Chapter 10: Western Musical Instruments
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The instruments of the Western orchestra are categorized in four groups: strings, brass, percussion,
and _____.
a. flutes c. woodwinds
b. chordophones d. idiophones
2. Which is the correct order of bowed string instruments from highest to lowest in range?
a. violin, viola, cello, double bass c. viola, violin, cello, double bass
b. violin, cello, viola, double bass d. double bass, cello, viola, violin
3. The special effect produced on a string instrument by plucking the string with the finger is called:
a. vibrato. c. pizzicato.
b. glissando. d. tremolo.
4. In string playing, the rapid movement of the wrist and finger creates a throbbing effect called:
a. vibrato. c. pizzicato.
b. glissando. d. trill.
5. What is double-stopping?
a. a special staccato bow stroke
b. a technique for changing pitches on the French horn
c. playing on two strings at once
d. a lengthy pause in music
6. Chords whose notes are played in succession, as on the harp, are called:
a. scales. c. arpeggios.
b. glissandos. d. double stops.
7. Which of the following instruments is a member of the bowed string family?
a. the guitar c. the trumpet
b. the oboe d. the violin
8. Of the following, which is most likely to be played by a rock musician?
a. acoustic guitar c. solid-bodied electric guitar
b. hollow-bodied electric guitar d. mandolin
9. Woodwind instruments:
a. are all made of wood. c. all have a woody tone quality.
b. are all played with a wooden reed. d. all consist of a pipe with fingerholes.
10. The highest-sounding member of the woodwind family is the:
a. flute. c. clarinet.
b. oboe. d. piccolo.
11. Which instrument produces the lowest tone of the woodwinds?
a. the oboe c. the contrabassoon
b. the English horn d. the bass clarinet
12. Which instruments use a double-reed?
a. flute, oboe, clarinet c. clarinet, oboe, saxophone
b. oboe, bassoon, contrabassoon d. saxophone, oboe, contrabassoon
13. Which of the following is a double-reed instrument?
a. the clarinet c. the bassoon
b. the viola d. the saxophone
14. Which of the following is a member of the brass family?
a. flute c. English horn
b. harp d. tuba
15. Which of the following is true of all brass instruments?
a. They are made of metal.
b. They are blown with a metal mouthpiece.
c. Their sound is created by the vibration of the lips.
d. all of the answers shown here
16. The brass instrument sometimes described as possessing a brilliant timbre is the:
a. trumpet. c. clarinet.
b. French horn. d. violin.
17. Which of the following brass instruments is sometimes “stopped” by plugging the bell tightly with
the performer’s hand?
a. trumpet c. trombone
b. French horn d. tuba
18. Which brass instrument uses a large, movable, U-shaped slide to change notes?
a. trumpet c. trombone
b. French horn d. tuba
19. The bass instrument in the brass family is the:
a. double bass. c. bassoon.
b. trombone. d. tuba.
20. Timpani are members of the _____ family of instruments.
a. string c. percussion
b. brass d. woodwind
21. Which of the following is a percussion instrument?
a. timpani c. piano
b. harp d. harpsichord
22. Which of the following is a pitched percussion instrument?
a. xylophone c. bass drum
b. snare drum d. gong
23. Which of the following is an unpitched percussion instrument?
a. bass drum c. glockenspiel
b. timpani d. xylophone
24. The percussion family includes a variety of instruments that produce sound by:
a. strumming. c. plucking.
b. blowing air. d. striking or shaking.
25. The piano got its name, originally “pianoforte,” from:
a. the name of its inventor.
b. the fact that it could not sustain tones.
c. its wide dynamic range.
d. the way it was played late at night.
26. Which of the following statements best describes the organ?
a. Sound is created when air flows through pipes controlled by the organist.
b. Some organs have more than one keyboard, including one played by the feet.
c. The sound of an organ can be imitated by electric keyboards and synthesizers.
d. all of the answers shown here
27. String instruments excel at playing smooth, connected notes, which is called:
a. staccato. c. pizzicato.
b. legato. d. vibrato.
28. Brass and woodwind players refer to their entire oral mechanism of lips, lower facial muscles, and
jaw as:
a. the mouth. c. the sound hole.
b. the embouchure. d. their “mouth organ.”
29. Brass instruments are classified as:
a. idiophones. c. aerophones.
b. membranophones. d. chordophones.
30. The coronet is similar to which member of the brass family?
a. the violin c. the trombone
b. the trumpet d. the clarinet
31. The triangle, cymbals, gong, and tam-tam are examples of:
a. aerophones. c. idiophones.
b. chordophones. d. membranophones.
32. Which instrument produces sound by quills that pluck metal strings?
a. the guitar c. the mbira
b. the harpsichord d. the piano
1. String instruments are generally played by either bowing or plucking.
2. Italian instrument makers developed the violin between about 1600 and 1750.
3. The viola is somewhat smaller and higher pitched than the violin.
4. The term pizzicato means to play in a throbbing manner.
5. The guitar probably originated in Africa.
6. All woodwind instruments are made of wood.
7. The most recently invented member of the woodwind family is the saxophone.
8. A player’s embouchure refers to the position of the lips, jaw, and facial muscles.
9. The trumpet is the lowest-pitched instrument of the brass family.
10. The bugle has a wide range of pitches due to its valves.
11. The two categories of percussion instruments are pitched and unpitched.
12. Most percussion instruments fall into the categories of idiophones and aerophones.
13. Xylophone-like instruments are used in Africa, Southeast Asia, and throughout the Americas.
14. The piano is limited by a narrow range of pitches and dynamics.
15. The pipe organ is a type of wind instrument.
16. Staccato is the opposite of legato.
ESSAY
1. Choose four musical instruments, each representing one of the four families of instruments in the
Western orchestra, and describe their physical appearances and how they produce sound.
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 1 REF: Essentials: pp. 39–46
TOP: Western Instruments MSC: Applied
2. Describe the principal types of keyboard instruments and how they produce sound.
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: Essentials: p. 46
TOP: Western Instruments MSC: Applied
3. Describe one example of pitched and unpitched percussion instruments and how they produce
sound.
ANS:
Answer will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: Essentials: pp. 44–45
TOP: Western Instruments MSC: Applied