Clarinet

Clarinets are delicate instruments. And handling them improperly can lead to damage. The system of keys that produces the notes needs to be kept intact. You may not be able to play your instrument if you damage a key. And you may need to take your clarinet to a repair shop.

Correctly assembling all the various clarinet parts each time you play is a good way to ensure your instrument lasts a lifetime. That’s why how to properly assemble and disassemble a clarinet is one of the first things new clarinetists learn.

How to assemble a clarinet

You can follow these steps either in the below order or in reverse order.

It’s a good idea to hold your instrument in your lap during this process to limit the risk of damage if it slips from your grasp and falls to the floor.

1. Prepare the reed

The first step when assembling your clarinet is to get your reed ready. Some players like to wet their reeds simply by holding them in their mouths for several seconds.

Others prefer to soak their reeds in plain water for 10-15 minutes. If you go this route, run your thumb up the cut side of the reed from bottom to top after removing from the water. This will help to seal the cane to give you a better sound.

2. Fasten the reed to the mouthpiece

Fixing your reed too high or low on the mouthpiece can set you up for a squeaky sound.

Place the reed with the flat side down on top of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece should peek out only slightly above the tip of the reed. It may take a few adjustments to get right.

Holding the reed so it doesn’t move around, place the ligature over the tip of the mouthpiece and slide it down to secure the reed in place.

Make sure the ligature is drawn down over the vamp (the carved part of the reed) and down to the bark. The ligature should fit nicely if it’s in the right place.

Tighten the screws firmly but not too tight to avoid damaging your reed or causing a squeaky sound when you play. The reed needs some room to vibrate in order to create the right sound.

3. Grease the tenon corks (optional)

You may want to apply a small amount of grease to the tenon corks before connecting the upper and lower joints. This will help you bring these parts together smoothly without excessive force. Don’t use too much cork grease, or you can damage the corks and cause the joints to slip apart.

4. Connect the mouthpiece and barrel

Connect the mouthpiece and barrel. Again, you may need to add a dab of cork grease to the tenon cork at the bottom of the mouthpiece to get these parts sliding smoothly without needing to force them together.

5. Connect the barrel and upper joint

Gently twist the barrel and the upper joint together. The bottom of the reed should be vertically aligned with the register key and thumb tone hole. This will enable you to play with proper form.

6. Connect the upper and lower joints

Connecting the upper and lower joints causes music teachers the most headaches when it comes to assembling a clarinet. The bridge key is a vital part that you can easily damage if you’re not careful connecting the parts.

The joints must come together so that the bridge key is aligned between both. Otherwise, you won’t be able to play many notes.

Avoid twisting the clarinet with excessive force or squeezing the other keys too tightly when putting the clarinet together.

7. Put on the bell

The bell goes on last (or first, if you prefer to start here). It should be easy to put on but may need a small amount of cork grease as well.

How to disassemble a clarinet

Taking your clarinet apart mean mostly just reversing what you did to put it together. But there are some steps where you’ll want to take a moment to clean certain parts of the instrument before stowing them away (related: How to Clean and Maintain Your Clarinet).

1. Remove the ligature and reed

Simply loosen the screws on the ligature when you’re finished playing, slip the ligature off the tip of the mouthpiece and remove the reed. Wipe away any excess moisture from the reed to prevent mildew growth. Then return the reed to its case or sleeve.

2. Remove and clean the mouthpiece

Pull the mouthpiece from the barrel. Clean the mouthpiece using a mouthpiece brush. Or at a minimum, run your cleaning swab through to remove the moisture that accumulates when you play. Wipe away any excess cork grease.

3. Remove and clean the barrel

The barrel should easily come off the upper joint without any issues. Run your swab through it to remove any moisture build up.

4. Separate and swab the upper and lower joints

Grip each joint in your hands without squeezing any keys too tightly. Gently twist the instrument apart, making sure the parts don’t fall out of your lap. Dropping one of these joints can lead to expensive repair bills if you’re not careful.

Run the swab through each joint and wipe away any excess cork grease.

