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 trumpet, as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed. (See Characteristics of the Instrument) Clarinets actually comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches. It is the largest such instrument family, with more than two dozen types. The unmodified word clarinet usually refers to the soprano ...

Including:

• Clarinet - Characteristics of the instrument
• Clarinet - Tone
• Clarinet - Range
• Clarinet - Construction and acoustics
• Clarinet - Usage and repertoire of the clarinet
• Clarinet - Classical music
• Clarinet - Concert bands
• Clarinet - Jazz
• Clarinet - Klezmer
• Clarinet - Groups of clarinets
• Clarinet - Extended Family of Clarinets
• Clarinet - History
• Clarinet - Famous clarinetists

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Clarinet - Tone. The clarinet has a distinctive liquid tone, resulting from the shape of the bore, whose characteristics vary between its three registers: the chalumeau (low), clarion or clarino (middle), and altissimo (high). Of all the wind instruments the clarinet has the widest compass, which is showcased in much wind band and orchestral writing. Additionally, improvements made to the fingering systems of the clarinet over time have enabled the instrument to be very ...

See also:

Clarinet, Clarinet - Characteristics of the instrument, Clarinet - Tone, Clarinet - Range, Clarinet - Construction and acoustics, Clarinet - Usage and repertoire of the clarinet, Clarinet - Classical music, Clarinet - Concert bands, Clarinet - Jazz, Clarinet - Klezmer, Clarinet - Groups of clarinets, Clarinet - Extended Family of Clarinets, Clarinet - History, Clarinet - Famous clarinetists

Read more here: » Clarinet: Encyclopedia II - Clarinet - Characteristics of the instrument

Clarinet - Classical music. In classical music, clarinets are part of standard orchestral instrumentation, which frequently includes two clarinetists playing individual parts — each player usually equipped with a pair of standard clarinets in B flat and A. Clarinet sections grew larger during the 19th century, employing a third clarinetist or a bass clarinet. In the 20th century, composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Richard Strauss and Olivier Messiaen enlarged the clarinet section on occasion to up to nine playe ...

See also:

Clarinet, Clarinet - Characteristics of the instrument, Clarinet - Tone, Clarinet - Range, Clarinet - Construction and acoustics, Clarinet - Usage and repertoire of the clarinet, Clarinet - Classical music, Clarinet - Concert bands, Clarinet - Jazz, Clarinet - Klezmer, Clarinet - Groups of clarinets, Clarinet - Extended Family of Clarinets, Clarinet - History, Clarinet - Famous clarinetists

Read more here: » Clarinet: Encyclopedia II - Clarinet - Usage and repertoire of the clarinet

The clarinet started life as a small instrument called the chalumeau. Not much is known about this instrument, but it may have evolved from the recorder. The chalumeau had a similar reed to the modern clarinet, but lacked the register key which extends the range to nearly four octaves, so it had a limited range of about one and a half octaves. It also lacked certain chromatics. Like a recorder, it had eight finger holes, and usually ...

See also:

Clarinet, Clarinet - Characteristics of the instrument, Clarinet - Tone, Clarinet - Range, Clarinet - Construction and acoustics, Clarinet - Usage and repertoire of the clarinet, Clarinet - Classical music, Clarinet - Concert bands, Clarinet - Jazz, Clarinet - Klezmer, Clarinet - Groups of clarinets, Clarinet - Extended Family of Clarinets, Clarinet - History, Clarinet - Famous clarinetists

Read more here: » Clarinet: Encyclopedia II - Clarinet - History