The Clarinet is a woodwind instrument and is featured in a variety of musical styles such as classical, concert bands, Dixieland and Jazz. In the clarinet family there are different models such as the contra-alto and bass clarinets, but the most common is the Bb (B-flat) clarinet. This is the instrument usually played by beginner clarinetists performing in marching bands and stage bands. For the purpose of our Buyers Guide, this is the clarinet we’ll be concentrating on.

There are 3 categories of clarinets:

	Student clarinets are designed for the beginner and meant to provide an excellent start for the first years of playing.
	Recommended Student Clarinets

	Once a student is established, and is learning the fundamentals of good playing, it is important to provide them an instrument that will continue their musical growth. All of our intermediate level clarinets feature grenadilla wood bodies and excellent keywork.
	Recommended Intermediate Clarinets

	Designed and constructed with the professional musician in mind, these excellent clarinets find favor among the serious students as well.
	Recommended Professional Clarinets

A smooth, “round” tone, rich with a proper balance of lower and higher overtones, is what most players strive for, yet there is no “best” for these other components. Recommendations from fellow players can be helpful, but trial and error experimentation is ultimately the only way to develop an individual’s preferences. While the clarinet itself plays a large role in the sound a player creates, accessories such as the mouthpiece, reed and ligature (the clamp that holds the reed in place) also contribute to the final result. These accessories, along with cork grease, and cleaning tools are all items that will keep your instrument in good working order.

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The materials used in the construction of a clarinet will dictate the instruments price, tone, projection and durability. Here are the different materials commonly used:

• Plastic (Resin) – Used exclusively for student level clarinets, plastic proves durable and is not affected by humidity or temperature. This makes a good, tough instrument for young beginners.

• Ebonite (Hard Rubber) – Our exclusive Allora clarinet line features an ebonite body. These professional clarinets offer the stability and durability advantages of plastic, but the dense Ebonite rubber offers the dark sound and projection that pros look for.

• Grenadilla (African Blackwood) – Grenadilla is the choice of more advanced and professional players when selecting a clarinet. The sound is focused and possesses a “ring” that cannot be found in synthetic instruments. For a long life, proper care and breaking in of the wood clarinet must be observed.

• Greenline – To answer the problem of dwindling grenadilla stocks as well as the problem of instability of true wood clarinets, Buffet-Crampon has developed this blend of grenadilla wood fiber and epoxy. These clarinets offer the density and tone of a grenadilla clarinet, but the stability of a synthetic.

• Rosewood – The rosewood clarinet offers a darker and mellower sound than that of its grenadilla cousin. These clarinets are quickly finding favor among chamber players and soloists.

Key Materials

The clarinet keywork refers to the metal levers and padded covers that a player opens and closes with their fingers to create different notes. The material used to create the keywork will dictate the way an instrument looks and to some extent, the color of its tone. Nickel Plated - Nickel plate is shiny, extremely durable and does not easily tarnish. It is found on most student and intermediate level clarinets, but is also preferred by many pros.

• Silver Plated – Silver plating is warmer in appearance and softer to the touch. It also adds a minute amount of weight to the clarinet and thereby slightly darkens the tone.

• Hamilton Plated – Yamaha offers this blend of silver and gold on its “G Series” clarinets. This blend presents a warm, slightly golden look to the clarinet and the added weight provides a darker, more liquid sound.

Bore Size – The bore is the interior diameter of the clarinet. The size of the bore will affect the general feel of playing the clarinet.

• Larger bore clarinets are preferred by jazz players and are more free blowing, offering greater flexibility and projection

• Medium bore clarinets are the most common and offer a balance between flexibility and focus.

• Smaller bore clarinets are the most resistant clarinets and provide a very compact and focused sound. These clarinets are usually easier for students to play in tune and also physically easier for them to cover the holes. Chamber musicians usually prefer these clarinets

Bore Shape – In addition to the size of the bore, the shape also has a great impact on the overall playing of the clarinet.

• Cylindrical Bore clarinets are more free blowing and flexible. These clarinets offer a large sound with good volume, but can have less stable intonation. Most beginner instruments have a cylindrical bore.

• Poly-Cylindrical Bore clarinets are slightly more resistant than cylindrical clarinets. The sound has more ring and though less flexible, these clarinets offer superior intonation.