5. Remove the bell

The bell is easy to remove. Simply pull it apart from the lower joint.

The bell doesn’t tend to collect much moisture because it’s the furthest part from the mouthpiece. But run a swab through it anyway just to be safe.

Mistakes to avoid when handling a clarinet

Parents and teachers of young players tend to be a little nervous when they’re first learning to assemble a clarinet. Adult beginners will have an easier time with these instructions and will be less likely to damage their instrument.

Here are some of the more common mistakes to avoid that can lead to problems:

• Misaligning the bridge key between the upper and lower joints. This will prevent you from reaching all the notes.
• Squeezing the keys too tightly. This is a good way to bend or otherwise damage the keys, which can prevent you from being able to play the effected notes.
• Twisting the instrument too far while taking it apart or putting it back together. Keys can collide and become damaged in some cases.
• Using too much cork grease. This may cause the different parts of your instrument to slide out of alignment or, in extreme cases, fall apart while playing. Remember, a little cork grease goes a long way.
• Failing to swab the instrument can lead to moisture buildup and damage. Keep your instrument as clean as possible when you’re not playing.

Conclusion

Taking good care of your instrument helps ensure you’ll play with a beautiful sound and that your instrument lasts long into the future. A quality musical instrument can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance.

Are you curious about how the earliest clarinets evolved over time to become the modern clarinets we love today?

I was too. That’s why I looked into the history of this an incredibly versatile instrument. And I’m going to share that rich cultural journey with you.

Although there are many different clarinet types available today, I’ll be focusing here on the B♭, which is the most popular of the bunch. Here I’ll give you an overview of the history of the clarinet and its related single-reed predecessors.

Early single-reed instruments (~2700 BCE)

Many modern musicians would be surprised to learn that single-reed instruments like the clarinet have their roots in ancient history.

As early as 2700 BCE, Egyptian musicians were playing a single-reed instrument called the “memet.” The memet was primarily a double clarinet with two parallel reed tubes. The entire reed assembly was placed in the mouth, meaning the player could play both tubes at the same time.

One tube was often used as a drone, or an instrument that always plays the same note (a modern example of a drone appears in today’s bagpipes). Some versions of the memet also had tone holes on both tubes, allowing for a complex musical sound. These ancient instruments probably only had the range of about a fourth (four steps on the scale).

No examples of the memet appear to have survived to this day. But the instrument is prominently featured in musical iconography of the time.

Some double clarinets like the memet are still played in the Middle East and India. The mizmar of Yemen and the zummara of Egypt are two such examples mainly appearing in folk music.

The chalumeau (1100 CE-1630)

The direct predecessor to the modern clarinet is the chalumeau. This French instrument developed out of the single-reed traditions of the ancient world with the removal of the drone tube. The word “chalumeau” appears in literature beginning in the 1630s. But the instrument may be as old as the 12th century.

The chalumeau is a single-reed instrument with a relatively narrow range compared to today’s clarinet. The instrument had no keys when it was first introduced. But it was eventually manufactured with a rear key operated by the left thumb.

This key kept the player from “overblowing” the chalumeau, meaning that its range was restricted to twelve notes. Chalumeaux (plural of chalumeau) were made in a variety of ranges to compensate for this limitation, including soprano, alto and bass.

The chalumeau was a popular instrument in the Baroque and early Classical periods. In the first half of the 18th century, chalumeau parts were commonly written in music. But by the second half of the century, most composers had moved their attention to the clarinet.

Today, the lower register of the clarinet (played without the register key, encompassing all notes below A on the staff) is known as the chalumeau register. This name pays homage to the instrument’s predecessor.

Development of the modern clarinet (1690-present)

As the Baroque period passed, instrument makers made several improvements to the chalumeau. These improvements were meant to improve the range, tuning and playability of the instrument.

From the time of its conception as an evolved product of the chalumeau to the versatile instrument it is today, the clarinet saw several innovations.

Inventing the first clarinet (~1690)

Johann Christoph Denner (1655-1707) made several vital changes to the chalumeau which have led to him being credited as the inventor of the first clarinet.

