I’ve got some exciting insights on these clarinets. They bring a unique and whimsical voice to music, offering a smooth, rich tone in the lower registers that sets them apart from brassier instruments.
Definition of Clarinet
The clarinet family includes many voices, such as:
- Soprano
- Alto
- Bass
Despite their variety, clarinets share key characteristics. These single-reed woodwind instruments require the player to attach one reed to the mouthpiece and blow to produce sound.
Clarinets are typically wooden with cylindrical bores, ending in a wood or metal bell. Players adjust pitch by opening and closing holes using pads attached to keys or their fingers.
Most clarinets are transposing instruments, meaning their music isn’t written at concert pitch. The player adjusts the piece to suit their instrument.
Types of Clarinets
The most common clarinets are soprano, alto, and bass. These types have replaced older, harder-to-play models, leading to improved tuning and tone in ensembles.
B♭ Clarinet
The B♭ clarinet, often called a harmony clarinet, is the top choice for beginners. Most bands seat at least 2 B♭ clarinets, though some may have up to 15 players divided into three parts.
These are well-loved for classical and concert bands. They also fit perfectly with jazz and swing ensembles.
The B♭ clarinet fingerings differ across octaves and require a register key to increase the pitch by an octave and a fifth.
A Clarinet
The A clarinet is another soprano voice, slightly longer than the B♭ clarinet, and it’s the only common type not pitched to B♭ or E♭. Many advocate for A clarinets because of their softer, more delicate sound.
Clarinets frequently appear in orchestras and chamber music performed by professionals. They’re ideal for pieces with many sharps. You can use the same mouthpiece for both A and B♭ clarinets, making them invaluable for classical works with dramatic key changes.
E♭ Clarinet
The E♭ clarinet is smaller than other types and has a higher pitch, which can sometimes be shrill, but it can also reach a lower range than the B♭ clarinet. It’s easier to play higher pitches on the E♭ than on the B♭.
E♭ clarinets create bright sounds, making them common in advanced ensembles. Many European scores refer to the instrument by its Italian name, “terzino” or “terzino in Mib”.
Also called the sopranino in E♭ clarinet, this instrument often assists the piccolo. It can be challenging to play, requiring players to tune it frequently.
Alto Clarinet (E♭)
Alto clarinets usually come in the key of E♭, though you’ll find some in F.
These clarinets are significantly larger than others, have a lower pitch, and feature a distinctive bend in their shape.
These instruments resemble the basset horn, but they:
- Are pitched an entire step lower
- Lack the lower extended range
- Have a wider bore
The alto clarinet is often seen in concert and symphonic bands, but you won’t hear it in an orchestra. Directors and players find them fragile. They can be hard to play in tune or achieve a good tone. Much of the alto range overlaps with the B♭ or bass clarinet.
Alto clarinets struggle to project but perform well in a clarinet choir.
Bass Clarinet (B♭)
Bass clarinets are popular with certain composers, like Wagner, and they produce a rich sound fitting for orchestras, concert bands, and jazz ensembles.
Bass clarinets resemble alto clarinets due to the bend in their barrel, but they are nearly twice as large. Players often need a strap to hold them properly and an endpin to support the instrument’s weight on the floor.
Bass clarinets have similar fingerings to soprano B♭ clarinets. Players often move from the common soprano to this deeper voice.
Contrabass and Contra-Alto Clarinets
Contrabass and contra-alto clarinets are the largest in the clarinet family.
The contrabass is over seven and a half feet tall and has 10 feet of tubings. It’s rarely used and is usually reserved for special effects. This instrument adds greater depth to clarinet choirs.
The contra-alto has a deep, rich sound and is pitched a perfect fifth below the soprano B♭ bass clarinet.
They’re common in clarinet choirs and ensembles with saxophones, but don’t get much use in wind bands or symphony orchestras.
Uncommon Varieties of Clarinets
Many of these rare clarinet types have been replaced, but their rich history still draws players. Each instrument has its own unique personality and can’t be exactly replicated by the newer varieties.
Basset Clarinet and Basset Horn
The basset clarinet, often used in classical music, is pitched in A, C, B♭, or G. Capable of reaching a low C, it’s a staple in many Mozart compositions. Its extra keys enable it to produce lower notes than soprano clarinets.
Basset horns are usually keyed in F. You can also find them in G and D. Mozart favored these instruments. The basset horn is larger than the basset clarinet.
Though they look alike, the horn is now mostly straight, while the basset clarinet keeps its distinctive crooked shape.
C Clarinet
The C clarinet was popular in scores until the early 20th century, then the B♭ became favored. Before this shift, composers like Beethoven and Schubert preferred the C clarinet, requiring players to switch between A, B♭, and C clarinets.
C clarinets are experiencing a revival as trends bring back older pieces with their original instrument intentions. Beginners are now starting with a simplified C clarinet, known as a clarinéo, instead of a recorder in some regions.
A♭ Clarinet
The A♭ clarinet is mainly used as a feature in compositions. Its high pitch surpasses the range of the E. At just over a foot long, it’s much smaller than most other clarinets.
These unusual instruments are tuned a minor seventh higher than B♭ clarinets and have the same lowest note, E, as concert flutes.
People often call them octave clarinets, but in music software like Finale, the term piccolo clarinet refers to any A♭ clarinet.
A♭ clarinets were popular in European wind bands until the mid-20th century and are still used frequently in Austrian military bands. They appear often in clarinet choir arrangements, though they’re usually optional or cued.
Octo contrabass and Octo-contra-alto Clarinets
You’re not likely to hear these clarinets in person, but they hold a unique reputation as experiments.
The Octo contrabass clarinet plays an octave lower than the contrabass. As the largest and longest clarinet, it offers the deepest sound. The only Octo contrabass ever made was slightly over 8 feet tall.
The octo-contra-alto clarinet is the second largest clarinet, pitched one octave below the E♭ contra-alto clarinet.
Built by the G. Leblanc corporation, both clarinet varieties have only one example each at the LeBlanc museum in Paris. They aren’t playable, but recent plastic versions of the same pitch have emerged.
Final Thoughts
The clarinet family has evolved in style and tone. Some varieties have become obsolete, but classical music enthusiasts love to revive their sound.