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Mandeez plays the clarinet.
{{Infobox Instrument
|name=Clarinet
|names=
|image=Clarinet.jpg
|image_capt = B♭ Clarinet ([[Boehm system (clarinet)|Boehm system]])
|background=woodwind
|classification=
[[Wind instrument|Wind]]
[[Woodwind instrument|Woodwind]]
[[Single-reed instrument|Single-reed]]
|hornbostel_sachs=422.211.2-71
|hornbostel_sachs_desc=[[Single-reed instrument|Single-reeded]] [[aerophone]] with keys
|range=Written range:<br>[[Image:Clarinet range.svg|180px|center]]
|related=
*[[Saxophone]]
*[[Tárogató]] (modern)
*[[Oboe]]
*[[Chalumeau]]
|musicians=
*[[Clarinetist]]s
|articles=
}}
The '''clarinet''' is a [[musical instrument]] in the [[woodwind]] family. The name derives from adding the suffix ''-et'' (meaning ''little'') to the Italian word ''clarino'' (meaning a type of [[trumpet]]), as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical [[bore (wind instruments)|bore]], and uses a [[Single-reed instrument|single reed]].
Clarinets comprise a [[Family (musical instruments)|family]] of instruments of differing sizes and pitches. The [[clarinet family]] is the largest such woodwind family, with more than a dozen types, ranging from the [[contrabass clarinet|BB♭ contrabass]] to the [[A-flat clarinet|A♭ soprano]]. Of these many are rare or obsolete, and music written for them is usually played on one of the more common types. The unmodified word ''clarinet'' usually refers to the B{{music|flat}} [[soprano clarinet]], by far the most common clarinet.

A person who plays the clarinet is called a [[clarinetist]] or clarinettist. The clarinet was invented in [[Germany]] by [[Johann Christoph Denner]] around the turn of the 18th century, by adding a [[register key]] to the earlier [[chalumeau]]. Over time, additional keywork and airtight pads were added to improve tone and playability. Today, the clarinet is used in both jazz and classical ensembles, as well as in chamber groups and as a solo instrument.

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==Characteristics==
===Tone===
The [[cylinder (geometry)|cylindrical]] bore is largely responsible for the clarinet's distinctive [[timbre]], which varies between its three main [[register (music)|registers]]: Chalumeau, clarion, and altissimo. Because of the cylindrical bore design, the clarinet technically has an infinite range of [[octave]]s extending from the altissimo register; therefore, when younger clarinet students "squeak", they are actually hitting higher notes in the altissimo register that they have not yet learned to control. The tone quality can vary greatly with the musician, the music, the clarinet (material, manufacturer, etc.) and the strength of the reed. The differences in instruments and geographical isolation of players in different countries led to the development, from the last part of the 18th century onwards, of several different schools of clarinet playing. The most prominent of these schools were the German/Viennese traditions and the French school, centered around the clarinetists of the [[Conservatoire de Paris]].<ref name="cambridge">Lawson, Colin James. ''The Cambridge companion to the clarinet''. Cambridge University Press, 1995.</ref> Through the proliferation of recorded music, examples of different styles of clarinet playing have become available. The modern clarinetist has an eclectic palette of "acceptable" tone qualities to choose from, whether they be dark, bright, or anything in between.<ref name="cambridge"/>

[[File:clarinette basse.jpg|thumb|Bass clarinet|100px]]
The A clarinet and B{{music|flat}} clarinet have nearly the same bore, and use the same mouthpiece.<ref name="pino"/> Orchestral players often use both A and B{{music|flat}} instruments in the same concert, but use only one mouthpiece (and often the same barrel), which they swap between the two as needed (see 'usage' below). The A and the B{{music|flat}} instruments have nearly identical tonal quality, although the A generally has a slightly warmer sound.<ref name="pino"/> The tone of the [[E-flat clarinet|E{{music|flat}} clarinet]] is brighter than that of the lower clarinets and can be heard even through loud orchestral textures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://userpages.umbc.edu/~emrich/chapter7.html|title=The Clarinet of the Twenty-First Century|last=Richards|first=E. Michael|accessdate=2009-07-19}}</ref> The [[bass clarinet]] has a characteristically deep, mellow sound.<ref name="cambridge"/> The [[alto clarinet]] is similar in tone to the bass, and the [[Basset-horn|basset horn]] has a tone quality similar to the A clarinet.

===Range===
{{Main|clarinet family|E-flat clarinet|soprano clarinet|alto clarinet|basset-horn|contra-alto clarinet|contrabass clarinet}}
Clarinets have the largest pitch range of any common woodwind.<ref>Reed, Alfred. "The Composer and the College Band". ''Music Educators Journal'', Vol. '''48''', No. 1 (September - October, 1961), pp.&nbsp;51-53</ref> The intricate [[key (instrument)|key]] organization that makes this range possible can make the playability of some passages awkward. The bottom of the clarinet’s written range is defined by the keywork on each particular instrument; standard keywork schemes allow a low E on the common B{{music|flat}} clarinet. The lowest [[Pitch (music)#Concert pitch|concert pitch]] depends on the [[transposing instrument|transposition]] of the instrument in question.

Nearly all [[soprano clarinet|soprano]] and [[piccolo clarinet]]s have keywork enabling them to play the E below middle C (E<sub>3</sub> in [[scientific pitch notation]]) as their lowest written note, though some B{{music|flat}} clarinets go down to E{{music|flat}}<sub>3</sub> to enable them to match the range of the A clarinet.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Cockshott|first=Gerald|coauthors=D. K. Dent, Morrison C. Boyd and E. J. Moeran|date=October 1941|title=English Composer Goes West|journal=The Musical Times|publisher=Musical Times Publications Ltd.|volume=82|issue=1184|pages=376–378}}</ref> In the case of the B{{music|flat}} soprano clarinet, the concert pitch of the lowest note is D<sub>3</sub>, a [[whole tone]] lower than the written pitch.
<!-- [[Image:Range clarinet.png|left|thumb|250px|Written range of soprano clarinets.]] -->
Most alto and bass clarinets have an additional key to allow a (written) E{{music|flat}}<sub>3</sub>. Modern professional-quality bass clarinets generally have additional keywork to written C<sub>3</sub>.<ref>Shigeru Yamaryo. Yamaha Corporation. Key mechanism for a bass clarinet. Patent number: 4809580. Filing date: 16 October 1987. Issue date: 7 March 1989</ref> Among the less commonly encountered members of the clarinet family, [[Contra-alto clarinet|contra-alto]] and [[contrabass clarinet]]s may have keywork to written E{{music|flat}}<sub>3</sub>, D<sub>3</sub>, or C<sub>3</sub>;<ref>{{cite book|last=Cailliet|first=Lucien|title=The Clarinet and Clarinet Choir|publisher=G. Leblanc Corp|location=New York|date=1960}}</ref> the basset clarinet and basset horn generally go to low C<sub>3</sub>.<ref name="cambridge"/>

Defining the top end of a clarinet’s range is difficult, since many advanced players can produce notes well above the highest notes commonly found in method books. The G two octaves above G<sub>4</sub> is usually the highest note clarinetists encounter in music.<ref name="lowry">{{cite book|last=Lowry|first=Robert|title=Practical Hints on Playing the B-Flat Clarinet|publisher=Alfred Publishing|date=1985}}</ref> The C above that (C<sub>7</sub> i.e. resting on the fifth ledger line above the treble staff) is attainable by most advanced players and is shown on many [[fingering]] charts.<ref name="lowry" />