Denner’s primary improvement was introducing the register key. This key, pressed by the left thumb, reinforced the instrument’s natural overblown register of a twelfth (an octave and a fourth). This enabled the clarinet to have a much better and more stable range than the chalumeau.

The clarinet had a clear, trumpet-like sound in the middle register. This is where it derived its name from the Italian “clarino” for a historical style of trumpet. “Clarinet” means “small trumpet.” And the middle register of the clarinet is still known as the “clarion” register.

Growing acceptance during the Classical period (1730-1820)

The dawn of the Classical period led to further clarinet innovations from instrument makers and a growing interest in the instrument.

By the middle of the 18th century, clarinet parts were becoming more popular in classical music. Composers such as Stadler and Bouffil began writing chamber music for three basset horns, a type of clarinet and the predecessor to the alto clarinet in the key of F.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was fond of the clarinet and wrote numerous concertos and sonatas for it. His Clarinet Concerto in A major (K. 622) is one of the best-known classical pieces for the instrument, which had five keys at the time.

Adding pads for clarinet tone holes (1812)

One of the major problems encountered by the 19th-century clarinetist was the inability to seal tone holes covered by the keys. At first, the keys were sealed with felt pads. These pads leaked air and restricted the number of notes that could be played accurately and with a pleasing tone.

In 1812, Iwan Müller (1786-1854), developed a pad that was covered in fish bladder or leather. This gave the clarinet a well-defined sound across registers and made it much easier to play. Today, pads are made of leather, cork and synthetic materials, though felt is still sometimes used.

Müller’s clarinet also had 13 keys. This allowed for a full chromatic scale in any key, as opposed to in only one key with earlier five- and six-key clarinets.

Müller is also credited with inventing the first metal ligature for clarinet.

Improved key and finger hole arrangements (1839-1843)

Clarinet design improved in other ways throughout the 19^th century. Keys were sometimes unwieldy, and Denner’s clarinet had several serious intonation issues in certain ranges.

Between 1839 and 1843, Hyacinthe Klosé (1808-1880) and Auguste Buffet (1789-1864) improved the mechanisms of the clarinet keys, making the instrument more reliable and easier to tune.

They also added duplicate keys to be played by the little fingers of the left and right hand, allowing the same note to be played by two fingerings (related: Clarinet Fingering Charts). This made certain passages much easier to play.

The new system was called the Boehm system, named after the arrangement system for the flute that inspired it. The Boehm system, with a few changes, is still used in modern instruments produced today.

These keys and their arrangements have never been fully standardized. But most clarinets manufactured today are on the Boehm system or some derivative of it.

Mainstream popularity (1910-present)

The clarinet has grown in popularity since the mid-18th century when most of the arrangements of the keys and tone holes began to reside where they remain today. The clarinet became an important orchestral instrument and was part of the development of the concert band.

The clarinet also found a home in Dixieland jazz music and in jazz and swing music from the early and mid-1900s. Benny Goodman’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” (1987) and George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” (1928) are two fine examples of how different the clarinet can sound in two genres of music.

Conclusion

The clarinet is a beautiful instrument with a long history. And it’s been used in a variety of musical styles throughout history.

Playing the clarinet is incredibly rewarding, and exploring its literature is as easy as calling up a streaming music player. Spend some time listening to clarinet works from various historical periods and enjoy the varied sounds and moods of the instrument.

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Fingering charts are helpful for any clarinetist to have on hand. Even if you’re an experienced player, there’s always a chance you’ll forget a fingering or need to work out a new alternate fingering for a tricky passage.

I could’ve saved time and effort by properly learning the fingerings in elementary or middle school. But instead I had to sit down and learn them all later as a high school student.

Learning to read a clarinet fingering chart is an essential skill for novice players to learn. The positions of all the keys on the upper and lower joints need to be learned by touch. And a fingering chart can help a lot for this. That’s why, even today, I keep a fingering chart in my at-home practice folder.

