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Trumpet Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Trumpet Quizzes, Trivia

Trumpet Trivia

Trumpet Trivia Quizzes

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5 Trumpet quizzes and 45 Trumpet trivia questions.
1.
  Trumpet Fingerings    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A simple quiz of trumpet fingerings, starting with the F sharp below middle C. All fingerings are based on a regular B flat trumpet.
Average, 10 Qns, niffweed17, Sep 19 17
Average
niffweed17
1427 plays
2.
  10 Question The Trumpet Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is about how well you know this well-known brass instrument. Fingerings are given as 1-2-3, e.g. 'A' in the staff = 1-2.
Average, 10 Qns, SirMusic98, Feb 26 14
Average
SirMusic98
417 plays
3.
  The Ultimate The Trumpet Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
How much do you know about the trumpet and its relatives?
Average, 10 Qns, welker93, Sep 09 20
Average
welker93
Sep 09 20
412 plays
4.
  Know your Trumpet    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A mixture of general trivia and technical questions about the trumpet.
Tough, 10 Qns, trumpian67, Mar 08 18
Tough
trumpian67
Mar 08 18
269 plays
5.
  Trumpet Trivia    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
This quiz was created for people knowledgeable about trumpets, or who want to learn about them. Most of the questions are common facts to serious trumpeters.
Difficult, 5 Qns, Getzen, Feb 16 14
Difficult
Getzen
1904 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What are the two different patterns used most often in triple tonguing?

From Quiz "Know your Trumpet"





Trumpet Trivia Questions
1. What is the lowest note that the common Bb trumpet can play?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: F#

F# is the lowest note that a common Bb trumpet can play without the use of any slides. It has a fingering of 1-2-3.

2. When was the modern valved trumpet invented?

From Quiz Know your Trumpet

Answer: 1815

Before 1815, music written for trumpet was intended to be played by the natural trumpet. This ancestor to the modern trumpet had no valves. This meant that the natural trumpet player was limited to about seven notes. However, the comfortable range on a modern trumpet can span almost three octaves (about 18 notes).

3. What is the trumpet fingering for the F sharp below middle C?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd valves down

This is the lowest possible note on a trumpet. The lowest pure tone playable on a standard B flat trumpet is middle C, and that can be lowered by a maximum of a diminished fifth on a trumpet, or six half steps, by the valve combination of having all valves down. This makes the F sharp under middle C the lowest playable note on a standard B flat trumpet.

4. In what key is the most common trumpet pitched?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Bb

The most common trumpet is pitched in Bb, and this means that it is a 'transposing instrument'. This means that, to play the same sound as a 'non-transposing instrument', such as a piano or violin, it would have to play a different note. Say for instance, the piano plays a concert 'A': if the trumpet was to play an 'A' as well, the two notes would sound different. So; for the trumpet to play the same note as the piano, it would have to play a 'B'.

5. Who is the founder of the trumpet group "Tijuana Brass?"

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Herb Alpert

Tijuana Brass, famous for "Spanish Flea" and "A Taste of Honey," was founded by trumpeter and record impressario Herb Alpert.

6. What is the fingering for the A written below middle C?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: 1st and 2nd valves (or 3rd valve alone)

Pressing of the first and second valves lowers the tone by a minor third. Pressing of the third valve alone lowers the tone by a minor third. Therefore the two valve combinations are interchangeable. This applies to all notes that use this valve combination, not just this specific A. Normally, the combination of the 1st and 2nd valves is used.

7. In the Baroque era, trumpeters were set apart from other musicians because of

From Quiz Trumpet Trivia

Answer: their guild of trumpeters and kettledrummers

In the Baroque era, trumpeters formed a guild that provided them with privileges above and beyond that of other musicians. The guild had rules regulating who could play trumpet, where they could play, and for whom they could play for. The members guarded their rights jealously and were in constant conflict with unguilded trumpeters.

8. What is the fingering for the note 'A#' or 'Bb' IN THE STAFF?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: 1

In the staff; 1-3 would create: 'D', 'G' and 'B'; 2-3 would create: 'Eb', 'Ab' and 'C'; and 1-2-3 would create: 'C#', 'F#' and 'A#'.

9. What is the main difference between the trumpet and the cornet?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Their bores are different

Trumpets and cornets can play the same music, and can be used almost interchangeably. The difference is that the cornet has a conical bore which increases in diameter throughout the length of the cornet. The trumpet has a cylindrical bore which stays the same diameter until flaring out for the bell.

10. What is the fingering for the B flat under middle C?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: 1st valve

The first valve lowers the tone by a major second, or two half steps.

