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Basic Orchestral Instruments

What are the basic strings, brass, and woodwind instruments found in most pieces of music performed by a symphony orchestra?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: October 14, 2024
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First submittedJanuary 27, 2013
Times taken151,959
Average score83.3%
Rating4.24
2:00
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Strings
Cello
Double Bass
Viola
Violin
Brass
French Horn
Trombone
Trumpet
Tuba
Woodwinds
Bassoon
Clarinet
Flute
Oboe
17 Comments
+19
Level ∞
Oct 14, 2024
This quiz has been redone to include only the basic instruments. The number of possible other instruments, including percussion, is almost too numerous to mention, and there is no "official" instrumentation.
+16
Level 76
Oct 14, 2024
I think that’s a fair fix! Though I think the Music Badge requirements now need to be tweaked
+7
Level 78
Oct 14, 2024
Yeah, you still need twenty to make progress on the badge.
+10
Level 84
Oct 14, 2024
Yes, I just saw that! This quiz is simultaneously very easy (and given it took me 21 seconds, I think the time limit could probably be reduced a bit from 5 minutes...) and at the same time, the hardest quiz on the site right now, given that you need to score 20 out of 12 on it for the music badge.
+5
Level ∞
Oct 14, 2024
Fixed
+4
Level 69
Oct 14, 2024
You should have kept timpani.
+7
Level 50
Oct 14, 2024
[Spoiler Alert] There's a particular order in which these should be listed in: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, [Add timpani, it's the one percussion standard in the orchestra most of the time], Violin, Viola, Bass
+1
Level 43
Oct 15, 2024
Yes! Some much needed direction in this lost alteration. You missed Cello thought, between Viola and Bass.
+1
Level 61
Oct 15, 2024
It certainly threw me off when violin appeared at the bottom.
+2
Level 89
Oct 14, 2024
I think that there's too much time given the amount of answers. Whaddaya think?
+3
Level ∞
Oct 14, 2024
Yes. Reduced the time.
+1
Level 68
Oct 17, 2024
Full marks for The Robbster.
+2
Level 68
Oct 17, 2024
Note: if you type bassoon, you automatically get the answer correct for double bass first as you accept 'bass'.
+1
Level 77
Nov 5, 2024
I would add the timpani to this list. Arguably more basic than the tuba, which didn't even exist yet in Beethoven's time.
+1
Level 40
Jun 10, 2025
percussion isn't on here

if it were to be, a lot of things would likely be added

+1
Level 32
Dec 11, 2024
you should add the saxophone maybe im biased tho
+2
Level 39
Feb 19, 2025
Sax usually isn't in full symphony orchestra pieces, since it wasn't invented until long after most were written. Modern concert band pieces do feature it though.