Let’s explore how to use common fingering charts like the one below. I’ll also share some tips for how to learn the various clarinet notes. Feel free to download and print the below charts in PDF format at any time.

How fingering charts help clarinetists improve

Most young players have basic fingering charts in their band method books to help them learn common fingerings. These charts expand depending on the level of the player, starting from easy notes below the staff and on the staff and ending at the very high, or altissimo, register.

But fingering charts can also be an indispensable reference for alternate fingerings. And some clarinet passages are difficult or impossible to play with the primary fingerings taught to elementary and middle school students.

For example, B-flat and B-natural just below the staff are played with the first finger on the right hand alone and the middle finger on the right hand alone. It’s necessary to use the alternate key located between the first and second tone holes to produce a smooth result.

Tips for using clarinet fingering charts

Reading and interpreting fingering charts is typically self-explanatory. But some aspects of using charts may be less obvious.

When viewing a fingering chart and using it to learn new notes, always hold the upper joint in your left hand and the lower joint in your right.

Reaching all the keys with the fingers is relatively easy on the B-flat clarinet. While reaching the lowest keys on the bass clarinet and contrabass clarinet can take a bit of stretching. Make sure your hands are flexible enough to get to these positions.

Don’t rely too much on charts; follow a proper lesson book

Don’t rely too much on fingering charts themselves. The idea is to refer to them until you eventually learn the fingerings by heart.

Following a proper lesson book will take you much further in learning this instrument than the charts alone. Essential Elements for Band has an excellent series for clarinet that many music teachers and band directors rely on.

If you’ve even binge watched several YouTube videos to study new techniques, you may have seen one of the books featured there.

Essential Elements books are great because they have a structured approach with a clear presentation. These book and others like them have tips for mastering fingerings, learning scales and much more.

Learning clarinet notes through repetition and scales

Repetition through playing scales is an excellent way to get the positions of the keys fixed in your mind and in your muscle memory. Make sure you can play all the important scales fluently, including sharps and flats. This will go a long way toward increasing your speed and accuracy.

It’s also a good idea to spend a week or two on each scale when you’re first starting out. The notes below the staff and on the staff are the most important to learn for young players. Most young students will start with the C scale and add sharps and flats as they go along. As they become fluent, they will easily be able to play scales with many sharps or flats.

Practicing chromatic scales can be especially helpful for learning the alternate fingerings possible on the clarinet. Memorizing two or three octaves of a chromatic scale is a must for students at the middle and high school levels.

It also never hurts for older or more experienced players to take the time to work on their scales, especially the chromatic scale.

Working with alternate fingerings

Alternate fingerings help to minimize the hand movement necessary to reach certain notes in different pieces of music. Not all alternate fingerings are created equal. Some alternate fingerings are sharp or flat compared to your instrument’s range.

Practicing with an electronic tuner or tuner app on a smartphone can help ensure your alternate fingerings are tonally in concert with the rest of the passage. Experienced players will be able to correct the pitch on their own, either with their embouchure (the position of their mouth) or by adding selected extra keys to the printed fingering.

Writing in any alternate fingerings that will be needed is often helpful when studying a new piece of music. Many players write a “C”, for “chromatic”, above the note that needs to be played with an alternate fingering.

Learning the music with the alternate fingerings the first time around is far better than trying to go back and change the fingerings after you’ve become familiar with the piece. Muscle memory may make this difficult if you learn the piece the “wrong” way first.

Pacing yourself for mastery

Don’t push yourself too quickly when it comes to learning scales and fingerings. It’s better to spend the time to truly master a scale with all its fingerings before moving on to the next one. Rushing yourself can hinder your development as a musician.

Most clarinetist can’t reach the altissimo (very high) register above the staff until the intermediate level. So beginners can safely put off learning those fingerings for now.

Conclusion

Taking the time to learn all the fingerings and alternate fingerings on the clarinet will make you a better musician. The best way to learn new fingerings is to play scales, whether they’re diatonic (major or minor) scales or chromatic scales.

