The Clarinet is one of the most versatile of all modern instruments. It has a very wide range of notes, and you can hear its pure, clear sound in orchestras, military bands, and jazz groups. This is the standard orchestral clarinet - though of her sizes of clarinet are also used in the orchestra.
Family |
Woodwinds |
Pitch range |
Three-and-a-half octaves. |
Material |
African blackwood (a hard, dense, wood from Central Africa or Madagascar) or moulded plastic. |
Size |
Just over 26 in (66 cm) long. |
Origins |
The clarinet was developed from the chalumeau in the early 18th century by the German instrument-maker, J.C. Denner. |
Classification |
Aerophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of a column of air. |
And also... |
Until the 19th century, the clarinet was played with the mouthpiece the opposite way up to the way it is played today. |