Musical instruments are a fun and interesting topic for riddles. Riddles allow us to think about instruments in new and creative ways. In this article, we have compiled 59 riddles about various musical instruments along with their answers. Some test your knowledge about the parts of instruments or how they are played. Others rely on wordplay and double meanings. A few may even make you think “outside the box.” See how many you can get right!
Riddles about string instruments
Violin
1. I’m a wooden box that is played with a bow. I have four strings you play me with. What am I?
Answer: Violin
2. When I’m happy, my voice is mellow and low. When I’m sad, it’s high pitched and shrill. What am I?
Answer: Violin
3. I have a neck but no head, a body but no limbs. A scroll adorns my upper end while a chinrest sits below. What am I?
Answer: Violin
4. My curvy figure produces weeping strains when bowed. In an orchestra, I’m seated to the conductor’s left. What am I?
Answer: Violin
Guitar
5. I have six strings but no limbs. Strumming me produces rhythmic delight. Electric or acoustic, I make music sound right. What am I?
Answer: Guitar
6. My hourglass shape has a hole at the center. Strum my strings to make melodies tender. What am I?
Answer: Guitar
7. I’m flat on one side and curved on the other. Strum my strings to unleash your inner rocker. What am I?
Answer: Guitar
8. You can play me softly or turn up the sound. Hold me gently or rock me around. Electric or acoustic, I always astound. What am I?
Answer: Guitar
Harp
9. Triangular I stand, strings arranged in rows. Pluck gently and listen to the music that flows. What am I?
Answer: Harp
10. My straight neck soars up, my curving body below. Pluck my strings gently and listen to notes ebb and flow. What am I?
Answer: Harp
11. Neither guitar nor violin am I, yet strings I do have arranged orderly and high. What am I?
Answer: Harp
12. I have strings aligned straight, not fretted on a neck. Pluck me gently to hear notes pure and unchecked. What am I?
Answer: Harp
Riddles about percussion instruments
Drum
13. Hit me hard and I’ll beat out a rhythm loud and strong. Marching bands and rock groups help me sing my song. What am I?
Answer: Drum
14. Bang and tap and hit me all about, I’ll add cadence and rhythm to your sound. In a kit or on my own, drums of all kinds abound. What am I?
Answer: Drum
15. Tighten my skin and grab your sticks – this instrument you’re sure to fix. Marching, rock or hand drums too, there’s nothing I can’t help you do. What am I?
Answer: Drum
16. I come in different sizes and shapes, but hit me too hard and your ears I may rape. Brushes and mallets are gentler you’ll find, then drums like me will be more kind. What am I?
Answer: Drum
Cymbals
17. Two round metal platters that come in a pair. Crash us together to hear our fanfare. What are we?
Answer: Cymbals
18. Disc shaped cousins producing a thrilling crash. In marching bands and drum kits we add a final bash. What are we?
Answer: Cymbals
19. Hit us together for a loud clanging sound. In orchestras and marching bands our voices resound. What are we?
Answer: Cymbals
20. Round metal plates that clang, ding, and swish. Crash us together for a bold, brassy flourish. What are we?
Answer: Cymbals
Xylophone
21. Wooden bars arranged like piano keys, strike me with mallets and start making melodies. What am I?
Answer: Xylophone
22. Chromatic or diatonic, my wooden keys abound. Mallets strike me to unleash a cheerful sound. What am I?
Answer: Xylophone
23. Wooden slats lined up ready to be played. Mallets tap my parts to serenade. What am I?
Answer: Xylophone
24. I’m like a piano turned upon its back. Mallets dance on my wooden slats keeping time tick tick tack. What am I?
Answer: Xylophone
Riddles about brass instruments
Trumpet
25. Three piston valves help me hit the high notes. I’m shiny brass made to play fanfares that float. What am I?
Answer: Trumpet
26. My brass body has valves and ends in a bell. Skilled lips will play me very well. Loud and brassy is the tune I tell. What am I?
Answer: Trumpet
27. Jammed full of tight, my cylindrical body flairs. Buzzing lips make my bold voice fill the airs. What am I?
Answer: Trumpet
28. Play me with tight puckered lips and I’ll sing out notes both low and high. Brassy and bold, I soar in orchestras and swing in jazz bands spry. What am I?