When learning a difficult passage, keep a clarinet fingering chart on hand and note any alternate fingerings you’ll need to use.

Becoming fluent on the clarinet is rewarding. And when you take the time to properly learn your scales or your practice pieces, you’ll be well on your way to following along with a group or playing solo music on your own. 

Do you have any other tips for learning clarinet fingering or using charts effectively? Share your experience in the comments section below!

Learning to play scales is one of the most important ways for a beginning clarinetist to expand their skills. Scales will help you learn how to fluently play your instrument.

When I was a young clarinetist just starting out, I had no desire to learn to play scales. I wanted to learn to play familiar tunes on the clarinet. As I grew more experienced, I realized that scales were important to my learning process.

When I was a young player, it took me about six months to learn useful scales. I still play clarinet scales as part of my practice today, along with etudes (short study pieces) based on scales.

Here I’ll introduce clarinet scales and explain how playing them will make you a better musician. I’ll break down the process of learning a scale and list some of the most important scales for beginner players to learn.

Understanding clarinet scales

A scale is a sequence of notes that cover one or more octaves in a musical key. A scale has eight notes in each octave. An easy way to understand a scale is by remembering the song “Do Re Mi” from the film The Sound of Music (1965).

How important is learning scales for progressing with the clarinet?

Learning scales helps you understand how music is put together. Scales are one of the basic building blocks of practicing any instrument, including the clarinet. And all genres of music depend on scales.

You’ll find many passages in the music you learn become easier to play once you learn scales. Many melodies are based on scales, which you’ll discover as you start reading music. A scale teaches you which notes belong in a key.

Forgoing learning scales will make any instrument harder to learn. And if you don’t know your scales, you’ll feel lost when you play with a musical ensemble.

Advice for learning clarinet scales

Here are some tips and strategies that will make learning scales easier:

• Start by playing your scales on long tones like whole notes—hold the note for four beats. Speed up to a faster tempo as you get better at playing the scale.
• Progress gradually. Don’t push yourself to learn too quickly. Many new musicians can become frustrated and give up when they feel they’re not making enough progress.
• Be sure to equally practice going up and down the scale. Start with one octave and then progress to two and even three octaves as you get more experienced.

You should be able to play all your important scales quickly and fluently following consistent practice and these steps.

Printable clarinet scale sheets

We’ll be covering more than 20 different clarinet scales here. And although you may want to read about each one, it can be nice to review offline. You’re welcome to download the clarinet scale sheets and to refer to separately.

Clarinet major scales

Major scales make music sound optimistic and positive. They’re the basic type of scale that all musicians learn. They’re also the type of scale featured in the song “Do Re Mi” mentioned earlier. In a major scale, the ascending sequence goes whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step.

Imagining a piano keyboard may be helpful for visualizing how a major scale is constructed. When you play a C-major scale on the piano, you play all the white keys going up the scale from C to the next C above it.

Visualizing scales on the clarinet is less straightforward. But if you keep your scales in a lesson book, you’ll be able to keep track of them more easily.

The following scales are listed in order of difficulty, from easiest to hardest. Most beginning musicians start out with C major and gradually add sharps and flats as they learn to play. The hardest scales, mentioned near the end of the list, have as many as six or seven sharps or flats.

C major

C major is the easiest major scale to learn because it has no sharps or flats. Most beginner clarinetists learn this scale starting at middle C just below the staff and going up one octave.

Clarinetists will find they have to go over the “break” between A and B natural in order to complete the scale. This can be tricky and practicing it as much as possible is essential when you’re just learning your instrument.

F major

The second scale most young clarinetists learn is F major. It has one flat, B-flat. The advantage of an F scale is you can start in the low register below the staff. This is one of the first scales where many young players become able to play a two-octave scale.

G major

G major has one sharp, F-sharp and is another relatively easy scale.

B-flat major

One of the most common scales used in the concert band repertoire is B-flat. It has two flats, E-flat and B-flat.

D major

D major has two sharps, C-sharp and F-sharp. It’s an important key and is most players’ introduction to C-sharp.

