General Awareness ยท Social Science

Indian Music and Instruments

2,230 Questions

Indian music and instruments encompass a rich variety of traditional percussion, string, and wind tools used across regional cultures. This collection features questions on folk drums, devotional instruments, and classical accompaniments. It is a crucial Art and Culture topic for SSC, UPSC, and State PSC exams.

Traditional folk drumsDevotional music instrumentsClassical dance accompanimentPercussion instrumentsRegional musical instruments

Indian Music and Instruments Questions

Multiple choice

Which folk music form is known for its use of traditional instruments like the sarangi, harmonium, and tabla, and its focus on devotional songs and mystical themes?

  1. Bhangra

  2. Qawwali

  3. Baul

  4. Sufi
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Sufi is a folk music form that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is characterized by its use of traditional instruments, devotional songs, and mystical themes.

Multiple choice

Which folk music form is known for its use of traditional instruments like the flute, dholak, and harmonium, and its focus on love songs and ballads?

  1. Bhangra

  2. Qawwali

  3. Baul

  4. Malwai
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Malwai is a folk music form that originated in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. It is characterized by its use of traditional instruments, love songs, and ballads.

Multiple choice

Which folk music form is known for its use of traditional instruments like the rabab, sarangi, and tabla, and its focus on devotional songs and mystical themes?

  1. Bhangra

  2. Qawwali

  3. Baul

  4. Mirasi
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Mirasi is a folk music form that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is characterized by its use of traditional instruments, devotional songs, and mystical themes.

Multiple choice

Which folk music form is known for its use of traditional instruments like the harmonium, tabla, and sitar, and its focus on love songs and ballads?

  1. Bhangra

  2. Qawwali

  3. Baul

  4. Thumri
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Thumri is a folk music form that originated in North India. It is characterized by its use of traditional instruments, love songs, and ballads.

Multiple choice

Which folk music form is known for its use of traditional instruments like the dhol, nagada, and shehnai, and its focus on devotional songs and religious themes?

  1. Bhangra

  2. Qawwali

  3. Baul

  4. Jagran
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Jagran is a folk music form that originated in North India. It is characterized by its use of traditional instruments, devotional songs, and religious themes.

Multiple choice

Which folk music form is known for its use of traditional instruments like the harmonium, tabla, and sitar, and its focus on classical ragas and melodies?

  1. Bhangra

  2. Qawwali

  3. Baul

  4. Khayal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Khayal is a folk music form that originated in North India. It is characterized by its use of traditional instruments, classical ragas, and melodies.

Multiple choice

Which instrument is known for its mesmerizing, plucked strings, often used in classical Indian music?

  1. Sitar

  2. Tabla

  3. Sarangi

  4. Harmonium
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The sitar is a stringed instrument with a long neck and a gourd-shaped body. Its distinctive sound is created by plucking the strings with a wire plectrum, resulting in a rich and resonant tone.

Multiple choice

What is the primary percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music, known for its intricate rhythmic patterns?

  1. Tabla

  2. Dholak

  3. Pakhawaj

  4. Mridangam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The tabla is a pair of hand drums, played with the fingers and palms. It produces a wide range of sounds, from deep bass tones to crisp, high-pitched accents, creating a complex and captivating rhythmic foundation.

Multiple choice

Which bowed string instrument is often used in folk and devotional music, producing a melancholic and soulful sound?

  1. Sarangi

  2. Violin

  3. Esraj

  4. Shehnai
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The sarangi is a bowed string instrument with a short neck and a rounded body. Its unique sound is characterized by its sympathetic strings, which resonate along with the main strings, creating a rich and emotive tone.

Multiple choice

Identify the keyboard instrument commonly found in Indian classical and devotional music, known for its harmonium-like sound.

  1. Harmonium

  2. Piano

  3. Organ

  4. Synthesizer
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The harmonium is a keyboard instrument with a bellows-operated air chamber. It produces a sustained, drone-like sound, often used to accompany vocal performances or provide a harmonic foundation for melodies.

Multiple choice

Which instrument is a double-headed drum, played with sticks, and is commonly used in Carnatic classical music?

  1. Mridangam

  2. Tabla

  3. Pakhawaj

  4. Dholak
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The mridangam is a double-headed drum with a barrel-shaped body. It is played with two wooden sticks, producing a deep, resonant sound that complements the melodic instruments in Carnatic music.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the flute-like instrument made of bamboo, often used in folk and devotional music?

  1. Bansuri

  2. Shehnai

  3. Nadaswaram

  4. Piccolo
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The bansuri is a transverse flute made of bamboo. It is known for its sweet, mellow tone and is commonly used in Indian classical, folk, and devotional music.

Multiple choice

Which instrument is a bowed string instrument with a long neck and a gourd-shaped body, often used in Hindustani classical music?

  1. Sarod

  2. Sitar

  3. Sarangi

  4. Esraj
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The sarod is a bowed string instrument with a long neck and a gourd-shaped body. Its sound is characterized by its deep, resonant tone and is often used in Hindustani classical music.

Multiple choice

Which instrument is a pair of small hand cymbals, commonly used in Indian classical, folk, and devotional music?

  1. Manjira

  2. Ghungroo

  3. Kartal

  4. Jhanj
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The manjira is a pair of small hand cymbals made of brass or bronze. They are played by striking them together, producing a bright, metallic sound.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the stringed instrument with a trapezoidal body and a long neck, often used in Carnatic classical music?

  1. Veena

  2. Sitar

  3. Sarod

  4. Sarangi
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The veena is a stringed instrument with a trapezoidal body and a long neck. It is known for its rich, resonant sound and is considered one of the most important instruments in Carnatic classical music.