What kind of clarinets are there

Future innovations brought the batyphone and later the pedal clarinet in The first contra-alto clarinets were pitched in F when they appeared in the first half of the 19 th century. Contra-alto and contrabass parts are found most frequently in wind band music, though a few jazz musicians have begun to take notice.

These instruments are challenging because they require an especially strong embouchure and breath control. Players of average height cannot sit in a regular chair to play. They must sit on an elevated stool to accommodate these larger instruments. The clarinet family has a fascinating history and a broad range of tones. This clarinet type can be a more affordable option for would-be clarinetists and is the most versatile.

The most important things to consider when choosing an instrument from this family are the range of styles you can play in and the difficulty of the instrument. Any one of these clarinets can give you a rich and rewarding playing experience. Mary Cooper has a degree in music history and theory from a small Midwestern liberal arts college.

She has over 30 years of experience with the clarinet and bass clarinet, as well as other instruments. She lives in New England with her husband and two teenagers. Not sure of the clarinet type I have, can you help? The bell is marked Jean Paul. The upper and lower joints are marked CL which I cannot find on internet.

Thanks for your help, Mike. Did you acquire the instrument second hand? Is it possible the bell or the joints were replaced at some point? Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Contents hide. C clarinet. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Espie Estrella. Espie Estrella is a lyricist, songwriter, and member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Updated March 04, Watch Now: How to Care for a Clarinet. Ensembles: Making Beautiful Music Together.

String Musical Instruments: A Gallery. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for LiveAbout. A post shared by Pemi Paull pemipaull. Continuing lower, we have two fairly common clarinets, albeit much less than the others above which are the contrabass and contra-alto clarinets. They look like extreme versions of the bass clarinet, with very long necks and bells that nearly reach the height of the mouthpiece.

Range wise it can play a minor third below the bass clarinet and as a result they both have rich, warm, deep sounds, and are usually only used in bands and clarinet choirs. While common in the early s, a decrease in contra clarinet parts lead to a big decline in production, leading the ones that exist today to be treated as antiques. Range wise it plays at considerably higher pitch due to its small length with a range a minor seventh above the Bb clarinet with it has a much higher, thinner, and brighter timbre.

Basset clarinets feature extra keys so that lower notes can be played on a soprano sized clarinet. The most common basset clarinet is in A, but there are also versions in C, Bb, and most rarely, G. Lastly on our list of clarinets we have the octocontrabass and octocontralto clarinets that are even bigger and lower than contra clarinets! One variation is coiled and nicknamed the paperclip contrabass due to its shape. The other popular variant was designed by Benedikt Eppelsheim in that resembles a baritone saxophone in shape.

See Also: 11 Different Tuba Types. Also known as the octocontralto, this clarinet is actually larger than the contrabass but is not commercially available. In fact, only one was ever made by the G. Leblanc Corporation. It has a pitch one octave lower than the contra-alto. Interestingly, three compositions have been written for this instrument De Profundis , Op.