E-flat major

Here we begin to see more difficult scales as we move up to three flats. The flats in the E-flat major scale are E-flat, B-flat and A-flat. Flat scales are often found in clarinet music, so this key is a necessity.

A major

A major has three sharps: F sharp, C sharp and G sharp. It’s a less common key in band music but is still important to learn.

A-flat major

A-flat major has four flats: A-flat, B-flat, E-flat and D-flat. It’s a common key in band music, so clarinetists will be doing themselves a favor by becoming familiar with this scale.

E major

The key with four sharps is E major. It’s another uncommon key in the clarinet repertoire but is worth practicing anyway.

D-flat major

Things are challenging when a key has five flats. B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat and G-flat are all included in the D-flat major scale.

B major

Not to be outdone is the B-major scale with its five sharps. This scale has F-sharp, C-sharp, G-sharp, D-sharp and A-sharp. Fluency in one of these keys with five or more sharps or flats shows you’re becoming truly skilled with your instrument.

G-flat major

The G-flat major scale has six flats. They are B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, G-flat and C-flat. This is not a commonly used key on the clarinet, but it would not hurt to learn it anyway.

Clarinet minor scales

A minor scale is typically used in a piece of music to represent a sad or thoughtful mood.

Minor keys that have the same number of sharps or flats as a major key are known as relative keys. The first note of the relative minor scale is the sixth note of the major scale. For example, C major’s relative minor scale is A minor.

There are three different types of minor keys: the natural minor, the melodic minor and the harmonic minor. The three types of minor scales are important for understanding the structure of music. But they don’t often appear in the first few years of learning an instrument.

The natural minor uses only the notes in the relative major scale. For example, A natural minor contains only A, B, C, D, E, F, G and A. There are no other sharps or flats used in the scale.

The harmonic minor differs from the natural minor because it has a half-step between the seventh note of the scale and the resolution. This is known as a leading tone, which helps with the resolution of the chords. For example, there is a G sharp in the seventh position of the A harmonic minor scale.

A melodic minor is like a harmonic minor. When the scale is ascending, the leading tone on the seventh position is in place. When the scale is descending, it’s replaced by the G as in the natural minor.

These scales are arranged in order of difficulty, by the relative key (the key with the same number of sharps and flats).

A minor

A minor has no sharps and flats. It’s very common and an easy scale to learn.

D minor

Like its relative key, F, D minor has one flat, B-flat. This is another easy scale that novice clarinetists can learn right away.

E minor

E minor has one sharp, F-sharp.

G minor

Like B-flat major, G minor has two flats, B-flat and E-flat.

B minor

B minor has two sharps, F-sharp and C-sharp, like its relative key of D.

C minor

C minor has three flats like its relative key of E-flat.

F-sharp minor

F-sharp minor has three sharps like its relative key of A.

F minor

F minor has four flats like A-flat major.

C-sharp minor

C-sharp minor, the relative minor to E major, has four sharps.

Clarinet chromatic scale in two octaves and three octaves

A chromatic scale is comprised of half-steps. For example, a chromatic C scale includes C, C-sharp, D, E-flat, E, F, F-sharp, G, A-flat, A, B-flat, B and C.

Chromatic scales are one of the most important things you can learn on your clarinet. They’ll help you learn all the notes on your instrument. They’ll also help you learn alternate fingerings for certain notes.

For example, you can play F-sharp on the staff by using just your first finger on the top tone hole. You can also play it by using the regular fingering for F (thumb on the back tone hole) and pressing two of the side keys with your right hand.

Learning alternate fingerings will help you become more fluent with your instrument and make tricky passages easier.

Young players usually learn chromatic scales when they’ve been playing their instrument for a year or two. Two octaves are fine. But for even better mastery of your instrument, learn three octaves.

Conclusion

My number one tip for practicing scales is to play them as often as possible. Start slow and progress to a faster scale as you get better at it.

You can also get books of etudes (short practice pieces) based on scales. I recommend Melodious and Progressive Studies, Book 1 edited by David Hite.