The range of a clarinet can be divided into three distinct registers. The lowest register, consisting of the notes up to the written B{{music|flat}} above middle C (B{{music|flat}}<sub>4</sub>), is known as the ''[[chalumeau]]'' register (named after the instrument that was the clarinet's immediate ancestor). The middle register is termed the ''clarino'' (sometimes ''clarion'') register<ref>{{cite book
| last = Sadie
| first = Stanley
| title = New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments
| date = 1984
| pages = 391
| publisher = Macmillan Press}}{{fix
|link=Wikipedia:Citing sources
|text=volume&nbsp;#&nbsp;needed}}<</ref> and spans just over an octave (from written B above middle C (B<sub>4</sub>) to the C two octaves above middle C (C<sub>6</sub>));<ref name="lowry" /> it is the dominant range for most members of the clarinet family and is audible above the brass while playing [[Dynamics (music)|forte]]. The top or ''[[altissimo]]'' register consists of the notes above the written C two octaves above middle C (C<sub>6</sub>).<ref name="lowry" /> Unlike other woodwinds, all three registers have characteristically different sounds. The chalumeau register is rich and relatively quiet. The clarino register is bright and sweet, like a trumpet heard from afar ("clarino" means trumpet). The altissimo register can be piercing and sometimes shrill.

==Construction==
[[Image:Clarinet construction.JPG|right|thumb|350px|The Construction of a Clarinet]]

===Materials===
Clarinet bodies have been made from a variety of materials including [[wood]], [[plastic]], [[ebonite|hard rubber]], [[metal]], [[resin]], and [[ivory]].<ref>{{cite book
| last = Rendall
| first = F. Geoffrey
| title = The Clarinet (Third Edition)
| date = 1971
| pages = 11–15}}</ref> The vast majority of clarinets used by professional musicians are made from [[Africa]]n [[hardwood]], [[African Blackwood|mpingo (African Blackwood)]] or [[grenadilla]], rarely (because of diminishing supplies) [[Rosewood (timber)|Honduran rosewood]] and sometimes even [[cocobolo]].<ref name="jenkins">{{cite web|url=http://www.globaltrees.org/downloads/IntTradeAfBWood.pdf|title=International Trade in African Blackwood|last=Jenkins|first=Martin|coauthors=Sara Oldfield and Tiffany Aylett|date=2002|publisher=Fauna & Flora International|accessdate=2009-07-19}}</ref> Historically other woods, notably [[Buxus|boxwood]], were used.<ref name="jenkins" />

Most modern inexpensive instruments are made of plastic resin, such as [[Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene|ABS]].<ref name="jenkins" /> These materials are sometimes called "resonite", which is [[The Selmer Company|Selmer]]'s [[trademark]] name for its particular type of plastic. Metal soprano clarinets were popular in the early twentieth century, until plastic instruments supplanted them;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.silver-clarinet.com/|title=The Silver Clarinet Story|accessdate=2009-07-19}}</ref> metal construction is still used for the bodies of some contra-alto and contrabass clarinets, and for the necks and bells of nearly all alto and larger clarinets.<ref name="cambridge"/> Ivory was used for a few 18th century clarinets, but it tends to crack and does not keep its shape well.<ref name="hoeprich"/>

[[Buffet Crampon]]'s Greenline clarinets are made from a composite of grenadilla wood powder and carbon fiber.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.buffet-crampon.com/en/instruments.php?mode=productDetails&pid=108.
| title = Greenline Clarinets
| publisher = Buffet Crampon
| accessdate = 2007-03-16}}</ref> Such instruments are less affected by humidity and temperature changes than wooden instruments, but are heavier. Hard rubber, such as [[ebonite]], has been used for clarinets since the 1860s, although few modern clarinets are made of it. Clarinet designers Alastair Hanson and Tom Ridenour are strong advocates of hard rubber.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Materials
| url = http://www.hansonclarinets.com/clarinet%20making/Materials.html
| publisher = Hanson Clarinets
| accessdate = 2007-06-22}};
{{cite web
| title = The Grenadilla Myth
| last = Ridenour
| first = Tom
| url = http://www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com/grenadillamyth.htm
| accessdate = 2007-03-16}}</ref> Hanson Clarinets of England manufactures clarinets using a grenadilla compound reinforced with ebonite, known as 'BTR' (bithermal reinforced) grenadilla. This material is also not affected by humidity, and the weight is the same as that of a wood clarinet.

[[Mouthpiece (woodwind)|Mouthpieces]] are generally made of hard rubber, although some inexpensive mouthpieces may be made of plastic.<ref name="pino"/> Other materials such as crystal/glass, wood, ivory, and metal have also been used.<ref name="pino"/> [[Ligature (musical instrument)|Ligatures]] are commonly made out of metal and plated in [[nickel]], [[silver]] or [[gold]].<ref name="pino"/> Other ligature materials include wire, wire mesh, plastic, [[naugahyde]], string, or [[leather]].<ref name="pinksterboer">{{cite book|last=Pinksterboer|first=Hugo|title=Tipbook Clarinet|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|date=2001}}</ref>

===Reed===
The instrument uses a single [[reed (instrument)|reed]] made from the cane of ''[[Arundo donax]]'', a type of grass.<ref>Obataya E, Norimoto M. "Acoustic properties of a reed (''Arundo donax'' L.) used for the vibrating plate of a clarinet". ''J. Acoust. Soc. Am.'' Volume '''106''', Issue 2, pp.&nbsp;1106-1110 (August 1999)</ref> Reeds may also be manufactured from synthetic materials. The [[ligature (musical instrument)|ligature]] fastens the reed to the mouthpiece. When air is blown through the opening between the reed and the mouthpiece facing, the reed vibrates and produces the instrument's sound.

Basic reed measurements are as follows: tip, {{convert|12|mm|in}} wide; lay, {{convert|15|mm|in}} long (distance from the place where the reed touches the mouthpiece to the tip); gap, {{convert|1|mm|in}} (distance between the underside of the reed tip and the mouthpiece). Adjustment to these measurements is one method of affecting tone color.<ref>Baines, Anthony. ''Woodwind instruments and their history''. Dover Publications, 1991.</ref>

Most clarinetists buy manufactured reeds, although many make adjustments to these reeds and some make their own reeds from cane "blanks".<ref name="intravaia">{{cite journal|last=Intravaia|first=Lawrence J|coauthors=Robert S. Resnick|date=Spring 1968|title=A Research Study of a Technique for Adjusting Clarinet Reeds|journal=Journal of Research in Music Education|publisher=MENC|volume=16|issue=1|pages=45–58}}</ref> Reeds come in varying degrees of hardness, generally indicated on a scale from one (soft) through five (hard). This numbering system is not standardized — reeds with the same hardness number often vary in actual hardness across manufacturers and models.<ref name="pinksterboer"/> Reed and mouthpiece characteristics work together to determine ease of playability, pitch stability, and tonal characteristics.<ref name="pinksterboer"/>

===Components of a modern soprano clarinet===
<!-- [[Image:Clarinet.jpg|thumb|640px|center|A concert B{{music|flat}} Clarinet (Boehm system)]] -->
Note: A [[Boehm system (clarinet)|Boehm system]] soprano clarinet is shown in the photos illustrating this section. However, all modern clarinets have similar components.

