Instruments of the Orchestra Trivia Quiz

Answer: Clarinet

The clarinet was developed in the early 18th century by Johann Christoph Denner who made an alteration to the existing baroque instrument called the chalumeau. He added a register key, which allowed for a higher register to be played. Today the low register of the clarinet is called the chalumeau register, while the upper is called the clarion register.

The clarinet has a nearly four octave range, and is a transposing instrument pitched in the key of B-flat.

Answer: Violin

The violin family of instruments was first developed in the 16th century, but it wasn't until the following century that the design settled into what is considered the modern form. There have been minor changes made to the overall pattern since that time, but instruments from that time (have you heard of Stradivarius?) are still sought after and played to this day.

Answer: Marimba

The marimba is very similar to the xylophone - both having wooden bars - but the marimba is set apart by the use of resonators through the whole range of the instrument. The other choices (chimes, glockenspiel and vibraphone) are all metal barred percussion instruments.

The marimba was first developed in Guatemala, and can vary in range from four to five-and-a-half octaves.

Answer: Trombone

The slide trombone (literally translated as 'large trumpet') works on the same principle as the other valved brass instruments, only instead of making the instrument longer by adding tubing through valves, a long sliding tube is used. The seven positions of the slide are the same as the seven different valve fingerings.

The trombone is pitched in B-flat, but its music is generally notated in concert pitch in the bass clef.

Answer: True

As a piano makes its sound through the striking of the strings by small padded hammers, it qualifies as both a percussion instrument and a string instrument. In other words, it is a struck chordophone. The hammers are, of course, operated through a mechanism that transfers the pressing of one's fingers on a key. And the piano's wonderful advancement from its predecessors (like the harpsichord) is implicit in its full name 'pianoforte'. It is able to play both softly and loudly - if you press a key softly, the hammer strikes the string softly; hit it hard and you get a loud sound.

A piano's 88 keys means that it has a range of seven (and a bit) octaves.

Answer: Oboe

The oboe has no tuning mechanism, as most other wind and string instruments have. Rather, tuning is done by adjustments to the performer's embouchure. For this reason, the oboe is chosen as the instrument to play the A=440 pitch for the rest of the orchestra to tune to. Typically, the concert master (or mistress) manages the tuning process, having the oboe play the A for each section of the orchestra in turn.

The oboe has a three-and-a-half octave range, and is a non-transposing (concert C) instrument.

The double reed family of woodwind instruments holds a special place in my heart, as I play the oboe, English horn, and the bassoon. Hence my name 'reedy'.

Answer: Double Bass

Due to the higher tension that comes with the longer strings associated with the double bass, it makes sense that the tuning mechanism used is a little sturdier than the friction system used by the rest of the violin family.

In the modern orchestra, the double bass has the smallest representation of its extended family. There are (typically) eight double basses, compared to ten cellos, twelve violas, fourteen 2nd violins, and sixteen 1st violins.

Answer: Timpani

Okay, technically a single timpani is called a timpano, but you will rarely ever hear that term, at least in English-speaking countries. Generally, they are referred to as kettledrums, timpani, or timps (and sometimes even timpanis, although that is quite incorrect).

Timpani come in a (standard) set of five, each being a different size, and thus having a different tunable range. Tuning is accomplished with a foot pedal that tightens and loosens the drum's head, accordingly.

Answer: French horn

The two most common French horns are pitched in F and in B-flat; for this reason there exist double French horns that have both combined into one instrument. The switch between the two is accomplished by a trigger, played with the thumb.

A unique feature of the French horn is the use of the hand in the bell. By placing more of the hand further into the bell, the performer can flatten the note being played, as much as a full semitone! Some written music actually calls for 'stopped' horn, where the hand essentially works as a mute, while also lowering the pitch. It is an interesting effect, making the horn sound as if it is far off in the distance.

Answer: True

There are many different styles of harp in the world, but the concert or pedal harp was first developed in 1697 by Jakob Hochbrucker of Bavaria. Concert harps have a six-and-a-half octave range, and typically have 46 or 47 strings. There are seven pedals, allowing the ability to change any of the seven pitch-classes (A,B,C,D,E,F,G) a half-step.