BM or BMus Bachelor of Music Musical Instruments 4

Question 1

What material are the reeds of a clarinet typically made from?

Accepted Answer

Arundo donax (cane)

Answer

Clarinet reeds are traditionally made from Arundo donax, a type of cane grass grown primarily in the Mediterranean region.

Question 2

The 'col legno' technique in string playing means:

Accepted Answer

Playing with the wood of the bow

Answer

Col legno means 'with the wood'—the player strikes or draws the wooden stick of the bow across the strings instead of the hair.

Question 3

Which woodwind instrument is the lowest-pitched standard member of the woodwind family in the orchestra?

Accepted Answer

Contrabassoon

Answer

The contrabassoon (double bassoon) is the lowest-pitched standard woodwind in the orchestra, sounding an octave below the bassoon.

Question 4

What is the role of the 'soundpost' inside a violin?

Accepted Answer

It transmits vibrations from the top plate to the back plate

Answer

The soundpost is a small wooden dowel inside the violin that transmits vibrations between the top and back plates, critically affecting tone.

Question 5

The French horn is descended from which earlier instrument?

Accepted Answer

The hunting horn

Answer

The French horn evolved from the natural hunting horn used in the field, gradually gaining crooks and then rotary valves for chromatic playing.

BM or BMus Bachelor of Music Practice Test