 The Ethnic Clarinet
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Author: kdk
Date: 2026-03-02 07:53
So, you've gotten used to the sound of the notes on a Bb clarinet, but the way is actually works is that what you hear when you play a note on a C clarinet is actually the pitch of the note. What you play on a Bb clarinet sounds a step lower than the notated or named notes because it's a transposing instrument.
If you learn a new piece on C clarinet, you will be hearing the notes you're actually fingering - a C on a C clarinet is the same as a C on a piano. A C on a Bb clarinet is a Bb on a piano (hence, the name).
I guess that makes a C clarinet something you should get used to sooner than later. The longer you play on a Bb clarinet, the more used you'll get to the pitches it produces for the notes you know by name and fingering.
This is similar to the problem some oboists and bassoonists (which are both "concert pitch" instruments - the note you play is the note that actually sounds) have if they want to learn clarinet. If they develop an association of pitch and note names over time (or are born with it - "perfect pitch"), some of them have a problem getting used to the sounds an Eb, Bb, or A clarinet makes for each fingering/note name.
Karl
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Klar1netteF |
2026-03-02 03:53 |
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kdk |
2026-03-02 07:53 |
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The Clarinet Pages
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