History of Clarinet & Compare and Contrast with other Woodwind Instrument

Most instruments are said to have lengthy histories and ancient origins. However, there is a difference in the clarinet case. The chalumeau, the only authentic single instrument to have been discovered, was the ancestor of the clarinet. Before finally succeeding in creating an instrument that could play both the high register and the lower register without requiring too much intonation to be sacrificed, C.H. Denner initially engaged in a long series of experiments with chalumeaus. To achieve this objective, two additional holes were added close to the duodecime so that the remaining problems that were noted with the intonation were corrected.

The clarinet was invented in 1690 (Bellis). It is a woodwind instrument that is made of a cylindrical casing. The clarinet was improved by Johann Cristopher Danner and his son as they added two keys to the chalumeau and increased the range of the instruments that ensured that it covered at least two octaves. The Dane and his son made further improvements as they ensured that they created a better mouthpiece that enhanced the bell of the instrument. The clarinet was further enhanced when Klose introduced the flute key system in 1843 (Bellis). Later, Mozart became the first composer who is thought to have used the instrument in the symphony.

After its invention, the clarinets had a simple form and assumed a look similar to that of a large recorder. But the instrument had a larger tonal range compared to the trumpets that were popular at the time. In fact, it was even louder and was capable of executing even more difficult runs and jumps, two key movements which were impossible with the trumpet (Eberhard). It thus implied that one at first replaced the clarinet with the new instrument and it is thought that there are chances the word clarinet was derived from the word. It thus creates the impression that the clarinet was not merely an improved chalumeau because the two keys that were added meant that it would become a totally different instrument. The advancement to the instruments resulted in a sensational equipment that got a chance to be used in the orchestras.

Clarinets are best described in other literature as transposing instruments. Because it is difficult to distinguish the sound that comes from a clarinet from makes it be classed as sheet music. They are applied in a broad range of music settings and are commonly applied in militaries, orchestras, marching bands, jazz band, and in concerts. Today the modern clarinet is a symphony orchestra that has two clarinets composed of a standard B flat clarinets and another clarinet that is slightly larger, labeled as B (Eberhard).

Comparison to the Bassoon

Both the clarinet and the bassoon belong to the woodwind family of instruments, and both produce a sound when the user of the instrument blows air into a hollow tube. They both use a device called the read in the mouthpiece design. The other similar between the two items is that they are made through shaping the air in the tubes into notes through a manipulation process that ensures that a series of keys are placed along the outside of the instrument. It is, however, critical to identify that while there are similarities between the two items, the primary difference is far from the physical attributes that they assume (Conjecture Corporation). The difference results from the sound that is produced and the manner in which each is used in the process of music composition.

One primary difference between a clarinet and a bassoon is that despite the fact that they use a device known as a reed in the design, the clarinet has a single reed while a clarinet has a double reed. The single reed of the clarinet is kept in position by the user’s grasp while the double reed of the bassoon is usually inserted into a narrow tube that runs into the main part of the instrument (Conjecture Corporation). It is also critical to note that the items differ in the embouchure, the shape of the mouth that is needed to produce the music notes. While the mouthpiece of the clarinet is usually closer to that used by the saxophone, that of a bassoon utilizes the same reed as that of an oboe.

The size of both music instruments also differs significantly because the clarinet is light and can be held by the musician in the course of the concert or the recording session. However, while both instruments have a similar black cloning they are also made from a distinct type of hardwoods. While most of the clarinet trace their origin from African hardwoods, the bassoon is made from maple (Conjecture Corporation).

Comparison to the Flute

The flute is understood as a wind instrument that is also comparable to the clarinet as it also produces a sound when the air is blown into an air opening. There is a broad range of instruments that are classed as flutes including bansuri, piccolo, recorder, and the fife. They thus share the element of the being categorized as woodwind instruments (Hassan).

The primary aspect that differentiates a clarinet from a flute is the structure of each relative to the material that it is made of. It is worth considering that a clarinet is a woodwind instrument that has a single reed mouthpiece while a flute does not have a reed. Furthermore, the clarinet is physically composed of a cylindrical tube that has a flared and s composed of holes alongside that are stopped using keys. Meanwhile, the flute is composed of tubes that are made of a tube through and hole alongside though the holes are stopped using fingers and keys.

The other difference lies in the roles that they serve in the opera. While the clarinet is primarily used as an end-blown instrument, the flute is either blown from the end or from the side. It is, however, critical to identify that the Western concept flute is a side-blown device (Hassan).

Comparison to the Saxophone

The common feature between a saxophone and clarinet as with the other instruments is that they are both single-reed instruments. The saxophone differs from the clarinet in the consideration of the mouthpiece size and the reed. The conical core creates a huge difference in the usage of both instruments (Jones). While one needs extra pressure with the teeth and the lips in among a sound, the same does not apply for a saxophone. It is also critical to identify that the embouchure is more stable when using a clarinet compared to the sax. It is primarily defined by the angle with which the saxophone approaches the mouth. Usually, the bell of the clarinet is placed between the knee while the reeds are closer to the chin compared to the saxophone.

Users also identify that the difference between the two lies in the articulating process between the mouthpiece and the reed. Because the tongue on the clarinet tends to be bigger compared to that of the clarinet, it implies that the user should make use of the tips of the tongue to make the perfect sound (Jones).

Summary

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the clarinet is an instrument that has evolved over the years with improvements being made at each stage since it was first made in 1690. The key historians who contributed to the present-day instrument are C.H Denner and Christopher Danner who were involved in multiple experiments and testing of the sounds that came from the musical device. The innovation of Klose and Mozart resulted in the introduction of the flute systems that ensured that the clarinet is classed as woodwind tools. There is a broad range of other musical tools that can be compared to the clarinet including the bassoon, the saxophone, and the flute. The primary factor that each of these shares is that they are woodwind instruments in which sound is made by blowing into a hole along the device. However, there are vast variations that are defined either by the number of holes, the position of blowing, the angle of articulation as well as many other factors. Overall, the clarinet is used in music concerts, marching bands, jazz band, and in the military.

Works Cited

Bellis, Mary. “History of the Clarinet.” Thought.co (2015): n. pag. Web.

Conjecture Corporation. “What Is the Difference between a Clarinet and Bassoon?” Wise Geek (2017): n. pag. Web.

Eberhard. “Most Instruments Have Very Old Ancestors - the Clarinet Has Not.” The Clarinet - History (2016): n. pag. Web.

Hassan. “Difference Between Clarinet and Flute.” Difference Between. N.p., 2017. Web.

Jones, Christopher. “Clarinet and Saxophone.” SBI (2007): n. pag. Web.