[[Image:Selmer-clarinet-mouthpiece-reed-and-vandoren-ligature.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Clarinet [[Reed (music)|reed]], [[Mouthpiece (woodwind)|mouthpiece]], and [[Ligature (musical instrument)|ligature]]]]
The ''[[Reed (music)|reed]]'' is attached to the ''[[Mouthpiece (woodwind)|mouthpiece]]'' by the ''[[Ligature (musical instrument)|ligature]]'', and the top half-inch or so of this assembly is held in the player’s mouth.<ref name="cambridge"/> German clarinetists often wind a string around the mouthpiece and reed instead of using a ligature.<ref name="pino"/> The formation of the mouth around the mouthpiece and reed is called the ''[[embouchure]]''.
{{listen|filename=ClarinetReed.ogg|title=Bb Clarinet reed and mouthpiece.|description=|format=[[Ogg]]}}

The reed is on the underside of the mouthpiece, pressing against the player's lower lip, while the top teeth normally contact the top of the mouthpiece (some players roll the upper lip under the top teeth to form what is called a ‘double-lip’ embouchure).<ref name="pino">Pino D. ''The clarinet and clarinet playing''. Dover Publications, 1998.</ref> Adjustments in the strength and configuration of the embouchure change the tone and intonation (tuning). It is not uncommon for clarinetists to employ methods to soften the pressure on both the upper teeth and inner lower lip by attaching pads to the top of the mouthpiece or putting (temporary) padding on the front lower teeth, commonly from folded paper.<ref name="pino"/>

[[Image:Buffet-R13-Clarinet-barrel.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Barrel of a B{{music|flat}} soprano Clarinet]]
Next is the short ''barrel''; this part of the instrument may be extended in order to fine-tune the clarinet. As the pitch of the clarinet is fairly temperature-sensitive, some instruments have interchangeable barrels whose lengths vary slightly. Additional compensation for pitch variation and tuning can be made by pulling out the barrel and thus increasing the instrument's length, particularly common in group playing in which clarinets are tuned to other instruments (such as in an [[orchestra]]). Some performers employ a plastic barrel with a thumbwheel that enables the barrel length to be altered. On basset horns and lower clarinets, the barrel is usually replaced by a curved metal neck.

[[Image:Buffet-R13-Clarinet-upper-joint.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Upper Joint of a Boehm-System Clarinet]]
The main body of most clarinets is divided into the ''upper joint'', the holes and most keys of which are operated by the left hand, and the ''lower joint'' with holes and most keys operated by the right hand. Some clarinets have a single joint: on some basset horns and larger clarinets the two joints are held together with a screw clamp and are usually not disassembled for storage. The left thumb operates both a ''tone hole'' and the ''register key''. On some models of clarinet, such as many [[Albert system]] clarinets and increasingly some higher-end Boehm system clarinets, the register key is a 'wraparound' key, with the key on the back of the clarinet and the pad on the front. Advocates of the wraparound register key say it improves sound and it is harder for condensation to accumulate in the tube beneath the pad.<ref>"The bore". http://www.the-clarinets.net/clarinet-bore.html. Accessed 2009-7-2.</ref>

The body of a modern soprano clarinet is equipped with numerous ''[[tone hole]]s'' of which seven (six front, one back) are covered by the fingertips and the rest are opened or closed using a set of keys. These tone holes allow every note of the chromatic scale to be produced. On alto and larger clarinets, and a few soprano clarinets, some or all of the finger holes are replaced by key-covered holes. The most common system of keys was named the Boehm System by its designer [[Hyacinthe Klosé]] in honour of [[flute]] designer [[Theobald Boehm]], but it is not the same as the [[Boehm System]] used on flutes.<ref name="ridley">{{cite journal|last=Ridley|first=E.A.K.|date=September 1986|title=Birth of the 'Boehm' Clarinet|journal=The Galpin Society Journal|volume=39|pages=68–76}}</ref> The other main system of keys is called the [[Öhler system]] and is used mostly in Germany and Austria (see [[clarinet#History|History]]).<ref name="cambridge"/> The related Albert system is used by some [[jazz]], [[klezmer]], and eastern European folk musicians.<ref name="cambridge"/> The Albert and Oehler systems are both based on the earlier [[Ivan Mueller|Mueller system]].<ref name="cambridge"/>
[[Image:Buffet-R13-Clarinet-lower-joint.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Lower Joint of a Boehm-System Clarinet]]

The cluster of keys at the bottom of the upper joint (protruding slightly beyond the cork of the joint) are known as the ''trill keys'' and are operated by the right hand.<ref name="pinksterboer"/> These give the player alternative fingerings which make it easy to play ornaments and [[trill (music)|trills]].<ref name="pinksterboer"/> The entire weight of the smaller clarinets is supported by the right thumb behind the lower joint on what is called the ''thumb-rest''.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Horvath|first=Janet|date=September 2001|title=An Orchestra Musician's Perspective on 20 Years of Performing Arts Medicine|journal=Medical Problems of Performing Artists|volume=16|issue=3|pages=102}}</ref> Basset horns and larger clarinets are supported with a neck strap or a floor peg.

[[Image:Buffet-R13-Clarinet-bell.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Bell of a B{{music|flat}} soprano clarinet]]
Finally, the flared end is known as the ''bell''. Contrary to popular belief, the bell does not amplify the sound; rather, it improves the uniformity of the instrument's tone for the lowest notes in each register.<ref name="physics">"Clarinet acoustics: an introduction". University of New South Wales. http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/clarinetacoustics.html. Accessed 2009-7-2.</ref> For the other notes the sound is produced almost entirely at the tone holes and the bell is irrelevant.<ref name="physics"/> On [[Basset-horn|basset horns]] and larger clarinets, the bell curves up and forward, and is usually made of metal.<ref name="cambridge"/>

==Acoustics==
[[File:Emission clarinette.png|thumb|300 px|Vibration of the air column in the soprano clarinet<ref>Synthesis of [http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/clarinetacoustics.html#Clarinet acoustics] University of New South Wales. </ref>]]

[[Sound]] is a [[wave]] that propagates through air as a result of a local variation in [[air pressure]]. The production of sound by a clarinet follows these steps:<ref name="physics">[http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/clarinetacoustics.html#pipe Acoustics of the Clarinet] University of New South Wales.</ref>

# The air in the bore of the instrument is at normal atmospheric pressure and moves towards the bell (or the first open hole). The minuscule space between the mouthpiece and the reed allows only a small amount of air to enter the instrument. This creates a low-pressure area in the mouthpiece. The difference in pressure between the two sides of the reed increases, causing the reed to press against the mouthpiece.
# The wave of low-pressure air moves down the bore and arrives at the first open hole
# The outside air, at normal atmospheric pressure, is sucked in by the low pressure inside. The air which was previously leaving the clarinet through the hole changes direction quickly and enters the bore.
# The incoming air normalizes the pressure within the bore, starting at the open hole and moving back towards the mouthpiece
# Once all of the air in the bore is at atmospheric pressure (moving towards the mouthpiece), the difference in pressure between the two sides of the reed decreases and the reed returns to its original position.
# The moving column of air is stopped by the sudden collision with the pressurized air coming from the player's mouth. A wave of high-pressure air moves towards the first open hole.
# When the high-pressure air arrives at the open hole, the air coming into the bore abruptly changes direction and goes out through the hole.
# The high pressure normalizes and the cycle restarts

The cycle repeats at a constant frequency and emits a note related to that frequency. For example, [[A440|A4]] (440 [[Hertz|Hz]]) is produced when the cycle repeats 440 times per second.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wam.hr/Arhiva/US/Cavanagh_440Hz.pdf|title=A brief history of the establishment of international standard pitch a=440 hertz|last=Cavanagh|first=Lynn|accessdate=2009-07-20}}</ref>

The bore of the soprano clarinet is basically cylindrical for most of the tube with an inner bore diameter between {{convert|14|and|15.5|mm|in}}, but there is a subtle [[hourglass]] shape, with the thinnest part below the junction between the upper and lower joint.<ref name="baines">Baines, Anthony. ''Woodwind instruments and their history''. W.W. Norton & Co, 1957</ref> The reduction is {{convert|1|to|3|mm|in}} depending on the maker. This hourglass shape, although not visible to the naked eye, helps to correct the pitch/scale discrepancy between the chalumeau and clarino registers (perfect 12th).<ref name="baines"/> The diameter of the bore affects characteristics such as available harmonics, timbre, and stability of pitch (the extent to which a note can be 'bent' in the manner required in jazz and other styles of music). The bell at the bottom of the instrument flares out to improve the tone of the lowest notes.

