Considerations for selecting a clarinet MaterialĬlarinets are generally made of wood or plastic. You can find harmony clarinets in a range of tunings. While they're not as versatile as other clarinets (and probably wouldn't be a clarinet player's only instrument), they certainly have their place.
Harmony clarinets are designed to play harmonies rather than melodies. You can hear bass clarinet in a wide range of musical genres, from orchestral and classical music to jazz and pop. They're tuned to the Bb one octave below soprano Bb models, which gives them a low, bassy sound. These instruments have a higher register and are useful for playing high-pitched melodies that would be hard to turn out on a Bb or A clarinet.īass clarinets are significantly longer and have a much larger bore (hollowed-out body) than other types of clarinets. The Eb clarinet: Another common soprano clarinet is the Eb clarinet, also known as the sopranino clarinet.A clarinets are commonly used for classical music, as some classical pieces written for A clarinets are hard to transpose for use with Bb clarinets. And, as the name suggests, the are tuned to A rather than Bb. These instruments are slightly longer and have a darker sound than Bb clarinets. The A clarinet: Another variation on the soprano clarinet is the A clarinet.This is a versatile instrument that can be used for all kinds of musical styles, from classical to marching band to jazz. The most common soprano clarinet, played by the vast majority of clarinetists, is the Bb clarinet. However, there isn't just one variety of soprano clarinet. The Bb clarinet: Soprano clarinets create music in a high register.While both are members of the woodwind family, a clarinet has a single reed whereas an oboe requires a double reed. Clarinets are sometimes confused with oboes.