Which instrument is NOT listed among traditional Appalachian instruments?

• A. Banjo
• B. Mandolin
• C. Dobro
• D. Piano

Answer: (D)

Traditional Appalachian music centers on stringed instruments that drive fiddle-and-dance tunes and rural ensembles. The banjo is iconic in old-time Appalachian music, the dobro is a common resonator guitar heard in bluegrass-influenced scenes, and the mandolin adds bright rhythmic and melodic color in many Appalachian groups. The piano, while widespread in other American genres and in homes or churches, isn’t a core instrument in traditional Appalachian ensembles. Therefore, the instrument not typically listed among traditional Appalachian instruments is the piano.