Most modern clarinets have "undercut" tone holes to further improve intonation and the sound. Undercutting means [[chamfer]]ing the bottom edge of tone holes inside the bore. Acoustically, this makes the tone hole function as if it were larger, but its main function is to allow the air column to follow the curve up through the tone hole (surface tension) instead of "blowing past" it under the increased velocity of the upper registers.<ref>Gibson, Lee. "Fundamentals of Acoustical Design of the Soprano Clarinet". Music Educators Journal, Vol. 54, No. 6 (Feb., 1968), pp. 113-115</ref>

The fixed reed and fairly uniform diameter of the clarinet give the instrument an acoustical behavior approximating that of a cylindrical [[stopped pipe]].<ref name="physics"/> [[Recorder]]s use a tapered internal bore to overblow at the 8th (octave) when its thumb/register hole is pinched open while the clarinet, with its cylindrical bore, overblows on the 12th. Adjusting the angle of the bore taper controls the frequencies of the overblown notes (harmonics).<ref name="physics"/> Changing the mouthpiece's tip opening and the length of the reed changes the harmonic timbre or voice of the instrument because this changes the speed of reed vibrations.<ref name="physics"/> Generally, the goal of the clarinetist when producing a sound is to make as much of the reed vibrate as possible, making the sound fuller, warmer, and potentially louder.

[[Image:Clarinets german.jpg|thumb|100px|left|[[Öhler system]] clarinets use additional tone holes to correct intonation (patent C♯, low E-F correction, fork-F/B♭ correction and fork B♭ correction)]]
Covering or uncovering the tone holes varies the effective length of the pipe, changing the [[acoustic resonance|resonant frequencies]] of the enclosed air column and hence the [[Pitch (music)|pitch]] of the sound.<ref name="physics"/> A clarinetist moves between the chalumeau and clarino registers through use of the [[register key]], or speaker key: clarinetists call the change from chalumeau register to clarino register "the break".<ref name="pinksterboer"/> The register key, when pressed, cancels the fundamental frequency scale and forces the clarinet to produce the next dominant harmonic scale a [[interval (music)|twelfth]] higher, and when using at least fingers 1-2-3 1-2, taking off the first finger on the left hand, acts as sort of another register key, and doesn't overblow a [[interval (music)|twelfth]], but instead a [[interval (music)|sixth]]. The clarinet is therefore said to [[overblow]] at the twelfth, and when moving to the altissimo register, a sixth. By contrast, nearly all other woodwind instruments overblow at the octave, or like the [[Ocarina]] and [[Tonette]], do not overblow at all (the [[Rackett]] or Sausage Bassoon is the next most common Western instrument that overblows at the twelfth). A clarinet must have holes and keys for nineteen notes (a chromatic octave and a half, from bottom E to B{{music|flat}}) in its lowest register to play the chromatic scale. This overblowing behavior explains both the clarinet's great range and its complex fingering system. The fifth and seventh harmonics are also available, sounding a further sixth and fourth (actually a very flat diminished fifth) higher respectively; these are the notes of the altissimo register.<ref name="physics"/> This is also why the inner "waist" measurement is so critical to these harmonic frequencies.

The highest notes on a clarinet can have a shrill piercing quality and can be difficult to tune accurately.<ref name="pino"/> Different instruments often play differently in this respect due to the sensitivity of the bore and reed measurements. Using alternate fingerings and adjusting the embouchure helps correct the pitch of these higher notes.

[[Image:QuartertoneClarinet.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Schüller's quarter-tone clarinet]]
Since approximately 1850, clarinets have been nominally tuned according to [[12-tone equal temperament]]. Older clarinets were nominally tuned to [[meantone]]. A skilled performer can use his or her [[embouchure]] to considerably alter the tuning of individual notes or to produce [[vibrato]], a pulsating change of pitch often employed in [[jazz]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Drushler|first=P|date=1978|title=The clarinet vibrato|journal=Woodwind Anthology|location=Illinois}}</ref> Vibrato is rare in classical or concert band literature; however, certain clarinetists, such as [[Richard Stoltzman]], do use vibrato in classical music. Special fingerings may be used to play [[quarter tone]]s and other [[Microtonal music|microtonal]] intervals.<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Heaton
| first = Roger
| title = The Contemporary Clarinet | doi = 10.2277/0521476682 <!--Retrieved from Yahoo! by DOI bot-->}} In {{cite book
| last = Lawson (ed.)
| first = Colin
| title = The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet
| date = 1995
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
| pages = 174–175}}</ref>
Fritz Schüller of [[Markneukirchen]], [[Germany]] built a [[quarter tone clarinet]], with two parallel bores of slightly different lengths whose tone holes are operated using the same keywork and a valve to switch from one bore to the other.<ref name="cambridge"/>

==History==<!-- This section is linked from [[Clarinet]] -->
[[Image:Clarinet 4 key anon Bate.jpg|right|thumb|100px|4-key boxwood clarinet, ca. 1760.]]

===Lineage===
The clarinet has its roots in the early [[single-reed instrument]]s or [[Hornpipe (musical instrument)|hornpipes]] used in the [[Middle East]] and [[Europe]] since the [[Middle Ages]], such as the [[albogue]], [[alboka]], and [[double clarinet]].<ref name="cambridge"/>

The modern clarinet developed from a [[Baroque music|Baroque]] instrument called the [[chalumeau]]. This instrument was similar to a [[recorder]], but with a [[Single-reed instrument|single-reed]] mouthpiece and a cylindrical bore.<ref name="karp" /> Lacking a [[register key]], it was played mainly in its fundamental register, with a limited range of about one and a half octaves.<ref name="karp">{{cite journal|last=Karp|first=Cary|date=1986|title=The early history of the clarinet and chalumeau|journal=Early Music|publisher=Oxford University Press|volume=14|issue=4|pages=545–551}}</ref> It had eight finger holes, like a recorder, and two keys for its two highest notes.<ref name="karp" /> At this time, contrary to modern practice, the reed was placed in contact with the upper lip.<ref name="karp" />

Around the turn of the 18th century, the chalumeau was modified by converting one of its keys into a register key to produce the first clarinet. This development is usually attributed to German instrument maker [[Johann Christoph Denner]], though some have suggested his son Jacob Denner was the inventor.<ref>Hoeprich, T Eric. "A Three-Key Clarinet by J.C. Denner". ''The Galpin Society Journal'', Vol. 34, (Mar., 1981), pp. 21-32</ref> This instrument played well in the middle register with a loud, strident tone, so it was given the name ''clarinetto'' meaning "little trumpet" (from ''clarino'' + ''-etto''). Early clarinets did not play well in the lower register, so chalumeaux continued to be made to play the low notes.<ref name="karp" /> As clarinets improved, the chalumeau fell into disuse and these notes became known as the ''chalumeau register''. The original Denner clarinets had two keys, and could play a [[chromatic scale]], but various makers added more keys to get improved tuning, easier fingerings, and a slightly larger range.<ref name="karp" /> The classical clarinet of [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart's]] day typically had eight finger holes and five keys.