11. What does a trumpet player have to do to change notes?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Finger a certain combination of valves AND change their embouchure shape

For a trumpet player to change notes successfully, they have to finger a certain combination of valves AND change the shape of their embouchure. If they only changed the combination of valves, the note would be out of tune; and if they only changed their embouchure shape, the note would simply bend or jump to the next note in the harmonic series.

12. Whose trumpet is slanted at the top?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Dizzy Gillespie

One story of how Dizzy's trumpet got its shape is that one time at a party, Dizzy's trumpet was stepped on. He did not have enough money to replace it, so it stayed. Gillespie's trumpet is now an icon...just like his cheeks.

13. What is the fingering for the B under middle C?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: 2nd valve

The second valve lowers the tone by a minor second, or one half step.

14. Here's one for an expert: How do you bend the trumpet into its shape without crumpling the tubing?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: fill the tubing with lead or another material

Once the tubes have been made the correct diameter and thickness, they are filled with lead or another material, then bent to shape. After the bending, the filling is melted out, leaving a hollow tube.

15. What is the fingering for middle C?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: Open

Middle C is the lowest playable tone on a trumpet, meaning the lowest playable note with an open fingering, or no valves held down. Any notes lower than it on a trumpet are reached by lowering this tone a number of steps.

16. In what way is a cornet's bore different from a trumpet's bore?

From Quiz Trumpet Trivia

Answer: it's conical

The cornet's bore is conical or gets progressively larger in diameter (ie. conical- cone). A trumpet's bore is cylindrical -- it's the same diameter for most of the tubing until it flares out into a bell.

17. How many valves does the standard Bb piccolo trumpet have?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: 4

The extra valve drops the pitch of a note by a perfect fourth.

18. The trumpet is an ancient instrument. In which famous king's tomb were two early trumpets found?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: King Tut

Trumpets have been found on every inhabited continent. The two from King Tut's tomb date from about 1500 BC!

19. What is the fingering for the C sharp above middle C?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: 1st, 2nd and 3rd valves

This note and the note one half step above it, namely the D above middle C, are naturally sharp on a standard B flat trumpet. Most trumpets have a way to extend the third valve's tuning slide to compensate for this.

20. Trumpets are commonly found in orchestras; which section are they in?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Brass

The trumpet is a brass instrument because of the mouthpiece used to play it. If you got this question wrong: oh dear!

21. What does a trumpet usually play in a school band or marching band?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Keeps the melody

The trumpet makes the melody of most marches, fight songs, and most other band songs.

22. What are the two different patterns used most often in triple tonguing?

From Quiz Know your Trumpet

Answer: tu tu ku, and sometimes tu ku tu

Triple tonguing is used on fast triplet passages within a piece. The standard triple tonguing pattern is tu tu ku, and is especially used during a set or chain of triplets. But some trumpet players will resort to tu ku tu when the triplet is isolated and emphasized.

23. What is the fingering for the E flat above middle C?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: 2nd and 3rd valves

The combination of 2nd and 3rd valves lowers the note by a major third.

24. Approximately, how long is the length of tubing required to make a Bb trumpet?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: 148cm

A Bb trumpet is around 148cm long - sometimes slightly longer, and other times slightly shorter. This particular number has been accurately worked out to make the trumpet sound in Bb.

25. What makes the trumpet's sound?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Your lips

Like all brass instruments, the trumpet's sound starts with the player's lips buzzing together into a mouthpiece.

26. For which two notes on the trumpet must the player pull out the third valve slide to keep them in tune?

From Quiz Know your Trumpet

Answer: Slightly on a low D, further on a low C#

Both the low C# and low D are naturally out of tune on the trumpet. However, the low C# is more out of tune than the D. This is corrected by lengthening the instrument slightly by pulling out the third valve slide.

27. What is the name of the hole at the end of the trumpet where the sound comes out of?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: Bell

The bell is not only for appearance, it can also help with the tuning of the instrument.

28. What is the lowest note in a trumpet' written range?

From Quiz The Trumpet

Answer: F# below middle C

Although you can play lower, its written range goes down to F#.

29. What is the first valve slide used for?

From Quiz Know your Trumpet

Answer: Improving naturally sharp notes such as the high A

The first valve slide is not used nearly as much as the third valve slide. In fact, many older trumpets didn't have first valve slide triggers for easy movement. But if the high A on your horn is particularly sharp, trumpet players may choose to pull out the slide a little.

30. How many half steps does the pressing of the first valve lower the tone from any note playable with open fingering?

From Quiz Trumpet Fingerings

Answer: 2 & two

This is because of a series of tubes which redirects the air through the first valve slide when the first valve is pressed, lowering the note by a major second.

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