The bonang is an Indonesian instrument commonly known for being part of an ensemble known as a gamelan. It would be uncommon to see a gamelan without one of these; they're the bronze kettles tuned to different pitches so that when organized correctly and struck with mallets they can create a tune.
A gamelan typically also features a drum known as a kendang or a stringed instrument known as a rebab; woodwinds of various types are also not uncommon.
2. Marimba
Answer: Percussion
Similar to a glockenspiel in that it consists of bars struck with mallets, the marimba is made with wooden bars, usually rosewood, and perched on a series of resonator pipes to increase volume (the pitch is in the bars, of course). The device is, naturally, percussion since you strike the bars with a mallet. Evolving from African xylophones, the marimba is said to have been created by Latin Americans during the times of slavery.
A similar instrument, the flapamba, works the same way, but you can shift the bars to affect pitch.
3. Nabal
Answer: Brass
The nabal is a long horn typically used in Asian military processions and though you're more likely to see modern instruments (bugles, trumpets, etc.) nowadays, nabals are still traditionally used in nations like South Korea. Unlike most brass instruments which have pitch control shifted by valves or similar machinations, nabals...well...don't.
These instruments are meant to hold a single note and nothing more. No one said it needed to be adaptable.
4. Sarinda
Answer: Strings
Similar to a lute, the sarinda is a bowed string instrument originating in India and Nepal. The soundbox's design can vary, and so can the number of strings, but the instrument is always played the same-- upright-- and created with natural materials (including animal skins).
The sarinda is a bit archaic though. Nowadays you're more likely to come across a sarangi, a cedar-made device played in much the same way but designed with more precision. The sarangi is, instead, used in classical music of the region.
5. Bock-a-da-bock
Answer: Percussion
I know-- it sounds like you're playing a chicken. You're not. This instrument looks like two cymbals held by a clamp, and it's certainly made to be played like that. When you clamp the device shut, the two cymbals close together, percussively, to make a tinny sound.
Although rarely used in modern times, they were originally created as a portable solution for early studio recordings, especially in American jazz. As the years moved on, the cymbals became less of an issue on a regular studio drum set.
6. Gambus
Answer: Strings
The gambus, similar to a lute, is a plucked instrument that seems to have originated in the nation of Yemen and is believed to be a variation of the oud, a comparable Middle Eastern/Northern African instrument. Both the gambus and the oud have around a dozen pluckable strings (the oud can vary a bit).
The oud rose in prominence over the centuries, possibly because of its cultural and religious ties, but the gambus fell out of favour in the Middle East. That said, it did spread across the ocean to Southeast Asia.
7. Tárogató
Answer: Woodwind
The tárogató is a woodwind instrument with a history stretching back to the Eastern European Middle Ages. Appearing usually as a conical version of a clarinet, the tárogató is a reed instrument that can be controlled using keys/valves. Because of the sound it produces, it's often described as 'the wooden saxophone', and with that in mind it's not too surprising that it has been used in the past as a military instrument.
In modern times, however, it's rarely seen and not generally implemented in popular music.
8. Buccina
Answer: Brass
A generally bulky instrument due to its size, the buccina is a curved instrument that acted as a precursor to many modern brass music makers. In fact, buccina parts in orchestras have been, historically, replaced by trumpets and other horns. The instrument was used as far back as in Roman times, ideally for military purposes, before being refined into variations of instruments we see today. Like a tuba, the buccina was constructed to fit around the shoulder of its wearer-- it was that big.
9. Dulcimer
Answer: Strings
The interesting thing I found out when researching the dulcimer is that it's referred to as a 'species of zither'. Now no one told me that instruments can be referred to as species, and if THAT isn't Interesting Information, I don't know what is. And that's coming from someone who just wrote a question about something called a Bock-a-da-bock which, I guess I'll say it now, might as well be from a Muppet show.
But I digress. We're really here for the dulcimer, an instrument which, since it's stringed, has many variations since people can strum them or use a bow on them or strike them with hammers as though a percussion/string hybrid. There's a version of the dulcimer that was invented in the Appalachians, but you should expect no less from such a unique 'species of zither'.
I love that phrase.
10. Xaphoon
Answer: Woodwind
The single reed xaphoon has a funny name, but there is NOTHING funny about it. Actually, that's a lie. This funny, little woodwind uses a single reed and plays simply. Since there are no keys to press, notes are created by covering fingerholes, kind of like using a cheap plastic recorder.
Despite this, the cylindrical xaphoon is a resilient and comfortable instrument. In cases where wood isn't used, plastic is often a reliable substitute since these woodwinds are often made with finger placement in mind.
In other words, the fingerholes do not form a straight line; they're placed in a more natural sequence. The xaphoon was first made in Hawaii out of bamboo.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor 1nn1 before going online.
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