Clarinets were soon accepted into orchestras. Later models had a mellower tone than the originals. Mozart (d. 1791) liked the sound of the clarinet (he considered its tone the closest in quality to the human voice) and wrote much music for it,<ref name="hacker">Hacker, Alan. "Mozart and the Basset Clarinet". ''The Musical Times'', Vol. '''110''', No. 1514 (Apr., 1969), pp.&nbsp;359-362.</ref> and by the time of [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]] (c. 1800–1820), the clarinet was a standard fixture in the orchestra.

===Pads===
The next major development in the history of clarinet was the invention of the modern pad. Early clarinets covered the tone holes with [[felt]] pads.<ref name="bray">{{cite web|url=http://hem.passagen.se/eriahl/history.htm|title=The clarinet history|last=Bray|first=Erin|date=2004-11-16|work=The clarinet family|accessdate=2009-07-20}}</ref> Because these leaked air, the number of pads had to be kept to a minimum, so the clarinet was severely restricted in what notes could be played with good tone.<ref name="bray"/> In 1812, [[Iwan Müller]], a Russian-born clarinetist and inventor, developed a new type of pad which was covered in [[leather]] or [[Gas bladder|fish bladder]].<ref name="jl"/> This was completely airtight, so the number of keys could be increased enormously. He designed a new type of clarinet with seven finger holes and thirteen keys.<ref name="jl">[http://www.jlpublishing.com/ClarinetHistory.htm Clarinet History, 1812].</ref> This allowed the clarinet to play in any key with near-equal ease. Over the course of the 19th century, many enhancements were made to Mueller's clarinet, such as the [[Albert system]] and the Baermann system, all keeping the same basic design.

===Arrangement of keys and holes===
{{Main|Albert system|Boehm system (clarinet)|Öhler system}}
The final development in the modern design of the clarinet used in most of the world today was introduced by [[Hyacinthe Klosé]] in 1839.<ref name="boehm">Ridley, EAK. "Birth of the 'Boehm' Clarinet". ''The Galpin Society Journal'', Vol. '''39''', (Sep., 1986), pp.&nbsp;68-76</ref> He devised a different arrangement of keys and finger holes which allow simpler fingering. It was inspired by the [[Boehm System]] developed for flutes by [[Theobald Boehm]]. Klosé was so impressed by Boehm's invention that he named his own system for clarinets the [[Boehm system (clarinet)|Boehm system]], although it is different from the one used on flutes.<ref name="boehm"/> This new system was slow to gain popularity because it meant the player had to relearn how to play the instrument. To ease this transition, Klose wrote a series of exercises for the clarinet, designed to teach his fingering system. Gradually it became the standard, and today the Boehm system is used everywhere in the world except Germany and Austria. These countries still use a direct descendant of the Mueller clarinet known as the [[Öhler system]] clarinet.<ref name="cambridge"/> Also, some contemporary Dixieland and Klezmer players continue to use [[Albert system]] clarinets, as the simpler fingering system can allow for easier slurring of notes.<ref name="cambridge"/> At one time the reed was held on using string, but now the practice exists primarily in Germany and Austria.

==Usage and repertoire==
===Use of multiple clarinets===
The modern [[orchestra]]l standard of using soprano clarinets in both B{{music|flat}} and A has to do partly with the history of the instrument, and partly with acoustics, aesthetics and economics. Before about 1800, due to the lack of airtight pads ''(see [[#History|History]])'', practical woodwinds could have only a few keys to control accidentals (notes outside their diatonic home scales).<ref name="bray"/> The low (chalumeau) register of the clarinet spans a twelfth (an octave plus a perfect fifth), so the clarinet needs keys to produce all of the nineteen notes in that range.<ref name="cambridge"/> This involves more keywork than is necessary on instruments which "overblow" at the octave — [[oboes]], [[flutes]], [[bassoon]]s, and [[saxophones]], for example, which need only twelve notes before overblowing.

Clarinets with few keys cannot therefore easily play chromatically, limiting any such instrument to a few closely related key signatures.<ref name="longyear" /> For example, an eighteenth–century clarinet in C could be played in F, C, and G (and their relative minors) with good intonation, but with progressive difficulty and poorer intonation as the key moved away from this range.<ref name="longyear">Longyear, RM. "Clarinet Sonorities in Early Romantic Music". The Musical Times, Vol. 124, No. 1682 (Apr., 1983), pp. 224-226</ref> In contrast, for octave-overblowing instruments, an instrument in C with few keys could much more readily be played in any key.

This problem was overcome by using three clarinets — in A, B{{music|flat}} and C — so that early 19th century music, which rarely strayed into the remote keys (five or six sharps or flats), could be played as follows: music in 5 to 2 sharps (B major to D major concert pitch) on A clarinet (D major to F major for the player), music in 1 sharp to 1 flat (G to F) on C clarinet, and music in 2 flats to 4 flats (B{{music|flat}} to A{{music|flat}}) on the B{{music|flat}} clarinet (C to B{{music|flat}} for the player). Difficult key signatures and numerous accidentals were thus largely avoided.

With the invention of the airtight pad, and as key technology improved and more keys were added to woodwinds, the need for clarinets in multiple musical keys was reduced.<ref name="cambridge"/> However, the use of multiple instruments in different keys persisted, with the three instruments in C, B{{music|flat}} and A all used as specified by the composer.

The lower-pitched clarinets sound more "mellow" (less bright), and the C clarinet – being the highest and therefore brightest of the three – fell out of favour as the other two clarinets could cover its range and their sound was considered better.<ref name="longyear"/> While the clarinet in C began to fall out of general use around 1850, some composers continued to write C parts after this date, e.g. [[Georges Bizet|Bizet]]'s [[Symphony in C (Bizet)|Symphony in C]] (1855), [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]]'s [[Symphony No. 2 (Tchaikovsky)|Symphony No. 2]] (1872), [[Bedřich Smetana|Smetana]]'s ''[[Vltava]]'' (1874), [[Johannes Brahms|Brahms]] [[Symphony No. 4 (Brahms)|Symphony No.&nbsp;4]] (1885), and [[Richard Strauss]] deliberately reintroduced it to take advantage of its brighter tone, as in ''[[Der Rosenkavalier]]'' (1911).<ref name="cambridge"/>

While technical improvements and an equal-tempered scale reduced the need for two clarinets, the technical difficulty of playing in remote keys persisted and the A has thus remained a standard orchestral instrument.<ref name="cambridge"/> In addition, by the late 19th century the orchestral clarinet repertoire contained so much music for clarinet in A that the disuse of this instrument was not practical.<ref name="cambridge"/> Attempts were made to standardise to the B{{music|flat}} instrument between 1930 and 1950 (e.g. tutors recommended learning the routine transposition of orchestral A parts on the B{{music|flat}} clarinet, including solos written for A clarinet, and some manufacturers provided a low E{{music|flat}} on the B{{music|flat}} to match the range of the A), but this did not succeed in the orchestral sphere.

Similarly there have been E{{music|flat}} and D instruments in the upper soprano range, B{{music|flat}}, A, and C instruments in the bass range, and so forth; but over time the E{{music|flat}} and B{{music|flat}} instruments have become predominant.<ref name="cambridge"/>

The B{{music|flat}} instrument continues to be dominant in wind ensemble music and in jazz, with both B{{music|flat}} and C instruments used in some ethnic traditions, such as [[klezmer]] music.

