Single reeded instruments have existed for ages prior to the birth of the modern clarinet, and they

were
commonly known as shepherd instruments. Reeds were cut out of the wood used to make the tube
itself. Examples of such include the Zummarah and the Arghul, however it is the chalumeau in particular
the most resembles the modern clarinet. After having experimented with chalumeaus for a long time,
the instrument maker C. H. Denner of Nuremberg, Germany, finally managed to build an instrument.
The first clarinets were still very simple and looked much like a larger recorder. With every new musical
and technical challenge craftsmen and players strived to improve the new and by far not perfect
instrument. Usually it was in small steps: the inclusion of forking, interdependencies of workshops and
sometimes, dead ends. Today, several key systems survive, mainly the Boehm and the Oehler systems.

Clarinet bodies have been made from a variety of materials including wood, plastic, hard rubber, metal,
resin, and ivory. The vast majority of clarinets used by professional musicians are made from African
hardwood and grenedilla. The instrument uses a single reed made from the cane of Arundo donax, a
type of grass. Reeds may also be manufactured from synthetic materials. The ligature fastens the reed
to the mouthpiece. When air is blown through the opening between the reed and the mouthpiece
facing, the reed vibrates and produces the instrument's sound. Next is the short barrel; this part of the
instrument may be extended to fine-tune the clarinet. The main body of most clarinets is divided into
the upper joint, the holes and most keys of which are operated by the left hand, and the lower joint with
holes and most keys operated by the right hand. The body of a modern soprano clarinet is equipped
with numerous tone holes of which seven (six front, one back) are covered with the fingertips, and the
rest are opened or closed using a set of keys. The cluster of keys at the bottom of the upper joint
(protruding slightly beyond the cork of the joint) are known as the trill keys and are operated by the
right hand. Finally, the flared end is known as the bell.

A particular strength on the clarinet is its versatility in the variety of tone colors it can achieve. This is
demonstrated through its extended forms. The most common include the Eb, Bb, A, Alto, Bass and
Contrabass clarinets. Also, the range of the clarinet is a strength of the instrument. On a standard Bb
clarinet, three and a half octaves can be played; few instruments are able to play this range of notes.
Finally, the clarinet is able to play loud volumes on its low registers (few instruments are able to do this).

A clarinet is limited by its many intonation issues around its throat register, which can only be corrected
through the player manipulating his embouchure. In doing so, however, tonal quality may be
compromised. Also, in order to play the extremes of the altissimo, usually from G and above, a player
needs to overblow. This results in inconsistent pitch and tonal quality. Physically speaking, the clarinet is
also unable to play in sharp keys smoothly due to limitations of its key system. This is in particular
referring to the region around the B to D# above middle C. This can only be corrected with the addition
of an Eb lever, which without, the player will have to resort to sliding off keys.

In conventional wind band pieces, the clarinet usually takes on the melodic line. A standard example can
be found in Japanese concert marches, where clarinets are often paired with saxophones. It is also a
favorite among composers to feature it as a solo instrument, given its song-like quality and wide range.
A famous clarinet solo can be found in the 2nd movement of Holsts First Suite. Finally the clarinet also
adopts the role of decorating the melody, as like most woodwind instruments, it is able to play many
notes quickly in succession. These include scalic passages, arpeggios, trills and mordents.

Famous clarinet repertoire includes Mozarts Clarinet Concerto. It is a three movement work for clarinet
and orchestra, of roughly 30 minute duration. It is one of the first major works written for a fairly new
instrument at the time. Another work is the set of two concertos (3 movements each) and one
concertino by Weber. The concertos last for around 30 mins, while the concertino, 12. Beginning around
this period, the Romantic period, technicalities of various instruments were tested, and the clarinet was
no exception. The Weber works demonstrate this, and is a favorite among virtuosos to display their
abilities. In Brahms clarinet quintet, the clarinet plays alongside a string quartet. The work is in 4
movements and lasts for 35 mins. At the time Brahms started composing his Clarinet Quintet, only a few
works had been composed for this type of ensemble. Examples include those by Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart, Anton Reicha, Carl Maria von Weber, Franz Krommer, Alexander Glazunov, Heinrich Baermann,
and Thomas Tglichsbeck. Brahms modeled his composition after Mozart's.