General Awareness ยท Social Science

Indian Music and Instruments

2,130 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 percussion instrument is known for its intricate and rhythmic patterns, often used to create a sense of excitement and energy in Bollywood dance numbers?

  1. Tabla

  2. Dholak

  3. Mridangam

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

The Tabla is a pair of hand drums that are played together to create complex and rhythmic patterns. It is a staple in Indian classical music and has become an integral part of Bollywood soundtracks, particularly in dance numbers, where its intricate beats add an infectious energy and excitement to the music.

Multiple choice

Which wind instrument is known for its piercing and high-pitched sound, often used to create a sense of urgency or excitement in Bollywood songs?

  1. Shehnai

  2. Flute

  3. Clarinet

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

The Shehnai is a double-reed wind instrument with a distinctive, piercing sound. It is often used in Indian classical music and has found its way into Bollywood soundtracks, where its high-pitched notes add a sense of urgency or excitement to songs, particularly in action sequences or celebratory moments.

Multiple choice

Which string instrument is known for its bright and cheerful sound, often used to create a sense of joy or celebration in Bollywood songs?

  1. Santoor

  2. Veena

  3. Esraj

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

The Santoor is a hammered dulcimer with a bright and cheerful sound. It is often used in Indian classical music and has become a popular instrument in Bollywood soundtracks, adding a sense of joy and celebration to songs, particularly in festive or upbeat sequences.

Multiple choice

Kathakali performances typically involve the use of which musical instruments?

  1. Chenda

  2. Maddalam

  3. Mizhavu

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Kathakali performances typically involve the use of a variety of musical instruments, including the Chenda, Maddalam, Mizhavu, and others, which provide rhythmic accompaniment to the dance and drama.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a common type of Indian tribal musical instrument?

  1. Drums

  2. Flutes

  3. Guitars

  4. Stringed instruments
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Guitars are not typically used in Indian tribal music, as they are not traditional instruments in tribal communities.

Multiple choice

Which instrument is commonly used in Bihu music?

  1. Dhol

  2. Pepa

  3. Sarangi

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

Dhol is a commonly used instrument in Bihu music.

Multiple choice

Which instrument is commonly used in Rongali Bihu music?

  1. Dhol

  2. Pepa

  3. Sarangi

  4. Tabla
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Pepa is a commonly used instrument in Rongali Bihu music.

Multiple choice

Which instrument is commonly used in Kati Bihu music?

  1. Dhol

  2. Pepa

  3. Sarangi

  4. Tabla
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Sarangi is a commonly used instrument in Kati Bihu music.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the traditional Gujarati musical instrument?

  1. Tabla

  2. Sitar

  3. Santoor

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

The harmonium is a popular traditional musical instrument in Gujarat, known for its keyboard and bellows that produce sound.

Multiple choice

Which Indian musical instrument is known for its distinctive gourd-shaped body and plucked strings?

  1. Sitar

  2. Tabla

  3. Sarod

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

The sitar is a stringed instrument that is widely used in Hindustani classical music. It is characterized by its long neck, gourd-shaped body, and sympathetic strings that resonate with the main strings to create a rich and complex sound.

Multiple choice

In Manipuri, what is the significance of the 'pung'?

  1. A barrel-shaped drum played with the hands

  2. A pair of cymbals

  3. A small gong

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

The 'pung' is a barrel-shaped drum played with the hands in Manipuri dance. It is used to provide rhythmic accompaniment and to enhance the dancer's movements.

Multiple choice

In Sattriya, what is the significance of the 'khol'?

  1. A barrel-shaped drum played with the hands

  2. A pair of cymbals

  3. A small gong

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

The 'khol' is a barrel-shaped drum played with the hands in Sattriya dance. It is used to provide rhythmic accompaniment and to enhance the dancer's movements.

Multiple choice

In Yakshagana, what is the purpose of the 'chenda'?

  1. A barrel-shaped drum played with the hands

  2. A pair of cymbals

  3. A small gong

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

The 'chenda' is a barrel-shaped drum played with the hands in Yakshagana. It is used to provide rhythmic accompaniment and to enhance the dancer's movements.

Multiple choice

In Kathak, what is the significance of the 'tabla'?

  1. A pair of drums played with the hands

  2. A pair of cymbals

  3. A small gong

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

The 'tabla' is a pair of drums played with the hands in Kathak. It is used to provide rhythmic accompaniment and to enhance the dancer's movements.

Multiple choice

In the folk music of the Punjab region of India, which instrument is often used to accompany songs of loss and mourning?

  1. Tabla

  2. Sitar

  3. Dhol

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

The algoza is a double-reed instrument that is often used to accompany songs of loss and mourning in the folk music of the Punjab region of India. It is a plaintive and melancholic instrument that is well-suited to expressing the emotions of grief and sorrow.