===Classical music===
[[Image:R13-A-and-Bb-Clarinets-in-case.png|left|thumb|200px|A pair of Boehm-System Soprano Clarinets – one in B{{music|flat}} and one in A.]]
In [[classical music]], clarinets are part of standard [[orchestra]]l instrumentation, which frequently includes two clarinetists playing individual parts &mdash; each player is usually equipped with a pair of standard clarinets in B{{music|flat}} and A (see above) and it is quite common for clarinet parts to alternate between B{{music|flat}} and A instruments several times over the course of a piece or even, less commonly, of a movement (e.g. 1st movement Brahms 3rd symphony).<ref name="anatomy">Del Mar, Norman. ''Anatomy of the Orchestra''. University of California Press, 1983.</ref> Clarinet sections grew larger during the last few decades of the 19th century, often employing a third clarinetist, an E{{music|flat}} or a bass clarinet. In the 20th century, composers such as [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Richard Strauss]], [[Gustav Mahler]] and [[Olivier Messiaen]] enlarged the clarinet section on occasion to up to nine players, employing many different clarinets including the E{{music|flat}} or D soprano clarinets, [[Basset-horn|basset horn]], [[alto clarinet]], [[bass clarinet]] and/or [[contrabass clarinet]].

{{listen|filename=Contrabass Clarinet - Fragment from 'Late Spring'.ogg|title=A contrabass clarinet sustained by orchestra.|description=|format=[[Ogg]]}}

This practice of using a variety of clarinets to achieve coloristic variety was common in [[20th century classical music|20th century music]] and continues today. However, many clarinetists and conductors prefer to play parts originally written for obscure instruments on B{{music|flat}} or E{{music|flat}} clarinets, which are often of better quality and more prevalent and accessible.<ref name="anatomy"/>

The clarinet is widely used as a solo instrument. The relatively late evolution of the clarinet (when compared to other orchestral woodwinds) has left a considerable amount of solo repertoire from the [[Classical music era|Classical]] period and later, but few works from the [[Baroque music|Baroque]] era.<ref name="cambridge"/> A number of [[clarinet concerto]]s have been written to showcase the instrument, with the concerti by [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]], [[Aaron Copland|Copland]] and [[Carl Maria von Weber|Weber]] being particularly well known.

Many works of [[chamber music]] have also been written for the clarinet. Particularly common combinations are:
{{col-begin}}
*Clarinet and piano (including [[clarinet sonata]]s)<ref>Burnet C. Tuthill, "Sonatas for Clarinet and Piano: Annotated Listings", ''Journal of Research in Music Education,'' Vol. 20, No. 3. (Autumn, 1972), pp. 308-328.</ref>
*Clarinet, piano and another instrument (for example, [[string instrument]] or voice)<ref name="cambridge"/>
*[[Clarinet choir|Clarinet quartet]], either 4 B{{music|flat}} clarinets or 3 B{{music|flat}} clarinets and [[bass clarinet]], sometimes with parts for [[alto clarinet]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Weerts|first=Richard K.|date=Autumn, 1964|title=The Clarinet Choir|journal=Journal of Research in Music Education|publisher=MENC|volume=12|issue=3|pages=227–230}}</ref>
*[[Clarinet quintet]], generally made up of a clarinet plus a [[string quartet]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Street|first=Oscar W.|title=The Clarinet and Its Music|journal=Journal of the Royal Musical Association|publisher=Royal Musical Association|location=1915|volume=42|issue=1|pages=89 – 115}}</ref>
*[[Wind quintet]], consists of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and [[horn (instrument)|horn]].<ref>Suppan, Wolfgang. 2001. "Wind Quintet." The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. S. Sadie and J. Tyrrell. London: Macmillan.</ref>
*[[Trio d'anches]], or ''trio of reeds'' consists of oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.<ref name="costa">Costa, Anthony. "A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CHAMBER MUSIC AND DOUBLE CONCERTI LITERATURE FOR OBOE AND CLARINET". [[Ohio State University]]. Dissertation. 2005.</ref>
*[[Wind octet]], consists of pairs of oboes, clarinets, bassoons, and horns.<ref name="costa"/>
{{col-end}}

===Concert bands===
In [[concert band|wind bands]], clarinets are a particularly central part of the instrumentation, occupying the same space (and often playing the same notes) in bands that the strings do in orchestras. Bands usually include several B{{music|flat}} clarinets, divided into sections each consisting of two or three clarinetists playing the same part. There is almost always an E{{music|flat}} clarinet part and a bass clarinet part, usually doubled.<ref name="erickson">Erickson, Frank. ''Arranging for the Concert Band''. Alfred Publishing, 1985.</ref> Alto, contra-alto, and contrabass clarinets are sometimes used as well, and ''very'' rarely a piccolo A{{music|flat}} clarinet.<ref name="erickson"/>

===Jazz===
[[Image:DrMichaelWhiteStAug.jpg|right|thumb|[[Michael White (clarinetist)|Dr Michael White]] (front right) plays clarinet at a jazz funeral in Treme, [[New Orleans, Louisiana]].]]

The clarinet was a central instrument in early jazz starting in the 1910s and remained popular in the United States through the [[big band]] era into the 1940s.<ref name="cambridge"/> [[Larry Shields]], [[Ted Lewis (musician)|Ted Lewis]], [[Jimmie Noone]] and [[Sidney Bechet]] were influential in early jazz. The B{{music|flat}} soprano was the most common instrument, but a few early jazz musicians such as [[Louis Nelson Delisle]] and [[Alcide Nunez]] preferred the C soprano, and many New Orleans jazz brass bands have used E{{music|flat}} soprano.<ref name="cambridge"/>

Swing clarinetists such as [[Benny Goodman]], [[Artie Shaw]], and [[Woody Herman]] led successful and [[popular music|popular]] big bands and smaller groups from the 1930s onward.<ref>Schuller, Gunther. ''The swing era''. Oxford University Press, 1989.</ref> With the decline of the big bands' popularity in the late 1940s, the clarinet faded from its prominent position in jazz, though a few players ([[John Carter (jazz musician)|John Carter]], [[Buddy DeFranco]], [[Eric Dolphy]], [[Jimmy Giuffre]], [[Perry Robinson]], [[Theo Jorgensmann]] and others) used clarinet in [[bebop]] and [[free jazz]].

During the 1950s and 1960s, Britain underwent a surge in the popularity of [[Trad jazz|traditional jazz]]. During this period, a British clarinetist named [[Acker Bilk]] became popular, founding his own ensemble in 1956.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kaufman|first=Will|coauthors=Heidi Slettedahl Macpherson|title=Britain and the Americas|publisher=ABC-CLIO|date=2005}}</ref> Bilk had a string of successful records, including the popular "[[Stranger on the Shore]]".

