Musical Instruments & Music History
1 / 15From classical symphony to jazz and rock — test your knowledge of musical instruments and music history!
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Around what year was the piano invented?
About Musical Instruments & Music History
Musical Instruments & Music History is a free general knowledge quiz with 15 multiple-choice questions with a mix of 6 medium, 6 easy, 3 hard questions. From classical symphony to jazz and rock — test your knowledge of musical instruments and music history! A typical run takes about 7 minutes, hints are always one tap away, and your streak ticks up the first time you finish a game on a given day.
A few sample questions
1. Around what year was the piano invented?
Answer: Around 1700
The piano was invented around 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Italy. He called it the 'pianoforte' because unlike the harpsichord, it could play both soft (piano) and loud (forte) notes.
2. Which of these instruments is NOT part of the violin family?
Answer: Oboe
The oboe is a woodwind instrument, not a string instrument. The violin family consists of the violin, viola, cello, and double bass, all played with a bow.
3. How many strings does a standard acoustic guitar have?
Answer: 6
A standard guitar has 6 strings. The strings are typically tuned to E, A, D, G, B, and E from lowest to highest. Bass guitars, by contrast, usually have 4 strings.
4. Who invented the saxophone?
Answer: Adolphe Sax
Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone in the early 1840s and patented it in 1846. He designed it to bridge the gap between brass and woodwind instruments.
5. The trumpet is a key instrument in which genre of American music?
Answer: Jazz
The trumpet is central to jazz music, with legends like Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis defining the genre. Armstrong's innovative style in the 1920s helped make jazz a worldwide phenomenon.
Things you'll learn along the way
- Timpani, also called kettledrums, are large copper drums that can be tuned to specific pitches. A standard orchestra typically uses four timpani, and they've been used in orchestras since the 17th century.
- Pipe organs produce sound by pushing air through pipes that vary in size from a few inches to over 30 feet long. The largest pipe organ in the world, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, has over 33,000 pipes.
- Stradivari crafted violins, violas, and cellos in Cremona, Italy, during the late 1600s and early 1700s. His instruments are considered the finest ever made, with some selling for over $15 million.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good follow-up after Musical Instruments & Music History?
If you enjoyed this general knowledge quiz, try the Daily Challenge — five rotating questions, refreshed every 24 hours, that count toward your streak. You can also use the Surprise Me button on the homepage to land on a different game type for variety.
Can I print Musical Instruments & Music History?
Yes — use the Print button at the top of the page for a clean question sheet, or "Print with Answers" to make an answer key. Printed sheets work well for group play at home, in a classroom, or at a senior center.
Will I lose my progress if I close the page?
Your overall progress — XP, streaks, and badges — is saved in your browser automatically. A quiz that's underway restarts if you leave mid-game, but at about 7 minutes, Musical Instruments & Music History fits comfortably in one sitting.
How many questions are in Musical Instruments & Music History?
Musical Instruments & Music History has 15 multiple-choice questions. Each one has four answer options and an explanation that appears after you answer, so you learn something even when you miss.
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