More About the Clarinet

Simple Sound Sample

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Advanced Performance Video

External Link to Clarinet Video
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The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family. Sound is produced by a vibrating single reed which is the same sound producing method as the saxophone. Other similarities to the saxophone make the clarinet a good starting instrument for students who may want to move to the saxophone later on.

As with all instruments, the clarinet does require maintenance and cleaning. It comes in four pieces plus a reed and a ligature. The ligature is the clamp that hold the reed in place around the mouthpiece. The reed is the most delicate portion of the instrument. It’s very easy to chip a reed by bumping it against a music stand or clothing. Once a reed is damaged or worn out, it needs to be replaced. Even students who are very careful with their reeds will still need several replacements to get them through a year of band.

All reeds are given a rating of strength, “1” through “5”. The lower the number the softer the reed. In general, the stronger or stiffer reeds are used by advanced players. Teachers have different opinions on the best reed strength for beginners. The most commonly held belief is that beginners should start with a number “2” reed.

The clarinet is played with the left hand closest to the mouth. The right hand covers the lower keys. The clarinet is the only beginning woodwind instrument where some of the keys do not cover the entire hole. This means the player must cover some of the keys with the pad of his/her fingers in order to prevent air from leaking out. This isn’t difficult to master but air leaking out of a key is a common cause of the typical beginner squeak.

The clarinet is a very popular instrument for beginners. Since lots of other students will choose the clarinet, there will be more competition with other players. However, the clarinet is a very widely used instrument. Clarinets play a critical role in bands, symphony orchestras, jazz groups and small instrumental groups. The styles that characterize the clarinet vary from a Mozart clarinet concerto to Dixieland clarinet. In both cases, the sound can be beautiful but the two styles sound completely different. The clarinet also works well as a solo instrument.