How to Get a Good Tone from a Bb Clarinet

Learning to properly tune a clarinet to give a good tone is an absolute must.

The Bb, or B flat, clarinet has a gorgeous tone when tuned properly. The B flat is the standard concert tuning for a clarinet where the pitch is 442 hertz. The clarinet's pitch is changed by elongating or compressing the tuning barrel. A trained ear immediately recognizes whether the clarinet is tuned well or not, and makes adjustments accordingly. The untrained ear, on the other hand, will need the assistance of another perfectly tuned instrument, preferably a piano or an electronic tuner to give the clarinet that beautiful, rich tone for which it's known.

Things You'll Need

• Piano or electronic tuner.

Instructions

1. Set the electronic tuner to 442 Hz by pressing the "Pitch" button. Alternatively, play the concert C note on a perfectly tuned piano.

2. Push down the third space from the top of the clarinet to play the clarinet's concert C note. Blow through the mouth piece to sound the note loud and clear if using an electric tuner, and while the piano's concert C is resonating if using a piano.

3. Pull the tuning barrel to elongate the clarinet if the pitch is sharp. Push the tuning barrel to compress the clarinet if the pitch is flat. Push and pull the tuning barrel until the note registers at 442 Hz on the electronic tuner or perfectly matches the piano's concert C.

Tips & Warnings

• Check your clarinet for correct tuning frequently.

• Practice tuning the clarinet by ear and checking against an electronic tuner or piano to train your ear to register a perfect concert C, so you can tune a clarinet with out an aid.

References

• Ridenour Clarinet Products: Tuning the Bb Clarinet for Rehersal or Performance; Tom Ridenour