Grade Five Music Theory Lesson 15: Instruments of the Orchestra Exercises
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General Knowledge Questions on the Standard Orchestral Instruments
1. Underline one of the following instruments which could play a piece of flute music so that it sounds at the same pitch:
Trombone - Timpani - Violin - French Horn
2. Now name the family of standard orchestral instruments to which the instrument you have underlined belongs and state its lowest-sounding member.
Family ___________________ Instrument _________________
3. Underline one of the following instruments which could play a piece of clarinet music so that it sounds at the same pitch:
Tuba - Viola - Oboe - Trumpet
4. Now name the family of standard orchestral instruments to which the instrument you have underlined belongs and state its lowest-sounding member.
Family ___________________ Instrument _________________
5. Underline one of the following instruments which could play a piece of cello music so that it sounds at the same pitch:
Bassoon - Cymbals - Viola - Clarinet
6. Now name the family of standard orchestral instruments to which the instrument you have underlined belongs and state its highest-sounding member.
Family ___________________ Instrument _________________
7. Write the instruments given below in the correct order from lowest to highest.
Trombone - Tuba - Trumpet - French Horn
8. Write the voices given below in the correct order from lowest to highest.
Alto - Bass - Mezzo soprano - Baritone - Tenor - Soprano
9. Name a standard orchestral instrument that normally uses the bass clef and state the family to which it belongs.
Instrument __________________ Family _______________________
10. Name a standard orchestral instrument that normally uses the alto clef and state the family to which it belongs.
Instrument ___________________ Family _______________________
11. Name a standard orchestral instrument that normally uses the treble clef and state the family to which it belongs.
Instrument ___________________ Family _______________________
12. Name the highest sounding member of each family of instruments:
Woodwind _____________ Strings _______________ Brass ________________
13. Name the lowest sounding member of each family of instruments:
Woodwind _____________ Strings _______________ Brass ________________
14. Name two double-reed instruments.
15. Which of these instruments is unpitched?
Xylophone - French Horn - Gong - Oboe
16. Complete the following statements:
- The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family of standard orchestral instruments.
- The member of that family next in pitch above the clarinet is the (1)_______________ and it normally uses the (2)______________ clef.
- The string family is another family of standard orchestral instruments and its lowest-sounding member is the (3)_________________.
- The member of the string family next in pitch above the cello is the (4)_______________ and it normally uses the (5)_____________ clef.
