Musical Instruments Not Found in Most Orchestras Quiz

Answer: Balalaika

The Balalaika was invented between the late 17th century and early 18th century in Russia. It has a triangular body of varying sizes and only three strings that can be played with fingers or a pick called a plectrum. The plectrum can be the size of an adult shoe sole for playing very large balalaikas.

Answer: Bagpipes

The Great Highland Bagpipe is what most people think of when you mention bagpipes, but they actually come in a wide variety of styles and are played according to local traditions all over the world in places such as Asia, the South Pacific, Africa and all across Europe.

Answer: Pungi

The Pungi is woodwind made of a hollowed out gourd attached to two tubes of bamboo or reeds with seven finger holes. The Hulusi is a similar Chinese instrument, and the Bansuri is an Indian flute made totally of bamboo with six finger holes. A pan flute is a set of tubes in graduated lengths closed at one end.

Answer: Spoons

While not known to have any connection to Judaism this instrument is believed to be one of the world's oldest surviving instrument prototypes. All names stated, except spoons, describe this musical instrument. Its origin is in Asia and can be seen in a picture that is dated fourth century BC from China.

Answer: Bongo Drums

Bongos are joined small drums held between the performer's legs and played with the fingers. Conga drums are much larger barrel shaped relatives of bongo drums, often used by Desi Arnaz to play Babalu. Tabla are very similar to bongo drums yet are mainly used in Hindu regions such as India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Gongs are usually flat metal discs that are hit with a drum mallet to make a reverberating single tone.

Answer: Ukulele

The Ukulele received renewed interest on the US mainland in the mid to late 20th century when played by performers such as Arthur Godfrey and Tiny Tim. Slide Guitar is a guitar technique used in some Hawaiian music, not an instrument. A Xaphoon is also known as a Bamboo Saxophone, yet it looks more like a clarinet.

A ka'eke'eke is a bamboo tube that is pounded on the ground to provide a beat to accompany hula dancing.

Answer: Didgeridoo

The name Didgeridoo is most familiar, but there are at least 40 other names coined by the aborigines for this instrument. Both the bassoon and oboe are fairly common orchestral woodwinds with two reeds. The Alphorn is about eight feet long and is used mainly in the Swiss mountains to communicate over distances in a code of sorts.

Answer: Accordion

In recent times accordions have been relegated to use in folk music such as polkas or other ethnic music. Concertinas are smaller with a rounded coil-shaped bellows. A melodeon is an instrument similar to the accordion in operation but sits on the floor like a piece of furniture. Bandonions, similar to concertinas, are popular in South America.

Answer: Banjo

Fiddle is a homespun name for a violin. A banza is similar to a banjo but has ten strings. A sitar is a four-foot long instrument with a pear-shaped body and up to 21 strings repopularized in the 1960s and 1970s by rock groups influenced by Ravi Shankar.

Answer: Harmonica

A slide whistle changes tones by shortening and lengthening the main tube with a piston like action. The Ocarina family of instruments dates back over 10,000 years, and currently, it can be made of plastic, bone, ceramic, or other materials with anywhere between 4 to twelve holes. Harmonica playing is beneficial to patients with emphysema and other chronic respiratory illnesses because it requires deep inhalation and exhalation.