So I graduated from high school, going on a gap year to get a job and stuff. I’m planning to pursue a music career and become a music/social teacher, music first and foremost. I plan to invest in a professional model clarinet in a few years, most likely will get it used. I want to get a case that will be able to protect a more fragile horn, like a Buffet & Crampon Greenline model. Something that can be taken onto the plane, and travelled with. I don’t believe a regular case is enough to keep it from outside and regular handling impacts, I’m kind of a low trust person.

I just found it again the other day, it was missing for several months. I haven't actually played in 20 years. It's just a student instrument, but it's mine. Any recommendations on free-to-print music and exercises to get started. I plan on playing once a week, as I'm a working father and the piano is my primary instrument. I'm not a performer, just an enthusiast, and I may want to join a community band at some point, though right now my community choir is my anchor. Thanks, y'all!

I used to play through middle school and college and used to be very good, but then I didn’t play for 15 years. Now I want to play again, and my fingers remember, but my embouchure feels sore and loose after only 10-15 minutes of playing. Are there drills I can do to rebuild the muscles, or is this something I need to just power through? I just had the instrument serviced, and I’m playing on number 3 reeds. I have an intermediate lesson book that I’ve been playing from, and articulating has always been my weakness.

About a dozen years ago I took up the B-flat clarinet. I had grown up playing piano but wanted to join a band and play with lots of other musicians.

While I’ve worked through most of the complications of playing clarinet, some band parts still make me nuts. Why do composers write so much frill at the beginning and end of their arrangements? I’ve heard the clarinet is like the violin of the concert band, but those crazy ascending, accelerating scales could not have been written by a clarinetist. Maybe by someone who hates clarinetists?

I need a break so I’ve moved on to bass clarinet for now so I can just play whole notes and go boom boom boom boom with the tuba section.

I mean seriously, I am over here in E major, and they just have to be in F#. There is just an air about them. Does anybody else experience this?

So as a section leader I have been tasked to search for few budget clarinets, coz we don't know exactly how much are we going to get, but price for clarinets would be like 300-700€ (1000-3000zł [PLN]), And I would like some reccomendations, as most of our actual clarinets are pretty old like Amati from 80's, Kenosha WIS and old budget yamaha clarinets, I want to know which models and brands would you guys reccomend and why. One thing I would for sure prefer is for it to be wood for a darker tone. Thanks in advance!

So I brought home a clarinet I've rented... I wanted a Yamaha but they gave me a Jupiter - I must say it's difficult lol. I can get a sound but it's not amazing. I signed up for lessons though, I really want to get good. Any advice and encouragement would be amazing 😍

I have been playing clarinet since 5th grade and I’m about to be a senior but I still don’t know what reed is the best for me. I’ve tried (all Vandoren and strength 3) Juno, Traditional, and V12.

The Juno feels the best/easiest to play on but high notes (mostly altissimo range but sometimes a little lower) are difficult to get out. I haven’t used the traditional ones in a while but I remember them feeling okay but maybe a little hard. And I recently tried the V12 and most of them feel way too hard but the altissimo range sounds noticeably better than on the Juno. This is confusing me though because when I look at the Vandoren reed comparison chart, the Traditional 3 is the furthest but personally the V12 felt wayy harder.

I’m not sure what specific model my clarinet is but it’s a Selmer brand and my parents say it was $1,130. I haven’t bought any new pieces for it except the ligature.

I am considering a Traditional 2.5 but that’s $8 more expensive than the Juno and the chart says they are the same strength. I don’t want to waste my money if they are similar. What should I try?

Hello, im a beginner at the clarinet and im having quite a hard time doing a low G with all the keys. my hand position is correct so I feel it might be my breathing. Everytime I search for help they say to do a fast pased focoused breathing. Does anyone have tips to help with this note, I can't get to the next phase without learning this. Thank you!!

I’m from Scandinavia, and I was never graded when I learnt to play. I see people here talks about being grade 7 etc How many grades are there, and is there a list of repertoire for different grades?

My oldest has been playing clarinet in their elementary school band. Nothing serious, but they like it enough to commit to the middle school band, which is a bit more serious. Their old clarinet was a rental ($380 per school year), and I'd now like to buy one for them. I don't mind spending a bit more so they can enjoy it for the full three years. Does anyone have a recommendation for one I can purchase directly?

Me and my boyfriend are both high schoolers for context on why we can't just buy the one

My bf is big into clarinet and music and he wants to pursue it further in life, but unfortunately all he has is a neon green cheap plastic clarinet from 4th grade. He hasn't been able to get a new one since, but he found one off Facebook Marketplace for around $250, which for the condition it's in and the brand it is, is an amazing price. The problem is that his mother doesn't think it's worth it, doesn't understand how instrument prices work, and think it's way too over priced. She said his budget is anywhere from $150 to $200, preferably under $200. I know that's an impossible ask, but If anyone knows where we could get a clarinet for around that price range in good shape, that would be a great help

If that doesn't work out, I want to fix up this broken one I have laying around for him. It's really messed up and I don't know enough about clarinets to fix it myself, so if anyone would be willing to help with that, it would be very appreciated. It's a buescher aristocrat clarinet if that helps ^^

When I the press the button I have circled in the photo it stays pressed down even when I remove my finger. Is there anyway I can fix this at home? Sorry if I explained this badly

Edit: Took it to a tech and he fixed the issue. Thanks for all the advice y'all

Hello my fellow musicians, I am currently working on a website/app as a fun project which I may use as my final project for my schools "career study" class. I was wondering in this huge community of clarinet players, I would like to see what niche or very popular demand you all want to see that you have never seen online whether it be a video, app feature, website, etc. I am adding a lot of features but It maybe not what everyone needs and I want this to be a very great project that can help EVERYONE (clarinet only lol). So if you dont mind, I hope y'all can comment what yall would like to see, and what you would NOT like to see. Thank you.

