Jazz Instruments Quiz

Try out this Jazz Instruments quiz to test your knowledge. Jazz Instruments trivia explores the horns, rhythm sections, and keyboard sounds that helped define one of the world’s most influential musical traditions.

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15 questions

~3 min to finish

Easy to hard difficulty

450 pts max score

Question 1 · Hard · 40 pts
Despite the use of plastic in many modern models, the clarinet belongs to which instrument family?
Question 2 · Hard · 40 pts
On a trombone, what is the name of the position with the slide fully retracted?
Question 3 · Hard · 40 pts
What sits beneath vibraphone bars to help shape the instrument's sound?
Question 4 · Hard · 40 pts
The Hammond B-3 produces sound with what mechanism instead of strings?
Question 5 · Hard · 40 pts
During most of his Basie years, Freddie Green primarily played what type of guitar?
Question 6 · Hard · 40 pts
Most jazz alto saxophones are what kind of transposing instrument?
Question 7 · Hard · 40 pts
Most standard jazz notation is read on what kind of staff?
Question 8 · Hard · 40 pts
On a standard grand piano, which pedal is the sustain pedal?
Question 9 · Hard · 40 pts
Kenny Clarke is credited here with moving jazz drummers' timekeeping focus from the bass drum to what part of the kit?
Question 10 · Hard · 40 pts
Which drum-set voice did Gene Krupa help popularize as a featured sound in swing?
Question 11 · Easy · 10 pts
What type of reed does a clarinet use?
Question 12 · Easy · 10 pts
On a saxophone, which part holds the reed?
Question 13 · Easy · 10 pts
Which saxophone sounds lower: tenor or alto?
Question 14 · Easy · 10 pts
What device changes the tone color of a brass instrument?
Question 15 · Easy · 10 pts
Which hand drum is often heard in Latin jazz?

Despite the use of plastic in many modern models, the clarinet belongs to which instrument family?

On a trombone, what is the name of the position with the slide fully retracted?

What sits beneath vibraphone bars to help shape the instrument's sound?

The Hammond B-3 produces sound with what mechanism instead of strings?

During most of his Basie years, Freddie Green primarily played what type of guitar?

Most jazz alto saxophones are what kind of transposing instrument?

Most standard jazz notation is read on what kind of staff?

On a standard grand piano, which pedal is the sustain pedal?

Kenny Clarke is credited here with moving jazz drummers' timekeeping focus from the bass drum to what part of the kit?

Which drum-set voice did Gene Krupa help popularize as a featured sound in swing?

What type of reed does a clarinet use?

On a saxophone, which part holds the reed?

Which saxophone sounds lower: tenor or alto?

What device changes the tone color of a brass instrument?

Which hand drum is often heard in Latin jazz?