The Clarinet Click here to listen to the clarinet (RealAudio file) It is said that the clarinet, with a range of over three octaves, is the most beautiful of all the woodwind instruments. Three or four clarinetists are usually seen in a symphony orchestra (the fourth, being the bass clarinet, is only needed in larger scores). The two orchestral clarinets are the B flat and A, written a tone and minor third higher respectively, thus both are transposing instruments. The E flat clarinet (or alto clarinet) is used in military bands, and many 18th century scores included a basset horn - the tenor member of the clarinet family. More seldomly seen are the contrabass clarinets, the lowest pitched of the clarinet family. Next instrument - the Bassoon Previous instrument - the Oboe Back to the Orchestra construction of the clarinet Components: The main parts of the clarinet are the mouthpiece, reed, ligature, barrel or socket, upper body section, lower body section and bell. Cut into the body are over twenty holes; some are open and some are covered by padded keys Shape and materials: The clarinet is made out of wood, sometimes plastic, and is generally cylindrical in shape, and the lower part, leading to the bell, is conical The Reed: Instead of a double reed, a large single reed is used and this is clamped onto the beak-shaped mouthpiece by a metal ligature