Learning scales will make music easier to play and to understand. Though it may seem like a chore, you need to become familiar with scales to become a good clarinetist.

A clarinet is a delicate instrument you must care for properly if you expect it to perform at its best. Neglecting to clean your instrument can lead to moisture build up, which can damage your clarinet.

Caring for a wood clarinet is more challenging than caring for a plastic instrument. Wood clarinets need to be kept at a consistent temperature and humidity in order to keep from drying out and cracking.

New players must learn to take care of their instruments. I’ve been playing the clarinet for over 30 years. And I’m still learning the best way to care for my instrument. But here are some specific steps to help you along the way.

Supplies you’ll need for clarinet maintenance

Below are some supplies you’ll need to keep your clarinet working like new. Giardinelli makes a useful cleaning kit if you are looking for an all-in-one solution.

• Mouthpiece brush: You’ll need a soft-bristled brush to keep the inside of your mouthpiece clean. Giardinelli makes a good-quality mouthpiece brush at a very affordable price.

• Cork grease: You’ll need to apply this to the tenon corks to protect the corks and make the instrument easier to assemble. I recommend Vandoren cork grease.

• Swab: A swab is one of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll need to keep your clarinet clean. A swab is made of a piece of soft, absorbent fabric, a cord and a weight to help you guide the cord down inside the clarinet. Look for an absorbent fabric like silk, chamois or microfiber.
  
  You’ll need a longer swab for a bass clarinet, so make sure you’re ordering the right type for your clarinet. I recommend the GEM silk clarinet swab for a B-flat clarinet. For a bass clarinet, I recommend the Hodge bass clarinet silk swab.

• Pad paper: Pads will sometimes stick. I recommend Yamaha cleaning paper. Simply put the paper under the closed pad and pull it out gently. This is something you could potentially get away without using, since a sheet of plain paper may work just as well in many cases.

• Bore oil: If you have a wood clarinet, you’ll need to oil the inside periodically to keep it lubricated. I recommend MusicNomad Natural Organic Bore Oil or Yamaha Bore Oil.

• Cotton swabs: You’ll occasionally want to dust underneath the rods of your clarinet. An ordinary cotton swab is fine for this process.

• Reed case: Many people choose to purchase a reed case to keep their reeds in good condition. You could get away without a reed case. But it’s good to have one if you want your reeds to last longer.
  
  I recommend the Rico Multi-Instrument Reed Vitalizer Case for the B-flat clarinet. For the bass clarinet, I recommend the Vandoren Hygro Reed Case, which also has a humidity control function.

• Hygrometer: Consider getting a hygrometer, or humidity measuring device, to keep in your case if you have a wood instrument. Keep your clarinet at about 45 to 55 percent humidity. I recommend the Micro Digital Reed / Clarinet Hygrometer. It’s small enough to fit inside your case.

• Humidifier: This is another great purchase for a wood clarinet. This will help to keep your instrument at the right humidity. I recommend the Humistat, which is affordable and easy to use.

Assembling your clarinet before playing

Putting a clarinet together is one of the first things a new player is taught to do. It can be tricky, so it’s best to follow these steps for the best results.

Greasing the tenon corks

Most people grease their clarinet’s tenon corks each time they play. Apply just enough grease so the instrument comes together without force.

Be sure not to put too much grease on the corks, or you could damage them. You could also run the risk of greasing the cork too much and having the pieces detach while you’re playing.

Soaking your clarinet reed in water

This is a useful step when you’re breaking in a new reed. Soak it in plain water for up to 10 minutes. Then run your thumb along the top of the reed, from bottom to top, to seal the reed. You should not have to do this every time. Some people prefer not to soak their reeds at all.

Cleaning your clarinet after playing

Remember when cleaning your clarinet that, except for the mouthpiece, no part of the instrument should be washed in water. Doing so could destroy the pads and corks and affect the moisture balance of the instrument.

Some of the steps that follow, such as disassembling and swabbing through the parts, are needed after each time you play. Other steps can be done less regularly as needed.

