String Theory for Kids! Trivia Quiz

Answer: How loose or tight the string is.

The thickness, length, and tension of the strings all affect the pitch or tone the string makes. The tighter the string is, the higher the pitch will be. Short and thin strings will also make the pitch higher.

Answer: Violin

Violins, sometimes called fiddles, are generally played by bowing, but there are some other techniques that can be used while playing. One such technique is called pizzicato, where a note is played by plucking the string with the fingers.

Answer: Violoncello

Part of the violin family, the violoncello is a bowed instrument with four strings. The cello is played while seated with the instrument between the legs, supported on the floor by an endpin (spike). The violone, from which the violoncello gets its name, is no longer played. It was similar to a double bass, which is larger than a cello.

Answer: Plucking

Plucking can also be called strumming or picking, and is a method for making the strings of an instrument vibrate by using either the fingers or a plectrum. A plectrum, also called a pick, is a flat tool which can be made of just about any material and is usually small.

Answer: It makes the sound louder.

The sound produced by a vibrating string is very soft. The sound box, also called a resonator, makes the sound produced by the vibration of the strings louder by giving it a larger vibrating surface area so that it moves more air. The sound box is hollow and is usually the largest part of the instrument.

Answer: Appalachian dulcimer

Native to the Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United States, it can also be called a "mountain dulcimer". It is a plucked instrument that has its sound box under the fingerboard. It is not the same as a hammered dulcimer, which is shaped like a trapezoid and is played by striking the strings with mallets instead of plucking them.

Answer: Piano

The piano is a string instrument since the sound comes from strings, but it is also a percussion instrument since hammers are used to strike the strings. A zither is a string instrument that has its strings attached to a body. Grand pianos have their strings stretched horizontally, while upright pianos have the strings arranged vertically.

Answer: Banjo

Though it was in America that the fifth string was added, the banjo actually began to develop in Africa. Scruggs-style uses three picks attached to the player's fingers to strum the banjo. This style is named after Earl Scruggs, who popularized three-finger picking while playing as a member of the Blue Grass Boys.

Answer: True

Red strings are for C, black or blue strings are for F, and all other notes get white or uncolored strings. Unlike many other string instruments, harp strings are perpendicular to the soundboard. Harps have been around for a very long time and are depicted on some wall paintings from ancient civilizations, like Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Answer: Luthier

The word luthier is derived from the French 'luth', meaning 'lute'. Luthiers can make new string instruments, make adjustments to old ones, or fix any damage to the instrument. A work that a luthier does is called lutherie.