Clarinet

Clarinet

The clarinet is a versitile member of the woodwind family. Because it has such a large range (low notes to high notes), it is an instrument that create many different types of sound in many different styles of music. The tone of the clarinet can range from warm and soft to loud and powerful, and often does so in the same piece! Student clarinets are typically made out of a space-age (and virtually unbreakable) plastic called resonite, but nearly all professional instruments are made of wood. All clarinets are played with a single reed attatched to a mouthpiece with a tightening device called a ligature. Clarinets can be found in all musical settings such as orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, and jazz bands. media type="custom" key="3687351" The clarinet was a very popular jazz instrument in the 1920s. Here, bandleader Benny Goodman plays an improvised solo on the song Sing, Sing, Sing! Listen for the high notes and low notes in his solo!

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 * Some notable clarinet players are Sabine Miller, Eddie Daniels, Richard Stoltzman, and Artie Shaw.
 * The clarinet is set up much like the recorder. If you really enjoyed learning to the play the recorder, you might want to sign up for the **clarinet** or possibly the flute (because the sound is similar).
 * If you like the idea of playing a very versitle instrument with a wide variety of sounds, the **clarinet** is probably the right woodwind instrument be for you!
 * If you like the idea of playing a woodwind instrument but would prefer a lighter, brighter sound than the clarinet, you may want to sign up for the flute.
 * If you would like to learn the oboe in 6th or 7th grade, it will be very helpful to spend one year learning the **clarinet** first.
 * **Triva:** As you get older and more advanced, you will see that **clarinets** come in different sizes. Some advanced players in middle or high school may want to switch to the **bass clarinet**, a lower-pitched instrument that has the same fingerings as a normal **clarinet,** but it much larger and features a deeper, darker sound.