired up when real-time parameter automation
+   * is added to the sampler engine. For now, parameter changes should go
+   * through {@link ensureTrackSampler} with an updated config.
+   */
+  setParameter(_trackId: string, _name: string, _value: number | string | boolean): void {
+    // No-op stub — see InstrumentEngine interface.
+  }
+
   stopAll() {
     this.releaseAll();
   }
diff --git a/src/engine/SynthEngine.ts b/src/engine/SynthEngine.ts
index 3b5e75c2..293bdc4f 100644
--- a/src/engine/SynthEngine.ts
+++ b/src/engine/SynthEngine.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ function fmParamsEqual(a: FmInstrumentSettings, b: FmInstrumentSettings): boolea
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * @deprecated Use {@link InstrumentEngine} via {@link getEngineForInstrument} instead.
+ * This function will be removed once all call-sites migrate to the unified interface.
+ */
 export function createSynthForPreset(preset: SynthPreset): Tone.PolySynth {
   const synth = new Tone.PolySynth(Tone.Synth);
 
@@ -156,6 +160,10 @@ function computeUnisonOffsets(
   return offsets;
 }
 
+/**
+ * @deprecated Use {@link InstrumentEngine} via {@link getEngineForInstrument} instead.
+ * This class will be removed once all call-sites migrate to the unified interface.
+ */
 class SynthEngine {
   private synths = new Map<string, SynthInstance>();
   private fmSynths = new Map<string, FmSynthInstance>();
diff --git a/src/engine/__tests__/InstrumentFactory.test.ts b/src/engine/__tests__/InstrumentFactory.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a879bed2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/engine/__tests__/InstrumentFactory.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import {
+  getEngineForInstrument,
+  SynthEngineAdapter,
+  SamplerEngineAdapter,
+  FmEngineAdapter,
+} from '../InstrumentFactory';
+import type { InstrumentEngine } from '../InstrumentEngine';
+import type {
+  SubtractiveTrackInstrument,
+  SamplerTrackInstrument,
+  FmTrackInstrument,
+} from '../../types/project';
+
+// ── Fixtures ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const subtractiveInstrument: SubtractiveTrackInstrument = {
+  kind: 'subtractive',
+  preset: 'piano',
+  name: 'Test Piano',
+  settings: {
+    oscillator: { waveform: 'triangle', octave: 0, detuneCents: 0, level: 1 },
+    ampEnvelope: { attack: 0.005, decay: 0.3, sustain: 0.2, release: 1.2 },
+    filter: { enabled: false, type: 'lowpass', cutoffHz: 20000, resonance: 1, drive: 0, keyTracking: 0 },
+    filterEnvelope: { attack: 0.01, decay: 0.1, sustain: 1, release: 0.3, amount: 0 },
+    lfo: { enabled: false, waveform: 'sine', target: 'off', rateHz: 1, depth: 0, retrigger: false },
+    unison: { voices: 1, detuneCents: 0, stereoSpread: 0, blend: 0 },
+    glideTime: 0,
+    outputGain: 1,
+  },
+};
+
+const samplerInstrument: SamplerTrackInstrument = {
+  kind: 'sampler',
+  preset: 'sampler',
+  name: 'Test Sampler',
+  settings: {
+    audioKey: 'test-key',
+    rootNote: 60,
+    trimStart: 0,
+    trimEnd: 1,
+    playbackMode: 'classic',
+    loopStart: 0,
+    loopEnd: 1,
+    ampEnvelope: { attack: 0.005, decay: 0.1, sustain: 1, release: 0.3 },
+  },
+};
+
+const fmInstrument: FmTrackInstrument = {
+  kind: 'fm',
+  preset: 'fm',
+  name: 'Test FM',
+  fallbackPreset: 'organ',
+  settings: {
+    carrier: { waveform: 'sine', ratio: 1, level: 1 },
+    modulator: { waveform: 'sine', ratio: 2, level: 0.5 },
+    modulationIndex: 5,
+    feedback: 0,
+    ampEnvelope: { attack: 0.01, decay: 0.1, sustain: 0.8, release: 0.3 },
+    outputGain: 1,
+  },
+};
+
+// ── Tests ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe('getEngineForInstrument', () => {
+  it('returns a SynthEngineAdapter for subtractive instruments', () => {
+    const engine = getEngineForInstrument(subtractiveInstrument);
+    expect(engine).toBeInstanceOf(SynthEngineAdapter);
+  });
+
+  it('returns a SamplerEngineAdapter for sampler instruments', () => {
+    const engine = getEngineForInstrument(samplerInstrument);
+    expect(engine).toBeInstanceOf(SamplerEngineAdapter);
+  });
+
+  it('returns a FmEngineAdapter for fm instruments', () => {
+    const engine = getEngineForInstrument(fmInstrument);
+    expect(engine).toBeInstanceOf(FmEngineAdapter);
+  });
+
+  it('returns the same instance for repeated calls with the same kind', () => {
+    const a = getEngineForInstrument(subtractiveInstrument);
+    const b = getEngineForInstrument(subtractiveInstrument);
+    expect(a).toBe(b);
+  });
+
+  it('returns different instances for different instrument kinds', () => {
+    const synth = getEngineForInstrument(subtractiveInstrument);
+    const sampler = getEngineForInstrument(samplerInstrument);
+    const fm = getEngineForInstrument(fmInstrument);
+    expect(synth).not.toBe(sampler);
+    expect(synth).not.toBe(fm);
+    expect(sampler).not.toBe(fm);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('InstrumentEngine interface conformance', () => {
+  const engines: Array<[string, InstrumentEngine]> = [
+    ['SynthEngineAdapter', getEngineForInstrument(subtractiveInstrument)],
+    ['SamplerEngineAdapter', getEngineForInstrument(samplerInstrument)],
+    ['FmEngineAdapter', getEngineForInstrument(fmInstrument)],
+  ];
+
+  it.each(engines)('%s implements all InstrumentEngine methods', (_name, engine) => {
+    expect(typeof engine.noteOn).toBe('function');
+    expect(typeof engine.noteOff).toBe('function');
+    expect(typeof engine.triggerAttackRelease).toBe('function');
+    expect(typeof engine.setParameter).toBe('function');
+    expect(typeof engine.releaseAll).toBe('function');
+    expect(typeof engine.removeTrack).toBe('function');
+    expect(typeof engine.dispose).toBe('function');
+  });
+
+  it.each(engines)('%s.setParameter does not throw for unknown params', (_name, engine) => {
+    expect(() => engine.setParameter('test-track', 'unknownParam', 42)).not.toThrow();
+  });
+});