 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-08-22 17:43
The fascinating thread titled "If you had to keep only one" was about a group of clarinets that included instruments pitched in A, Bb, C, D and Eb. Now I'm wondering, how many differently pitched clarinets do readers here own? How many are used or usable?
My list is modest: I've got my A and Bb R13's that I use, plus an ancient set of Buffet's from my grandfather that includes a C (all needing significant repairs.) So there's, tadaa, 3 out of, what, 20ish available pitches? (Counting both extant and obsolete clarinets, and various bass and piccolo pitches?)
Does anyone - a museum, perhaps - have a substantially complete pitched set?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: davyd
Date: 2026-08-22 17:58
I own Bb and A soprano and Bb bass in reasonable condition, and C soprano that is less so.
Over the years, I passed up opportunities to buy refurbished Eb piccolo and Bb contrabass. O well.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tom H
Date: 2026-08-22 22:54
Bb, A, Eb, C (the last 3 don't work anymore....).
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book -- Songburd Music (paper and digital)
Search title. Amazon.com (search Tom Heimer).
Boreal Ballad solo -- Songburd Music item -- search title.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: farabout
Date: 2026-08-22 22:58
3 x Bb, and one each of Eb piccolo, C, A & Eb alto. All played regularly.
Post Edited (2026-08-22 23:20)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: NOLA Ken
Date: 2026-08-22 23:55
13 Bb sopranos (playing, from pro to student)
Eb Alto
Bb Bass
A soprano
- and a handfull of Bb project clarinets that I will probably never get to. (I had money and sort of went nuts on wanting to learn about all thing clarinets when I returned to playing a little over ten years ago.)
As for how many I actually use, I have two Bbs that I play regularly in concert band and one "outdoor" clarinet I use there for the rare outdoor gig. A couple of the student clarinets regularly sit out on a peg for when I just want to pick up one and play. The alto I used in band for awhile and hope to again. The Bass is aspirational. I have one Bb that I consider a curiosity/collectors item. The A I bought when I was exploring playing in a volunteer orchestra; I don't play it anymore but lent it out to a friend who used. Most of the others get played occasionally just to practice, occasionally experimentally in band, and to continually explore them and tweak the setups. I have found great pleasure in experiencing different clarinets, comparing them, and tweaking them to find the optimal setup for each.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