Answer: Trumpet
Trombone
29. My long brass body has a slide that glides. Move it back and forth and my voice slides and rides. What am I?
Answer: Trombone
30. I’m a brass instrument you buzz and slide. In jazz and marching bands I bring musical joy for the ride. What am I?
Answer: Trombone
31. My brass body’s fitted with a sliding bar. Buzz your lips; move the slide – hear my voice from afar! What am I?
Answer: Trombone
32. Brassy, bold and smooth, my sliding arm flies. Puckered lips buzz while my voice drones and cries. What am I?
Answer: Trombone
Tuba
33. Big, bold and brassy am I. In marching bands you’ll always find me nearby. What am I?
Answer: Tuba
34. Large brass instrument, valves pressed and released. Buzzing lips play me from top to bottom of my range at least. What am I?
Answer: Tuba
35. My large brass body wraps round in an “S”. Buzz your lips; press my valves – unleash notes that impress! What am I?
Answer: Tuba
36. Curved brass giant, coiled in an “S” shape loop. Feel the beat, buzz your lips, and let my deep voice swoop. What am I?
Answer: Tuba
Riddles about woodwind instruments
Flute
37. Though made of metal, in name I am wood. Blow across my embouchure hole to play notes that are good. What am I?
Answer: Flute
38. Thin, tubular, and high pitched describes little old me. Made of silver or gold or nickle as can be. What am I?
Answer: Flute
39. Though technically I’m not made of wood, my name says I’m so. Blow air across the hole and delightfully I flow. What am I?
Answer: Flute
40. Into my round embouchure hole gently blow air. Move your fingers on my shiny body with care. High notes are my specialty if you’ve got the flair. What am I?
Answer: Flute
Clarinet
41. My cylindrical wooden body has a single reed. Cover the holes with your fingers to play notes at speed. What am I?
Answer: Clarinet
42. I’m a single reed instrument made of wood. Fingers cover my holes and keys to play tunes that are good. What am I?
Answer: Clarinet
43. Cylindrical tube with a single reed mouthpiece on top. Cover my holes and press my keys to let the melodies hop. What am I?
Answer: Clarinet
44. Soprano voice in bands and orchestras I belong. Made of wood with metal keys to trill notes like a song. What am I?
Answer: Clarinet
Saxophone
45. My brass body and curved neck end in a flared bell. With a single reed mouthpiece I play jazz tunes so well. What am I?
Answer: Saxophone
46. Curved brass pipe with keys and a single reed. In jazz and funk bands I like to take the lead. What am I?
Answer: Saxophone
47. Brass body, curved neck, played with a single reed. From smooth jazz to pop my voice you’ll heed. What am I?
Answer: Saxophone
48. Jazz bands love my dulcet tones. With a single reed and brass body I’m fully grown. What am I?
Answer: Saxophone
Oboe
49. Orchestras love my double reed voice so fine. My wooden body’s slender and I’ve got nickel keys that shine. What am I?
Answer: Oboe
50. Two reeds vibrate to create my mellow tone. In orchestras and bands few instruments are my known. What am I?
Answer: Oboe
51. My double reed and conical bore give a tone unique and pure. Though small in size, a big voice is for certain sure. What am I?
Answer: Oboe
52. Two reeds make my sounds ring and resonate. My conical wooden body helps melodies penetrate. What am I?
Answer: Oboe
Bassoon
53. My double reed and bent wooden body play very low notes. In orchestras and bands my voice smoothly floats. What am I?
Answer: Bassoon
54. With a double reed atop my long wooden frame, few instruments can match my pitch both low and plain. What am I?
Answer: Bassoon
55. Large double reed instrument, bent in shape am I. My nasal low tones in orchestras pipe and cry. What am I?
Answer: Bassoon
56. My double reed sits atop a long bent bocal. Buzzing into my wood body, listeners I regale. What am I?
Answer: Bassoon
A few more musical instrument riddles
57. Hammer upon my strings enclosed within. The piano tunes I play are a delightful din. What am I?
Answer: Piano
58. Pull and push my stops for organ pipes to sound. Sacred music and anthems make my tones resound. What am I?
Answer: Pipe organ
59. Circular in shape when open I display a drum skin tight. Shake and whirl me around to create rhythmic delight. What am I?
Answer: Tambourine
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this compilation of 59 riddles about musical instruments! Riddles help develop critical thinking while having fun. How many were you able to solve on your own? Did any make you look at instruments in a whole new way? Riddles with double meanings or plays on words engage both sides of the brain. Learning more about musical instruments also builds general knowledge. Why not try writing some musical riddles of your own to challenge your friends?
