Clarinet

The clarinet is a woodwind instrument with a partly cylindrical, partly conical bore. Like the saxophone, the mouthpiece is saxophone with a simple reed. Its name, which comes from the Italian clarinetto (“little clarinet”), refers to its similarity to the high clarinet trumpet, whose role it played in the 18th century. The player produces sounds by blowing into the mouthpiece and simultaneously operating keys on the top of the instrument to control the airflow and produce different tones. The clarinet is Instrument of the Year 2008.

At around four octaves, the clarinet has the largest range of all wind instruments. wind instruments depending on the skills of the individual clarinettist. The clarinet family ranges from the contrabass to the sopranino, and with the exception of the rare C clarinet, all clarinets are transposing instruments. The Bb clarinet is of particular practical importance, followed by the A clarinet, which sounds a major second or a minor third lower than notated. Clarinets are made of wood or plastic and are available in different sizes and pitches to cover a wide range of musical styles. They are used in classical music, jazz, pop music and many other genres.

History of the clarinet

The history of the clarinet dates back to the late 17th century. The first forerunner of the modern clarinet, the chalumeau, was invented in France. The chalumeau was a simple reed instrument with a limited number of pitches. Over the course of the 18th century, the chalumeau developed into a more complex instrument. It was given an extended scale, a stronger sound and a two-piece design that made the instrument easier to play.

In the 18th century, the German instrument maker Johann Christoph Denner invented the clarinet. He improved the mouthpiece and the tube design of the chalumeau and added a conical bore. This gave the clarinet a wider range and a more flexible tone quality. Players could now play faster and with more virtuosity.

Further improvements were made to the clarinet in the 19th century. Keys were introduced in order to control the pitch more precisely. The Böhm system was also developed, which offered improved mechanics and playability.

Over the course of the 20th century, the clarinet became an important instrument in many musical genres, including classical music, jazz, klezmer and world music. Today, there are many different clarinets in different sizes and tunings. There are also many renowned clarinetists and composers who represent the instrument in the music world.

Structure of the clarinet

The clarinet, a woodwind instrument, is made up of various components. The body is traditionally made of boxwood, although the harder and denser grenadilla wood is more commonly used today. Alternatively, some manufacturers also use mopane or bubinga with similar properties. Cocobolo and rosewood are less suitable due to their lower hardness. Cheaper models are made of ABS plastic or ebonite. In 1994, Buffet Crampon developed a composite material called “Green-Line”, which consists of grenadilla waste and carbon fibers. The key mechanism is usually made of silver-plated or gold-plated nickel silver, more rarely of brass or nickel.

The overall length of the Bb clarinet is approx. 66 cm, while the A clarinet is slightly longer at 71 cm. The inner bore varies between 14.6 and 15.7 mm, the taper of the German clarinet is 3 mm, that of the French 7 mm. The type of bore has a great influence on the sound.

The clarinet consists of five individual parts which are connected to each other by cork-covered pins: Mouthpiece, bulb, upper joint, lower joint and bell. The bell mainly affects the low notes.

Mouthpiece and reed

The beak-shaped mouthpiece, often made of hardened rubber or modern materials such as ebonite or acrylic, is fitted with a simple reed. This approximately 12.5 mm wide reed, usually made of pile cane (Arundo donax), is attached to the mouthpiece. Modern mouthpieces can also be made of glass, metal or plastic. The choice of material has a great influence on the sound.

The tone holes and keys are located on the upper and lower joint. The tone holes, through which the player produces sounds, are closed with the fingers. Flaps made of countersunk tone holes ensure a tight seal. The padding is made of leather or Goretex. The mouthpiece and reed are decisive for the sound. Professional clarinettists often adjust their reeds to find the optimum combination. The structure of the reed and proper care are important in order to develop the full sound of the clarinet.

Tone or sound production of the clarinet

The clarinet produces its sounds through the airflow that the musician breathes in and which causes the reed attached to the mouthpiece to vibrate. This causes the air column to vibrate and the clarinet resembles a cylindrical tube closed at one end, which is closed at the mouthpiece and open at the bell. This results in a sound characteristic in which only a quarter of the wavelength is present in the tube, so that the clarinet sounds an octave lower than the flute with an open tube on both sides.

The frequency and wavelength of this vibration are influenced by the length of the vibrating air column, which the musician modulates by deliberately opening and closing the tone holes. The overblowing function, which is made possible by a special Duodez valve, gives the clarinettist additional control over sound and intonation, while the lower lip and the air flow influence the vibration of the reed.

Due to its construction, the clarinet overblows into the duodecimal, which leads to its impressive range of around four octaves. The acoustic properties in the various registers, such as the chalumeau register with predominantly even-numbered overtones, shape the character of the clarinet. This precise tone production and the diverse possibilities of sound modulation make the clarinet a unique and versatile woodwind instrument.

Clarinet playing technique

Clarinet playing technique is somewhat difficult at first, but can be learned and improved with practice and guidance. Here are some important aspects of playing technique on the clarinet:

Breathing

In order to produce a clear and powerful tone on the clarinet, a good breathing technique is essential. The player must learn to breathe deeply and evenly in order to control the flow of air through the instrument. For optimum results, breathing should be short and strong.

The attachment technique

The embouchure is the way in which the mouthpiece is placed in the mouth and blown. A correct embouchure technique is important to produce a clear tone and good intonation.

The finger and grip technique

The clarinet has a large number of keys that the player has to operate with their fingers to produce different tones. A good finger and fingering technique is important to be able to play quickly and precisely.

The articulation

Articulation is the separation and accentuation of notes on the clarinet. A good articulation technique is important in order to be able to play fast runs and complex melodies clearly and distinctly.

Dynamics and expression

The clarinet is a very expressive instrument. A good clarinettist must be able to produce a wide range of dynamic and expressive variations in order to increase the musical expressiveness.

Instrument of the year 2008

The clarinet was voted Instrument of the Year 2008 by the regional music councils. This special award recognizes the importance and versatility of the clarinet and its outstanding role in music.