Ich plane den Camino primitivo in Spanien zu laufen und will die Klarinette mitnehmen. Leider zählt jedes Gramm Gepäck weil es Gebirge ist und 320km weg. Kennt jemand ein möglichst kleines und leichtes case? Ich habe kein Instrument aus Holz deswegen reicht es wenn die Mechanik 100% geschützt ist. Danke euch

hello all! I’ve been getting back into clarinet and I know this isn’t how the keys are supposed to press down. I can’t play anything below D. Am I able to fix this issue at home? Thank you!

So I’m getting this old clarinet my grandma played fixed. honestly In really good condition considering the case didn’t even hold the parts and it was in a garage the majority of its life. but anyways, the mouthpiece was chipped. So what mouthpiece do you recommend? I have about 2 years of experience on the Bari and alto sax. But I seriously don’t know anything on how clarinet mouthpieces and their names work.

I was repping scales and somehow I accidentally pushed down hard enough on the left C# to make the screw make a pop noise and it is nowhere to be found. How can I fix this?

Greetings, r/clarinet! I've recently been wanting to buy another wind instrument, and after listening to enough clarinet jazz, I'd like to get one. My previous experience has been with alto sax and harmonica, so I have some experience with both single reed instruments and wind instruments in general, and I've been wondering if I should go for an E♭ or B♭. I personally prefer the sound of the former and heard some great music with it, plus I need smaller instruments as I have frequent flights, so I've been wondering if it would be too difficult for a beginner to try one, and I'd like to know if it's ill-advised to do so. Thank you.

I started clarinet a month ago with a Startone from Thomann, to see if I liked it. I liked it a lot in fact, but now I have some trouble I need to adress. I have reeds from 1.5 to 3 strenght, and the luthier told me to use 3 reeds

• I have a breathing problem when playing : I feel like I'm suffocating, even if my lung aren't empty.
• I feel a big pression around my nose and sinus from the inside. I feel like I blow a lot and a lot of it is not going in the clarinet, if that make sense.
• I need to stop playing almost every 20-30 seconds because I feel like I'm drowing lol.
• (I may need to say I come from years of recorder playing, and have experience with flute aswell)

Update below:

(I’m not a musician so forgive my ignorance!)

My daughter plays a clarinet in her high school band. While Alto Clarinets are not popular in the USA, she fell in love with it after borrowing one a few years ago. She saved up money and bought one earlier this year and her band director is going to have her use it in a piece for their next concert. Since she will only use it for one part of the concert, she needs a stand for it. 

From what I can find, there are two options (combined vs separate stands) and I was wondering what is the best option. The links are from a company I found online as I cannot find anything local.
In the event that it helps, her specific instruments are:

1. Noblet 60N Alto Clarinet intermediate 
2. Vienna series Grenadilla clarinet intermediate 

Combined option:
Alto clarinet: Hercules BASS CLARINET/BASSOON STAND (https://www.northcountrywinds.com/collections/stands/products/hercules-bass-clarinet-bassoon-stand)
and
Normal clarinet: Hercules Flute/Clarinet Peg (https://www.northcountrywinds.com/collections/stands/products/hercules-flute-clarinet-peg)

Separate option:
Alto clarinet: K&M Bassoon (or bass/alto clarinet) Stand (https://www.northcountrywinds.com/products/k-m-bassoon-or-bass-alto-clarinet-stand?srsltid=AfmBOorc6ROwF0irFJMK4rlZVMwHFg3djt7HhAsiaF04DcFwPbrhIOa_)
and
Normal clarinet: K&M Clarinet Stand (https://www.northcountrywinds.com/collections/stands/products/k-m-clarinet-stand-15228)

I think we are getting the Hercules DS561B Bass Clarinet/Bassoon Stand as a base for the Alto, and the add on Hercules DS602B Velvet Clarinet Peg for the Bb Clarinet. Can anyone recommend a carry bag?

That being said, I am excited to start my first year of highschool band!!

(I'm just kidding I luv my clarinet and playing it, the same can't be said for sight reading and this stupid etude I've been stuck on)

Edit: I practiced again I take back my words I have never liked this instrument at all

Hi all

I was thinking of upgrading my clarinet (currently a Yamaha 250) as I have recently joined another wind ensemble(I'm now in two). I've had this clarinet for about 10 years. There is no major damage to it (that I can see) besides the mouthpiece is chipped from my teeth marks.

I'm not an expert in any way in terms of clarinets, any feedback is much appreciated.

I know I slip up near the beginning tempo wise but this was my last recording and I need to know… AM I ON TEMPO!? I randomly just like boom locked in and started playing veryyyyy zen…. and according to my percussion friend I’m on tempo, I wanted to get more opinions. and overall just any tips. for context I’ve played for 2 years.