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How to choose a clarinet?

Clarinet is one of the most popular woodwind instruments nowadays due to its wide application range across orchestra, windband and jazz ensembles and portability. 
Is there an ideal instrument that fits everyone and how to choose the right one? Let’s go over the types of Clarinets first.

 

Types of Clarinet

Type

Key

Application

Other Comments

Bb Clarinet

Bb

Windband, Orchestra, Jazz, Ensemble, Clarinet Choirs, Solo

Strongly recommended model for the beginners

Eb Clarinet

Eb

Windband, Orchestra, Clarinet choirs

Shorter in length to the Bb for the very young age players

C Clarinet

C

Some Orchestral repertoire (Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler), Folk

Shorter length (as Eb). Can play the same sheet music as other ‘C’ instruments (piano, flute, oboe) without transposition

A Clarinet

A

Orchestra

Standard orchestral instrument

D Clarinet

D

Some Orchestral Repertoire  (early Molter)

Very rare

Basset Clarinet

A to Low C

Orchestra

Essentially a soprano clarinet with a range extension to low C

Basset Horn Clarinet

F

Orchestra

 

Bass Clarinet

Bb to Low C, Bb to low Eb

Orchestra, Windband, Jazz, Solo

Contra Alto Clarinet

BBb

Windband, Clarinet Choirs

 

Contra Bass Clarinet

EEb

Windband, Clarinet Choirs

 

 

Starting Young | What's the Right Age to Begin Music Lessons?

 The important questions are when to start lessons and what the goal of music lessons for young children is? A younger start definitely has its benefits, but how young is too young?

Children should be comfortable first holding and then playing a clarinet. This can be a challenge due to clarinets’ physical length. In this case, the standard Bb clarinet can make it difficult for the youngest players to comfortably maintain a good posture holding the instrument. 

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