Disassembling your clarinet

Work carefully when disassembling your clarinet. Being too rough with your clarinet could damage not only the corks but also the keys.

The most crucial part of disassembling a clarinet is between the upper and lower joint. Put the instrument in your lap and gently twist it apart, being careful not to damage the bridge key. Avoid squeezing the other keys while you’re disassembling the clarinet.

Removing and storing the reed

Remove the reed every time you play, or mold and mildew could grow inside the instrument. Simply loosen the ligature and slide the reed free. Gently wipe any extra moisture from the back of the reed before putting it away in a reed case.

Some people choose to use the plastic single-reed sleeves that come with the reeds. But I believe it’s better to use a reed case with humidity controls. Gently slide the reed into the case, being careful not to chip the tip.

Cleaning the mouthpiece

Run your swab through the mouthpiece and wipe the outside after every playing session. Periodically wash the mouthpiece with mild dish soap and cool water using your mouthpiece brush. Take care to keep the tenon cork as dry as possible.

Cleaning the barrel, upper joint, lower joint and bell

These parts of the clarinet tend to collect moisture while you play. Running a swab through them is normally enough to keep them clean.

Maintaining your clarinet long term

You’ll need to occasionally take some steps to keep your instrument working at its best and preserve it for a lifetime of use. You could otherwise be setting yourself up for mechanical problems.

It’s also a good idea to take your clarinet to a qualified repair person about once a year for a “tune-up.” They’ll make sure your corks and pads are in good shape and realign any keys that have become bent.

Replacing your clarinet reeds

The need to replace a reed will quickly become obvious. The tip may be rippled when you remove the reed. This is a good sign that you need a new reed. You’ll also need to replace a reed if you break or chip it.

A box of 10 clarinet reeds will typically cost about $20. Bass clarinet reeds are typically $40 for a box of five (related: What’s the best reed for a clarinet?).

Oiling your clarinet bore

This step applies to wood clarinets only. Put a small amount of bore oil on a clean swab and run it through all the wooden sections. Keeping a separate swab just for oiling you instrument may be helpful.

Oil a new instrument every two to three months. As your instrument matures, you’ll only need to oil it once a year. Many novice players make the mistake of using too much oil, which can negatively impact their sound.

Transporting and storing your clarinet

Always be gentle with your clarinet and avoid bumping or dropping the case. A more durable plastic clarinet is often best for young players. Whereas more expensive wooden models are more vulnerable to damage with rough handling.

Maintain humidity at about 45 to 55 percent where storing your clarinet. It’s also best to store the instrument in an area of your home that has a consistent temperature around 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mistakes to avoid with clarinet maintenance

Apart from the tips for properly cleaning and maintaining a clarinet, there are several pitfalls to avoid. Awareness of these will help you avoid damaging your instrument.

Getting the clarinet wet during cleaning

This can be disastrous for the health of your clarinet, especially if you have a wood instrument. Your pads to become soaked and detach from the keys. Moisture can also create an atmosphere where mold and mildew can grow inside your clarinet.

Using too much cork grease

Too much cork grease can cause your clarinet to slip apart while you’re playing. Even a plastic clarinet could be seriously damaged if a part falls on a hard floor. Too much cork grease will also make your corks wear out faster.

Failing to clean after each use

If you don’t clean your clarinet every time you play, you are setting yourself up for problems. At a minimum, run the swab through the instrument before you put it away.

Too much bore oil

Make sure you limit oiling to every two to three months for a new instrument and once a year for a more experienced instrument.

Improperly storing reeds

Keeping your reeds in a humidity-controlled reed case is the best choice because a case protects the reeds better than a plastic sleeve. But anything is better than leaving the reed in the instrument and risking the growth of mold inside.

Conclusion

Stay on top of the maintenance of your instrument, especially if you have a wood clarinet. Even plastic clarinets need to be well cared for in order to play at their best and last a lifetime.

Taking proper care of your clarinet helps you avoid costly maintenance problems like cracks and wood shrinkage. A high-quality instrument should last a lifetime if you follow these steps.