About Clarinets

In the 18th century, a German named Johann Christoph Denner modified a recorder-type instrument called the chalumeau, which was said to be difficult to play, and developed the clarinet. The clarinet was the first reed instrument with a cylindrical bore. Its appearance resembled the recorder, and the reed was attached to the mouthpiece using string. Since then, many refinements were made: more keys were added, and ring keys as well as the Boehm-style key system similar to the one used on flutes were also adopted. Modern clarinets have a more complicated form than a recorder, and the reed is usually fastened by ligatures.

Clarinets have a huge extended family! Clarinets had inherent problems, with difficult fingerings and tuning methods. That is the reason why many differently-pitched clarinets were created. At present, the most widely used clarinet is the B-flat soprano clarinet (B-flat clarinet). The A clarinet may be also used in an orchestra. Unlike the soprano clarinet, the alto and bass clarinets resemble the saxophone; their bells and necks are curved. This is no surprise, since both alto and bass clarinets were changed to today's forms by Adolphe Sax, the man who invented the saxophone. Among the more commonly used clarinets, the bass clarinet has the lowest range, and is used in Wagner's 'The Ring of the Nibelung' and other pieces.

The clarinets have many different sound ranges. In classical music, Mozart's well-known Clarinet Concerto exploits the timbre of the clarinet from high to low ranges. The clarinet is also used in jazz as a key musical instrument. The first jazz clarinetist who may come to mind is the King of Swing, Benny Goodman. Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' is a classic clarinet piece, which has been played by many clarinetists, including Benny Goodman. Among the large extended family of clarinets, the first instrument most people choose is a B-flat soprano clarinet. Since there are relatively inexpensive models made of ABS resin, we recommend these models if you would like to start learning the clarinet without feeling pressured.