In the U.S., the instrument has seen something of a resurgence since the 1980s, with [[Eddie Daniels]], [[Don Byron]], and others playing the clarinet in more contemporary contexts.<ref name="cambridge"/> The instrument remains common in [[Dixieland]] music; [[Pete Fountain]] is one of the best known performers in this genre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.experienceneworleans.com/pete.html|title=A Closer Walk with Pete Fountain|last=Compagno|first=Nick|accessdate=2009-07-20}}</ref> [[Bob Wilber]], active since the 1950s, is a more eclectic jazz clarinetist, playing in a number of classic jazz styles.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilber|first=Bob|title=Music Was Not Enough|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=1988}}</ref> Filmmaker [[Woody Allen]] is a notable jazz clarinet enthusiast, and performs New Orleans-style jazz regularly with his quartet in New York.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.woodyallenband.com |title=New Orleans Trombone, Jerry Zigmont - Jazz Trombone, Eddy Davis & His New Orleans Jazz Band featuring Woody Allen, Cafe Carlyle, Woody Allen Band |accessdate=2008-01-17 |format= |work=}}</ref>

=== Rock and pop ===
In [[rock music|rock]] and [[pop music]], the clarinet is used very rarely. Some examples of its use are:

*[[Pink Floyd]] used a clarinet as the melody for the song "[[Outside the Wall]]"
*[[The Beatles]] used a clarinet trio on their song "[[When I'm Sixty-Four]]", from the album ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]''.<ref name="martin">{{cite book |author=[[George Martin]] with William Pearson |title=With a Little Help from My Friends: The Making of Sgt. Pepper |year=1994 |pages=34 |publisher=Little, Brown |location=Boston |isbn=0-316-54783-2}}</ref>
*[[Jerry Martini]] plays clarinet on [[Sly and the Family Stone]]'s "[[Dance to the Music (song)|Dance to the Music]]".<ref>[[Joel Selvin|Selvin, Joel]] (1998). For the Record: Sly and the Family Stone: An Oral History. New York: Quill Publishing. ISBN 0-380-79377-6.</ref>
*[[John Helliwell]] with the band [[Supertramp]] sometimes uses the clarinet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.supertramp.com.br/88tour.html|title=Rick’s comments about the 1988 tour and live album|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref>
*[[Patti Smith]] uses clarinet on her albums ''[[Twelve (Patti Smith album)|Twelve]]'', ''[[Trampin']]'' and ''[[Peace and Noise]]'' (song "[[Spell (song)|Spell]]").<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A76646|title=Gung Ho|last=Denberg|first=Jody|date=March 31, 2000|publisher=Austin Chronicle|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref>
*[[Radiohead]] used a clarinet for "[[Life in a Glasshouse]]" from the album ''[[Amnesiac]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V121/N29/radiohead.29a.html|title=Life After ‘Kid A’|last=Chung|first=Sandra|date=July 11, 2001|work=The Tech|publisher=MIT|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref>
*[[Billy Joel]] uses a clarinet on his song "[[Scenes from an Italian Restaurant]]", from the album ''[[The Stranger (album)|The Stranger]]''<ref>The Stranger (Deluxe Edition). Billy Joel. Album notes. COLB 30801. 2008-07-08. A&R Recording Inc, N.Y.</ref>
*[[Branford Marsalis]] played the clarinet on [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]'s song "Tomorrow We’ll See" from the album ''[[Brand New Day (Sting album)|Brand New Day]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/music/Brand-New-Day-SACD-Sting-Taylor-Mami-Wonder/602498622353-item.html|title=Brand New Day|publisher=Chapters|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref>
*[[Aerosmith]] uses the clarinet at the end of "[[Rag Doll]]" from the album [[Permanent Vacation]].
* [[Saga]] keyboardist Jim Gilmour plays clarinet on the track "No Regrets" from the album [[Worlds Apart (Saga album)|Worlds Apart]].
*[[Muse (band)|Muse]] uses a clarinet solo in the song "I Belong to You" from the album ''[[The Resistance (album)|The Resistance]]''.
*[[Grizzly Bear]] member [[Chris Taylor]] plays both Clarinet and [[Bass Clarinet]] on record and in live performances, frequently switching between the two instruments.

===Other genres===
Clarinets also feature prominently in [[klezmer]] music, which entails a distinctive style of playing.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Slobin|first=Mark|date=1984|title=Klezmer Music: An American Ethnic Genre|journal=Yearbook for Traditional Music|publisher=International Council for Traditional Music|volume=16|pages=34–41}}</ref> The use of quarter-tones requires a different embouchure.<ref name="cambridge"/> Some klezmer musicians prefer Albert system clarinets.<ref name="hoeprich">{{cite book|last=Hoeprich|first=Eric|title=The Clarinet|publisher=Yale University Press|date=2008}}</ref>

The popular [[Brazil]]ian music styles of [[choro]] and [[samba]] use the clarinet.<ref>{{cite book|last=Livingston-Isenhour|first=Tamara Elena|coauthors=Thomas George Caracas Garcia|title=Choro|publisher=Indiana University Press|date=2005}}</ref> Prominent contemporary players include Paulo Moura, Naylor 'Proveta' Azevedo, Paulo Sérgio dos Santos and [[Paquito D'Rivera]].

The clarinet is prominent in Bulgarian wedding music, an offshoot of Roma/Romani traditional music.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rowlett|first=M|title=The Clarinet in Bulgarian Wedding Music|publisher=Florida State University|date=2001}}</ref> [[Ivo Papazov]] is a well-known clarinetist in this genre. In [[Moravia]]n [[Hammered dulcimer|dulcimer]] bands, the clarinet is usually the only wind instrument among string instruments.<ref>{{cite book|last=Broughton|first=Simon|coauthors=Mark Ellingham, Richard Trillo, Orla Duane, Vanessa Dowell|title=World Music|publisher=Rough Guides|date=1999}}</ref> Tale Ognenovski played the clarinet as a [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]n folk instrument and became famous worldwide with his work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.taleognenovski.com.mk/|title=Tale Ognenovski, Musical Genius, Clarinetist And Composer|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref>

In [[Greece]] the clarinet (usually referred to as "κλαρίνο" - "clarino") is prominent in traditional music, especially in central and northwest Greece ([[Thessaly]] and [[Epirus (periphery)|Epirus]]).<ref name="pappas">{{cite web|url=http://www.greekfolkmusicanddance.com/instrumentation.php|title=Greek Folk Instrument Groups|last=Pappas|first=John|date=1998|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref> The double-reed [[zurna]] was the dominant woodwind instrument before the clarinet arrived in the country, although many Greeks regard the clarinet as a native instrument.<ref name="hoeprich"/> Traditional dance music, wedding music and laments include a clarinet soloist and quite often improvisations.<ref name="pappas"/> Petroloukas Chalkias is a famous clarinetist in this genre.

The instrument is equally famous in [[Turkey]], especially the soprano clarinet in G. The soprano clarinet crossed via Turkey to [[Arabic music]], where it is widely used in [[Arabic pop]], especially if the intention of the arranger is to imitate the Turkish style.<ref name="hoeprich"/>
[[File:Klarnet.jpg|center|thumb|500 px|Turkish clarinet]]

===Groups of clarinets===
[[Image:Clarinette metal CAlt CBas.jpg|thumb|Contrabass and contra-alto clarinets]]
Groups of clarinets playing together have become increasingly popular among clarinet enthusiasts in recent years. Common forms are:
*[[Clarinet choir]], which features a large number of clarinets playing together, usually involves a range of different members of the clarinet family (see [[clarinet#Extended family of clarinets|Extended family of clarinets]]). The homogeneity of tone across the different members of the clarinet family produces an effect with some similarities to a human [[choir]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Weerts|first=Richard|title=The Clarinet Choir|journal=Journal of Research in Music Education|publisher=MENC|volume=12|issue=3|pages=227–230}}</ref>
*Clarinet quartet, usually three B{{music|flat}} sopranos and one B{{music|flat}} bass, or two B{{music|flat}}, an E{{music|flat}} Alto Clarinet, and a B{{music|flat}} Bass Clarinet, or sometimes four B{{music|flat}} sopranos.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Seay|first=Albert E.|date=September - October, 1948|title=Modern Composers and the Wind Ensemble|journal=Music Educators Journal|publisher=MENC|volume=35|issue=1|pages=27–28}}</ref>

