Triangle Quiz Questions and Answers
Q1. What family of musical instruments does the triangle belong to?
A. String
B. Woodwind
C. Percussion
D. Brass
Answer: C. Percussion
Q2. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, the triangle is categorized as what type of instrument?
A. Membranophone
B. Chordophone
C. Aerophone
D. Idiophone
Answer: D. Idiophone
Q3. What is the primary material used for modern orchestral triangles?
A. Wood
B. Steel
C. Plastic
D. Brass
Answer: B. Steel
Q4. Why is one corner of the triangle left open?
A. To make it easier to hold
B. To allow for jingling rings
C. To produce indefinite pitch with rich overtones
D. To attach it to a stand permanently
Answer: C. To produce indefinite pitch with rich overtones
Q5. How is the triangle typically suspended during play?
A. By holding it directly in the hand
B. By a loop of string or wire
C. By clipping it to the player’s clothing
D. By resting it on a stand without suspension
Answer: B. By a loop of string or wire
Q6. What is the tool used to strike the triangle called?
A. Mallet
B. Stick
C. Beater
D. Hammer
Answer: C. Beater
Q7. Larger triangles generally produce what kind of sound compared to smaller ones?
A. Higher and brighter
B. Lower and more resonant
C. Shorter sustain
D. No difference in pitch
Answer: B. Lower and more resonant
Q8. Until around 1800, many triangles featured what additional element?
A. Jingling rings
B. Wooden frames
C. Leather straps
D. Tunable screws
Answer: A. Jingling rings
Q9. Which ancient instrument is considered a possible ancestor or ally to the triangle?
A. Lyre
B. Sistrum
C. Pan flute
D. Harp
Answer: B. Sistrum
Q10. In what century did the triangle begin entering European orchestras as a color instrument?
A. 16th century
B. 14th century
C. 18th century
D. 20th century
Answer: C. 18th century
Q11. The triangle was influenced by what type of music in 18th-century Europe?
A. Gregorian chant
B. Turkish Janissary music
C. Renaissance madrigals
D. Baroque fugues
Answer: B. Turkish Janissary music
Q12. Which composer prominently featured the triangle in Piano Concerto No. 1, earning it the nickname “Triangle Concerto”?
A. Beethoven
B. Mozart
C. Liszt
D. Brahms
Answer: C. Liszt
Q13. In which of Brahms’s symphonies does the triangle appear in the third movement?
A. Symphony No. 1
B. Symphony No. 2
C. Symphony No. 3
D. Symphony No. 4
Answer: D. Symphony No. 4
Q14. Which technique involves rapidly moving the beater back and forth inside the triangle for a sustained sound?
A. Single stroke
B. Roll or tremolo
C. Muffling
D. Glissando
Answer: B. Roll or tremolo
Q15. Where is the best place to strike the triangle for maximum overtones?
A. Near the closed corners
B. In the center of the base
C. On the open corner
D. Outside the triangle
Answer: A. Near the closed corners
Q16. How can a player mute or dampen the triangle’s sound?
A. By striking harder
B. By touching it with fingers or hand
C. By using a thicker beater
D. By suspending it tighter
Answer: B. By touching it with fingers or hand
Q17. Preferred orchestral triangle sizes are typically between:
A. 2-4 inches
B. 10-12 inches
C. 15-18 inches
D. 6-9 inches
Answer: D. 6-9 inches
Q18. In Cajun music, the triangle is known by what French name?
A. Trine
B. Tit-fer
C. Triangle
D. Fer
Answer: B. Tit-fer
Q19. Which Brazilian music genres prominently feature the triangle?
A. Samba and bossa nova
B. Tango and mariachi
C. Flamenco and fado
D. Reggae and calypso
Answer: A. Samba and bossa nova
Q20. Why do professional percussionists often carry multiple triangles?
A. For backup in case one breaks
B. Different sizes and materials produce varied timbres
C. To play chords
D. For decoration
Answer: B. Different sizes and materials produce varied timbres
Q21. The triangle is considered an instrument of what pitch type?
A. Definite pitch
B. Tunable pitch
C. Indefinite pitch
D. Variable pitch only
Answer: C. Indefinite pitch
Q22. In orchestral scores, the triangle part is often written on a single line similar to:
A. Violin
B. Other unpitched percussion like cymbals
C. Timpani
D. Piano
Answer: B. Other unpitched percussion like cymbals
Q23. Which composer used the triangle sparingly in imitation of Janissary bands?
A. Liszt
B. Wagner
C. Haydn
D. Tchaikovsky
Answer: C. Haydn
Q24. A common advanced technique for rolls involves striking where on the triangle?
A. Only the outside
B. Inside the upper or lower corner
C. The suspension string
D. The beater against itself
Answer: B. Inside the upper or lower corner
Q25. In folk styles like Cajun, how is the triangle often held differently?
A. On a stand only
B. Fully closed grip
C. Hooked over the hand for damping
D. With both hands
Answer: C. Hooked over the hand for damping