The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-04-01 14:04
How do you pronounce the word 'clarinet'? And which syllable you put the emphasis on?
I always thought it was pronounced clari-net with more emphasis and upward inflection on the last syllable (and the final 't' is normally a glottal stop over my part of the world).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-04-01 14:11
When I worked in a music shop, a works colleague (a violinist) used to get annoyed at the boss whenever he said violin/violins as VIA-lin/VIA-lins.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2025-04-01 18:22
My high school band director (that was many many years ago) used to emphasis the first syllable and it confused me a bit. Since then I haven't really heard it that way. Even the Germans pronounce it correctly, and that's saying something.
............Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-04-01 18:53
I don't know if he's saying clarinet the way he is for April Fool's Day (as 'CLARA-net') or if that's how he normally says the word clarinet, but I only just noticed it in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKgK0oPna28
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: GenericClarinet129
Date: 2025-04-01 19:07
I've noticed that, strangely, people who are primarily bass clarinet players tend to say "CLARA-net" while people who are primarily soprano clarinet players tend to say "clari-NET." Interestingly, I don't think I've ever heard anybody, not even the people who put the emphasis on the first syllable, say "bass CLARA-net," so this contrast might stem from bass clarinet players trying to differentiate the pronunciations between the two instruments.
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2025-04-01 22:12
I'm reading this thread... and I just say 'clarinet'. I thought maybe I say it more like 'clarinette' (without pronouncing the last 'te'), but I just say it.
Now, I'm in the insurance business and agents in the south often say INsurance. Others often say inSURance. I just say 'insurance'.
Maybe I'm weird. I was born and raised in California. (I admit to having ADHD and a bit of OCD especially when it comes to speaking.)
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Vandoren BD5 HD 13-series mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren #4 Blue-box reeds
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2025-04-01 22:22
Now you got me thinking. Never gave it any thought. I tried it both ways several times and both seem correct. Maybe it's an i-a mixed sound?
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
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Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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