General Awareness · History

Musical Instruments

2,912 Questions

Musical instruments are categorized into strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion. This hub offers practice questions on instruments like the Santoor, gayageum, and bandoneon across various cultures. This topic is a regular feature in general awareness sections of competitive exams.

String instrumentsBrass instrumentsWoodwind techniquesTraditional folk instrumentsGlobal music traditions

Musical Instruments Questions

Multiple choice general knowledge
  1. Tom

  2. Snare

  3. Congo

  4. High Hat

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A standard drum kit (drum set) typically includes bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, and cymbals like hi-hat and crash/ride. Congas are Latin percussion instruments that are not part of a standard drum kit setup - they are separate instruments played with the hands and are common in Afro-Caribbean and Latin music styles.

Multiple choice general knowledge
  1. Violin

  2. Trumpet

  3. Guitar

  4. Veena

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The question asks to identify the 'odd one out' among instruments. Trumpet is the only wind instrument among string instruments (Violin, Guitar, Veena). While the question could be interpreted as finding an instrument that doesn't belong, it's most likely testing wind vs. string instrument classification. All options are valid musical instruments, but trumpet is uniquely a brass/wind instrument while the others are stringed.

Multiple choice general knowledge
  1. sarod

  2. harp

  3. cello

  4. viola

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C,D Correct answer
Explanation

The violin family consists of instruments of the same construction pattern: violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Both cello and viola belong to this family - the cello is larger and plays lower registers, while the viola is between violin and cello in size and pitch. Sarod is a Indian string instrument, and harp is a different instrument family altogether.

Multiple choice general knowledge
  1. 5 strings

  2. 4 strings

  3. 3 strings

  4. 6 strings

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A standard violin has 4 strings tuned to G3, D4, A4, and E5. Options A (5 strings), C (3 strings), and D (6 strings) are incorrect as they suggest non-standard string configurations.

Multiple choice general knowledge
  1. tenor

  2. bass

  3. alto

  4. jazz

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Tenor, bass, and alto are all specific voice types or vocal ranges in music classification. Jazz is a broad musical genre/style, not a voice type, making it the odd one out in this grouping.

Multiple choice general knowledge culture
  1. It is plucked

  2. like a violin.

  3. with your fingers

  4. With a bow.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The sarod is a plucked string instrument, played with a plectrum (javari) made of coconut shell. Unlike violin-type instruments which use a bow, or instruments played directly with fingers, the sarod is characterized by its plucking technique using a pick. This creates its distinctive metallic, resonant sound.

Multiple choice general knowledge
  1. Woodwind

  2. Brass

  3. Strings

  4. Percussion

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The violin belongs to the string family because it produces sound through vibrating strings. The player draws a bow across the strings (or plucks them) to create vibrations, which are amplified by the wooden body. Other string instruments include viola, cello, and double bass.