Marimba Quiz Questions and Answers
Q1. What is the primary material used for the bars of a modern marimba?
A. Metal
B. Wood
C. Synthetic plastic
D. Stone
Answer: B. Wood
Q2. The marimba belongs to which family of musical instruments?
A. Chordophone
B. Aerophone
C. Idiophone
D. Membranophone
Answer: C. Idiophone
Q3. What structure is suspended below each bar on a marimba to amplify the sound?
A. Resonator pipes
B. Metal bells
C. Drum heads
D. Strings
Answer: A. Resonator pipes
Q4. Traditional early marimbas often used which natural material as resonators instead of metal pipes?
A. Bamboo
B. Gourds
C. Clay pots
D. Animal horns
Answer: B. Gourds
Q5. The marimba is believed to have originated in which continent?
A. Asia
B. Europe
C. Africa
D. South America
Answer: C. Africa
Q6. In which country is the marimba officially recognized as the national instrument?
A. Mexico
B. Guatemala
C. Brazil
D. Japan
Answer: B. Guatemala
Q7. What is a key difference in sound between the marimba and the xylophone?
A. Marimba has a brighter, piercing tone
B. Xylophone uses resonators
C. Marimba has a softer, warmer, more resonant tone
D. Marimba bars are metal
Answer: C. Marimba has a softer, warmer, more resonant tone
Q8. Modern concert marimbas typically have a range of how many octaves?
A. 3 octaves
B. 4 to 5 octaves
C. 6 to 7 octaves
D. 2 octaves
Answer: B. 4 to 5 octaves
Q9. Who is credited with popularizing the marimba in the United States in the early 20th century?
A. Clair Omar Musser
B. Ney Rosauro
C. Keiko Abe
D. Paul Creston
Answer: A. Clair Omar Musser
Q10. Japanese marimbist Keiko Abe is renowned for collaborating with which company to develop modern marimbas?
A. Deagan
B. Musser
C. Yamaha
D. Adams
Answer: C. Yamaha
Q11. What grip technique is commonly associated with Clair Omar Musser?
A. Burton grip
B. Traditional cross grip
C. Six-mallet grip
D. Musser-Stevens grip
Answer: D. Musser-Stevens grip
Q12. The bars on a marimba are arranged in a layout similar to which instrument?
A. Drum set
B. Piano keyboard
C. Guitar fretboard
D. Violin strings
Answer: B. Piano keyboard
Q13. Which composer wrote the first known concertino for marimba and orchestra in 1940?
A. Paul Creston
B. Darius Milhaud
C. Ney Rosauro
D. Emmanuel Sejourne
Answer: A. Paul Creston
Q14. Darius Milhaud’s 1947 work featured the marimba alongside which other instrument?
A. Xylophone
B. Vibraphone
C. Glockenspiel
D. Timpani
Answer: B. Vibraphone
Q15. Marimba mallets are typically wrapped in what material to produce its characteristic warm tone?
A. Hard rubber
B. Metal
C. Wood
D. Yarn or soft rubber
Answer: D. Yarn or soft rubber
Q16. How many mallets do advanced marimba players commonly use to play chords and complex passages?
A. Two
B. Four
C. Six
D. Eight
Answer: B. Four
Q17. The word “marimba” derives from which language family, meaning something like “many bars”?
A. Bantu
B. Latin
C. Mayan
D. Spanish
Answer: A. Bantu
Q18. In traditional Central American marimba ensembles, how many players might perform on a large instrument?
A. One
B. Two to four
C. Five to seven
D. Eight or more
Answer: B. Two to four
Q19. Which overtone is primarily emphasized in marimba bar tuning for its mellow sound?
A. Fundamental and third harmonic
B. Second and fifth harmonics
C. Fundamental and fourth harmonic
D. Only the fundamental
Answer: C. Fundamental and fourth harmonic
Q20. Ney Rosauro is famous for composing which popular marimba concerto?
A. Concerto for Marimba and Vibraphone
B. Prism Rhapsody
C. Concertino for Marimba
D. Concerto No. 1 for Marimba and Orchestra
Answer: D. Concerto No. 1 for Marimba and Orchestra
Q21. What is the typical starting low note on a standard 5-octave concert marimba?
A. F2
B. C3
C. C2
D. A2
Answer: C. C2
Q22. Clair Omar Musser designed innovative marimbas and led large ensembles at which event in the 1930s?
A. Olympic Games
B. Chicago World’s Fair
C. New York Expo
D. Paris Exposition
Answer: B. Chicago World’s Fair
Q23. In marimba playing, striking the bar at the node (where it is suspended) produces what effect?
A. Louder sound
B. Higher pitch
C. Muted or weak tone
D. Vibrato
Answer: C. Muted or weak tone
Q24. Which material is commonly used for modern marimba resonators in concert instruments?
A. Metal tubes
B. Wood
C. Gourds
D. Plastic
Answer: A. Metal tubes
Q25. Keiko Abe is also known for composing works that utilize how many mallets?
A. Two
B. Four
C. Six
D. Eight
Answer: C. Six