Clarinet family

The clarinet family is a woodwind instrument family of various sizes and types of clarinets, including the common soprano clarinet in B♭ and A, bass clarinet, and sopranino E♭ clarinet.

Clarinets that aren't the standard B♭ or A clarinets are sometimes known as harmony clarinets. There are many differently pitched clarinet types that may be grouped into sub-families, but grouping and terminology vary; the list below reflects popular usage.

• Octave clarinets — So-named because they are pitched around an octave higher than the common B♭ clarinet.^[1] This term usually refers to the rare and obsolete instruments in high C, B♭, and A.^[2][3]
• Piccolo clarinets — in A♭ and G, are the highest clarinets still manufactured.
  • The A♭ clarinet found use in 19th century European wind and military band music, and the stage bands in Italian opera.^[4][5]
  • The piccolo in G found use in small ensembles in 19th century Vienna, particularly the Schrammelmusik of the 1880s.^[6]
• Sopranino clarinet — The term sopranino usually refers to clarinets in E♭ and D, as well as obsolete instruments in G, F, and E.^[2][3] The E♭ and D clarinets are commonly called piccolo clarinets in Eastern Europe and Russia.
  • E♭ clarinet — Fairly common in the United States and western Europe; less common in eastern Europe. Referred to as the soprano in Commonwealth countries. Resurgence in popularity due to the production of affordable instruments in China.
  • D clarinet — Rare in the United States and western Europe. Required in Molter's very early clarinet concertos.
• Soprano clarinet — The most familiar type of clarinet. The term soprano usually refers to the instruments in C, B♭, and A, along with obsolete instruments in B and A♭.^[7][3] Rendall lists the clarinet d'amore in A♭ and G and the clarinet in G as obsolete altos, listing the Bassett horn in F and alto clarinet in E♭ as tenor clarinets.^[7] Rice classifies G clarinets with flared bells as altos, and with pear- or bulb-shaped Liebesfuß bells as clarinets d'amour.^[8]
  • C clarinet — This instrument became practically obsolete in the orchestras of Europe and the United States in the early twentieth century. It was used in 18th century scores, the works of Beethoven and Schubert, until the early 20th century; Mahler included them up until his fourth symphony. Nineteenth century clarinetists, faced with maintaining and alternating between instruments in A, B♭ and C, began to prefer transposing in order to play parts on one instrument, rather than change from warm to cold instruments mid-performance. This resulted in the decline of usage of the C clarinet in the standard classical orchestra. It has enjoyed a revival from the late 20th century historically informed performance movement, in both orchestral music and popular folk styles such as klezmer music. The clarinet in C is sometimes called for in clarinet choirs, often as a substitute for the oboe. This clarinet has been made more common and inexpensive due to the manufacturing of clarinets of all sizes in China, including simplified inexpensive plastic instruments for use in schools, like the Clarinéo.
  • B♭ clarinet — The most common type of clarinet.
  • A clarinet — Standard orchestral instrument used alongside the B♭ soprano. It is required primarily in older, European classical music. Many classical clarinetists own both a B♭ and an A clarinet, and cases holding both instruments are common. The A clarinet is not commonly used in band music.
  • Basset clarinet — a soprano clarinet, usually in A, with extra keys to extend the range to written low C. Originating in the 18th century, they were sometimes built in C, B♭, and G (see also clarinet d'amore).^[9]
  • G clarinet — A rare instrument, in various guises: a "Turkish clarinet" with Albert system keywork and a range to low E; a Boehm or Oehler system instrument to low E made predominantly in Germany, Italy or China; and a Boehm system instrument with range to low C (basset clarinet in G), partly a revival of the clarinet d'amore. Appears in contemporary art music and certain kinds of ethnic music. Chinese mass production of clarinets in G has supported a renewal of interest, and professional instruments are available principally in Germany and Italy.
• Basset horn — Alto-to-tenor range instrument pitched in F, with extra keys to extend the range to written low C (like the basset clarinet). Modern instruments are similar in appearance to the E♭ alto clarinet, but with a narrower bore similar to the smaller B♭ clarinet.^[10] Originating around 1760, historical instruments usually had angled bends in the body joints and a 90° turn at the bell, sometimes made of brass, and were sometimes built in G, D, E♭ or E.^[11][12][13]
• Alto clarinet — Pitched in E♭ a perfect fifth lower than the B♭ soprano clarinet, often with a key for written low E♭ (sounding G♭₂), placing it in the tenor range.^[14] Sometimes also found in F without the keys to low C (which would make it a basset horn).^[3]
• Bass clarinet — An octave below the B♭ clarinet, often with extra keys for an extended low range, to low E♭, D or C. Instruments in C and A were sometimes specified by composers, and advertised at least as late as 1927, but remain very rare.^[15] Nineteen catalogued bass clarinets in A are known, seven of which are playable.^[16]
• Contrabass clarinets — Lower than the more common bass clarinet, sometimes called "pedal" clarinets.^[3] Gained use mainly in 20th century American concert band music, and occasionally appears in classical music and film scores.^[17]
  • Contra-alto clarinet — In E♭ (often written EE♭) and so-named for being one octave below the alto clarinet. Sometimes known as the EE♭ contrabass clarinet. The contra-alto can reach G₁ or even E♭₁ when equipped with keys to low C. Developed by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s, but first appeared in earnest in mid-20th century concert bands.^[18]
  • Contrabass clarinet — In B♭ (often written BB♭) an octave below the bass clarinet. Developed in the early 19th century, some historical instruments in C (contre-basse guerrière, Batyphon) exist.^[19]
• Subcontrabass clarinets — Two larger types have been built:
  • Octocontra-alto clarinet — In E♭ (sometimes written EEE♭), an octave below the contra-alto clarinet. A single prototype built in the 1930s by Leblanc was restored to playable condition and survives in the Musée des Instruments à vent in La Couture-Boussey, France.^[20]
  • Octocontrabass clarinet — In B♭ (sometimes written BBB♭) an octave below the contrabass clarinet. One prototype was built by Leblanc in the 1930s and also survives in the Musée des Instruments à vent.^[20] In 2025, the German maker Foag Klarinetten began manufacturing B♭ octocontrabass clarinets.^[21]