World Instruments Trivia Quiz

Answer: balalaika

This stringed instrument looks like a guitar, only it's triangular in shape. Its wooden body is covered by three strings. Like a guitar, the strings can be plucked or strummed. The origin of the balalaika is unknown but scholars generally agree that it most likely evolved from the domra, a Ukrainian stringed instrument belonging to the lute family.

Answer: toubeleki

This instrument is basically a small hand drum. It is most often associated with Greek folk music. The drum is made of clay or metal and covered by goat skin. It has an opening at the bottom. As simple as this instrument is, there's a proper method to playing it.

When a deeper, more resonant sound is desired, the player hits the middle area of the membrane. Softer sounds are produced by hitting the edges of the drum.

Answer: uilleann pipes

This ancient instrument is Ireland's version of bagpipes. It dates back to the fifth century. The name translates to "pipes of the elbow" due to the hand-operated bellows. A set of uilleann pipes consists of a bag, bellows, chanter, three drones and three regulators. Unlike Scottish bagpipes, the piper is seated while playing.

Although modern bagpipes take a while to learn to play, it takes years to master the complicated Uillean pipes. The result, however, is a hauntingly beautiful sound.

Answer: quqin

This ancient instrument, long associated with Confucius, is a member of the zither family. It has seven strings which are plucked to produce a soft sound. The instrument has a range of four octaves and a bass register. Historically the guqin was an instrument favored by the scholar-gentry.

Answer: drejelire

The drejelire, a type of hurdy-gurdy, is Sweden's national instrument. It consists of strings, keyboard, and a wheel made of rosin. The hand-cranked wheel works much like a violin bow by rubbing the strings in such a way as to produce sounds. Pitches are regulated by the keyboard.

The hurdy-gurdy was popular during the Renaissance. The rock band Weezer used a hurdy-gurdy in their song "Hang On."

Answer: duduk

The haunting sounds produced by this double-reed flute is similar to that of the English horn. The body of the instrument is made from aged apricot wood, a time-consuming process. Although the duduk is native to Armenia, it is played in other countries around the world. It's used primarily as a solo instrument and has been featured in such films as "Gladiator" and "Avatar."

Answer: semantron

Dating back to the Byzantine Empire, this simple percussion instrument was used primarily to call monks to prayer. It consists of a hardwood plank supported by two chains. Two wooden mallets are used to strike the plank in order to produce the intended sounds.

Although it was simply made, how and where the mallets were struck produced a wide variety of intonations. While bells were popular during this time period, the semantron was preferred. This instrument rose in popularity during the Ottoman Empire since bells were prohibited during that period.

Answer: Jew's harp

The name Jew's harp is a misnomer. The 'jew' in the name is a variation of the word 'jaw' and for good reason. The instrument consists of a metal or bamboo tongue attached to a frame. The player manipulates the tongue with his/her mouth to produce a single pitch with various harmonics.

The Jew's harp is a type of lamellophone which originated in Asia and Oceania but found its way to Europe sometime during the 14th century.

Answer: alphorn

Measuring 8 to 12 feet long, there's no mistaking this instrument. It's unique in appearance and sound due to its size and shape. Mountain dwellers of the Swiss Alps used the alphorn as a system of communication over far distances. The instrument consists of a long wooden body, made from pine or spruce, and a cup-shaped mouthpiece.

The player blows through the mouthpiece, into the instrument, and out comes its distinctive sound from a large opening at the end of the long tube, much like a very long pipe with a round open end.

Answer: ukulele

Nothing evokes the sounds of the Hawaiian Islands better than this stringed instrument. The ukulele, which resembles a small acoustic guitar, belongs to the lute family. Traditionally it has been made from acacia koa although cheaper versions are made from plywood.

The instrument contains four strings although it can use up to eight strings. At one time the strings were made from catgut but nowadays nylon is used. The ukulele typically consists of four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. Due to its adaptability to many forms of music, some well-known musicians who have mastered the ukulele are Don Ho, Pete Townshend, Eddie Vedder, Colbie Caillat, and Taylor Swift.