Clarinets

Beginner clarinets are typically made from durable ABS resin and designed for easy response and stability. Professional clarinets are usually made from grenadilla or cocobolo wood and involve much more precise hand finishing, refined bore design, and higher-quality key mechanisms. Student clarinets typically have simplified keywork designed for reliability and ease of maintenance, with fewer adjustment screws and auxiliary keys. The mechanisms are built to be sturdy for school use, but they may feel slightly heavier or less refined in action. Professional clarinets, on the other hand, feature more sophisticated keywork with additional adjustment points, higher-precision machining, and often extra mechanisms such as a low-F correction key, articulated C#/G# mechanism, or alternate Eb/Bb keys. These enhancements allow for smoother technical passages, improved intonation in certain notes, and more ergonomic finger movement, giving advanced players greater control and flexibility.

Plastic (resin) clarinets are ideal for beginners due to durability and resistance to cracking. Wooden clarinets (grenadilla/cocobolo) produce a warmer, more complex sound and are preferred by advancing and professional players.

The most common clarinet is the B♭ clarinet, used in band, orchestra, jazz, and solo settings. Other members of the family include A clarinet, E♭ clarinet, bass clarinet, and more.

The B♭ clarinet has one of the widest ranges of any wind instrument — over three octaves — from low E to high C (and higher for advanced players).

Decades-old grenadilla wood has had time to naturally season, which many musicians feel contributes to a warmer, more complex sound with a mature, “played-in” resonance. Classic instruments from makers such as Buffet Crampon and Henri Selmer Paris often feature distinctive bore designs and hand-finished details that give them a darker tonal core and a unique response not always found in modern production models. A well-restored vintage clarinet can also provide professional-level performance at a more accessible price point, making it an appealing option for serious players seeking value. While modern clarinets typically offer greater consistency and updated ergonomics, a thoughtfully selected vintage instrument can reward the player with depth, personality, and a sense of history that is difficult to replicate in a brand-new clarinet.

Wood clarinets crack primarily because grenadilla is a natural material that expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity. When the instrument experiences rapid shifts—such as playing in a cold room and then warming it quickly with breath—the inner bore expands faster than the outer body, creating stress in the wood. If the moisture level inside the clarinet rises too quickly or the exterior remains dry, that imbalance can also lead to splitting. Proper humidification, gradual warm-up, and careful maintenance significantly reduce the risk, but because wood is organic, some degree of movement is always inherent to the material.

The clarinet barrel plays an important role in shaping the instrument’s tone, response, and intonation. Because it connects the mouthpiece to the upper joint, the barrel influences how air and vibration enter the clarinet’s bore. Differences in length, internal taper, and material can subtly affect tuning stability, articulation clarity, and tonal warmth. Shorter barrels can slightly raise pitch, while longer barrels lower it, allowing players to fine-tune overall intonation. Many clarinetists experiment with different barrels to refine projection, focus, and tonal color.