About the Clarinet
|
First of all, a clarinet is a reed instrument. There are two classes of reed instruments; single and double. The clarinet fits in the single category due to the fact that it only uses one reed to create sound. If an instrument uses two reeds, they vibrate against each other, creating sound. If an instrument uses one reed, like a clarinet, the reed vibrates against a mouthpiece, creating it's mellow tone.
Because the clarinet uses a reed, it is also concidered a woodwind. In fact, of the five types of woodwind instruments (flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, and bassoon), only one, the flute, doesn't use any number of reeds. Clarinets can also be concidered a woodwind because they can be constructed from wood. One of the best types of wood clarinets can be created from is Grenadilla wood. Some other woods include blackwood and ebonite.
The pitch range for a typical B flat soprano clarinet ranges from a concert D (four ledger lines below the staff) to a concert B flat (five ledger lines above the staff). With such a large pitch range, the clarinet can produce four octave scales with ease. One reason the clarinet's range is so large, is that fingerings repeat after twelfths, rather than octaves (eighths). As a result, more notes can be played before having to go into another register.
A large pitch range isn't limited to the most common clarinets. In fact, clarinets in every key have large pitch ranges. Although clarinets have a large pitch range, all clarinets (other than C clarinets) have to transpose. When an instrument isn't keyed to the concert pitch of C, it must transpose in order to play the same note as a concert pitch instrument. For example, when the B flat soprano clarinet plays a fingered C, the actual pitch is a B flat. So in order to play a concert C, the clarinet must play a fingered D. The basic rule for transposing clarinet music to concert pitch is to lower the clarinet's notes one whole step. Then it will be in concert pitch. |
Uses of the Clarinet Today
Get your own Free Home Page