Clarinet choirs and quartets often play arrangements of both classical and popular music, in addition to a body of literature specially written for a combination of clarinets by composers such as [[Arnold Cooke]], [[Alfred Uhl]], [[Daniel Theaker]], [[Lucien Caillet]] and [[Václav Nelhýbel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clarinetinstitute.com/CI%20Quartet%20Project.htm|title=Clarinet Quartet Project|publisher=Clarinet Institute|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref>

==Extended family of clarinets==
{{Main article|Clarinet family}}
There is a [[family (musical instruments)|family]] of many differently-pitched clarinet types, some of which are very rare. The following are the most important sizes, from highest to lowest:

{| class="wikitable"
|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Name !! Key !! Commentary !! Range (concert)
|-----
| [[Piccolo clarinet]]
| A{{music|flat}}
| Now rare, used for Italian military music and some contemporary pieces because of its sonority;<ref> [http://www.clarinettes.net/Famille.htm#Sopranino Clarinette en la{{music|flat}}]</ref>
| [[File:clar sop Ab reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| [[Sopranino clarinet]]
| E{{music|flat}}
| Characteristic timbre, used in [[concert band]] repertoire because its tonality is considered "compatible" with other instruments, especially those in B{{music|flat}}.<ref name="cambridge"/>
| [[File:clar sop Eb reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| Sopranino clarinet
| D
| Obscure because of its limited repertoire in Western music.<ref name="cambridge"/>
|[[File:clar sop D reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| [[Soprano clarinet]]
| C
| Rare because its timbre is considered too bright.<ref>[http://www.clarinettes.net/Famille.htm#Ut Clarinette en Ut]</ref>
| [[File:clar sop C reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| Soprano clarinet
| B{{music|flat}}
| The most common type: used in most styles of music.<ref name="cambridge"/>
| [[File:clar sop Bb reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| Soprano clarinet
| A
| Has a richer sound than B{{music|flat}}, frequently used in orchestral and chamber music.<ref name="cambridge"/>
| [[File:clar sop A reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| [[Basset clarinet]]
| A
| Clarinet in A extended to C, used primarily to play Classical-era music.<ref>Albert R. Rice, The Clarinet in the Classical Period. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.</ref> Rarely used today.
|
|-----
| [[Basset-horn]]
| F
| Mozart's Clarinet Concerto was originally written for basset-horn, which was common near the end of the 18th century.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lawson|first=Colin James|title=Mozart, clarinet concerto|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=1996}}</ref>
| [[File:cor basset F reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| [[Alto clarinet]]
| E{{music|flat}}
| Used in chamber music and wind ensembles.<ref name="pino"/>
| [[File:clar alto Eb reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| [[Bass clarinet]]
| B{{music|flat}}
| Used in contemporary music, concert band and jazz; sometimes used in orchestral music.<ref name="cambridge"/>
| [[File:clar bas Bb reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| [[Contra-alto clarinet]] (also called E{{music|flat}} Contrabass Clarinet)
| EE{{music|flat}}
| Used in clarinet choirs and sometimes in orchestras and wind ensembles.<ref name="cambridge"/>
| [[File:clar ctalto Eb reel.JPG|100 px]]
|-----
| [[Contrabass clarinet]]
| BB{{music|flat}}
| Used in clarinet choirs.<ref name="cambridge"/>
| [[File:clar ctbas Bb reel.JPG|100 px]]
|}

Experimental EEE{{music|flat}} and BBB{{music|flat}} [[Subcontrabass clarinet|octocontra-alto and octocontrabass]] clarinets have also been built.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contrabass.com/pages/octobass.html|title=Octocontrabass & Octocontralto Clarinets|last=Green|first=Grant D.|date=2005|accessdate=2009-07-21}}</ref> There have also been soprano clarinets in C, A, and B{{music|flat}} with curved barrels and bells marketed under the names [[Saxonette]], Claribel, and Clariphon.


==See also==
*List of [[Clarinet concerto|Clarinet concerti]]
*[[List of clarinetists]]
*[[Clarinet makers]] &ndash; lists of makers of clarinets, clarinet mouthpieces, and clarinet reeds.
*[[Double clarinet]] &ndash; a Middle Eastern instrument, not a true clarinet in the western sense of the term
*[[Quarter tone clarinet]]
*[[International Clarinet Association]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*Nicholas Bessaraboff, ''Ancient European Musical Instruments.'' Boston: Harvard University Press, 1941.
*"Woodwind Instruments and Their History" by Anthony Baines, Dover Publishing
*Jack Brymer, ''Clarinet''. (Yehudi Menuhin Music Guides) Hardback and paperback, 296 pages, Kahn & Averill. ISBN 1-871082-12-9
*David Pino, ''The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing.'' Providence: Dover Pubns, 1998, 320 p.; ISBN 0-486-40270-3
*F. Geoffrey Rendall, ''The Clarinet.'' Second Revised Edition. London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1957.
*Cyrille Rose, ''Artistic Studies, Book 1.'' ed. David Hite. San Antonio: Southern Music, 1986.
*Nicholas Shackleton, "Clarinet", ''[[Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians|Grove Music Online]]'', ed. L. Macy (accessed 21 February 2006), [http://www.grovemusic.com/ grovemusic.com] (subscription access).
*[http://www.buffet-crampon.com/en/instruments.php?mode=productDetails&pid=108 Buffet Crampon Greenline website]
*Jennifer Ross, "Clarinet", "Ohio: Hardcover Printing Press, 1988.
*Fabrizio Meloni, ''Il Clarinetto'', ill., 299 pages, Zecchini Editore, [http://www.zecchini.com/ zecchini.com] Italy, 2002, ISBN 88-87203-03-2.
*Bărbuceanu Valeriu, "Dictionary of musical instruments", Second Revised Edition, Teora Press, Bucharest, 1999
*"Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics" by Arthur H. Benade, Dover Publishing

==External links==
{{commons|Clarinet}}
{{wikt|clarinet}}
{{wikiversity|Clarinet}}
{{wikibooks|Clarinet}}
{{Wikisource1911Enc|clarinet}}
*[http://www.clarinet.org The International Clarinet Association]
*[http://hem.passagen.se/eriahl/clarinet.htm Comprehensive list of clarinets]
*[http://www.the-clarinets.net The-Clarinets.net - Comprehensive clarinet info-site, non-commercial]
*[http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/clarinetacoustics.html Clarinet acoustics]
*[http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/ Comprehensive list of fingerings for Kinderklarinettes and Boehm-, Albert-, and Oehler-system clarinets]
*[http://music.unm.edu/department_areas/woodwind/clarinet/repertoire.htm UNM List of Clarinet Repertoire]
*[http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/ugw/ugwf1x.html Clarinets in the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments]
*[http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Study/FingeringCharts/bbfinger.html Clarinet Fingering Chart]
*[http://www.clarinettrainer.com/ Interactive Clarinet Fingering Trainer]
{{Clarinet}}
{{Single reeds}}

[[Category:Clarinets]]
[[Category:French loanwords]]
[[Category:Clarinetists]]
[[Category:B-flat instruments]]
[[Category:Reed aerophones]]

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[[vls:Klarinette]]
[[diq:Qırnata]]
[[zh:單簧管]]

Revision as of 06:15, 24 December 2009

Mandeez plays the clarinet.

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