Features to consider while choosing a beginner clarinet
Whether it’s been decades since you picked up a clarinet yourself if you’re shopping for an affordable instrument for your child to use in school, there are some important things to keep in mind while you shop. Let’s take a look.
Body material
Body material matters for a few reasons. First, it’s important to be realistic. Professional clarinets are usually handmade of wood and cost many, many times as much as these beginner clarinets which are made of ebonite, like the Jean Paul CL-300 Student Clarinet, or Bakelite, like the Aileen Lexington Bb Flat 17-Key Clarinet. Ebonite is a really durable hard rubber that can hold up to a lot of wear and tear while Bakelite is a synthetic plastic that is also very hard and durable.
In addition to durability, the material also has a huge effect on sound and tone. While neither of these materials will provide the same sound quality as a professional wooden clarinet, they are both great for beginners. Especially younger students who can be a little rough with things.
Key
These beginner clarinets are all in the key of B-flat and for a good reason: it’s the most popular member of the clarinet family. That means that these instruments can be used in just about any type of band and are suitable for playing any type of music.
There are other keys available, including A, E-flat, D, and C as well as bass clarinets, contrabass, and soprano versions, too, but these are much less popular and only used by high-level professionals. So, don’t worry, a standard B-flat instrument like the Windsor Student Bb Clarinet is just right to get started.
Key system
The key system refers primarily to the fingering positions and mechanisms of the keys, but the dimensions of the barrel and the material play a part as well since they affect the sound quality. This is a much more complicated thing on a professional level instrument; for beginners, it’s quite simple.
Since all of these clarinets are in the key of B-flat, they’re all pretty standard and use the traditional 17-key system. As we mentioned, there are some versions of the instrument in other keys, and some of these can have around 20 keys or so. The difference often lies in the buttons used by the pinky fingers when playing notes at either end of the range but that’s not something you really need to worry about at the beginner level.
Case
The case is always important but is worth keeping in mind when you shop for a beginner clarinet, particular if it’s going to be used by a school student. Transporting the instrument back and forth from school to home can be a nuisance, so make sure the case provides enough protection but that it’s also something your child is willing to carry.
Also, consider the type of group your child is playing in. Middle school orchestra may provide a locker to store the instrument when not in use while younger students are probably going to be bringing their clarinet to and from school on a school bus. If your child is in marching band, their instrument is likely going to be transported to and from performances in a big truck, so it’s very important to make sure you get a case that is going to provide the right level of protection.
Extras
Some of these clarinets come with everything you need to get started playing right away. If you’re trying to figure out additional costs, here are the things you should consider.
Does the clarinet come with any reeds? Generally, if a reed is included, you only get one or two so you will need to get extra, particularly for a new player as they can be hard on reeds when learning.
Proper care and maintenance are also really important, so you will need to make sure everything you need is included. Generally, you need a cloth to wipe the surface of the clarinet, a weighted cloth for the inside, and a brush to clean the mouthpiece. Cork grease is also important.
Price and Warranty
These clarinets are exceptionally affordable. They range from just under $100 to about $170. If you have a child that wants to play the clarinet and their school is trying to get you to rent or buy from their suppliers, it makes much more sense to purchase one of these on your own. There’s really no reason to invest in a more expensive instrument at this point, especially for a kid who isn’t sure how long he’s going to keep playing.
Some of these clarinets, like the Mendini by Cecilio B-Flat Beginner Student Clarinet, come with a pretty good warranty. Usually, they only cover manufacturer’s defects, so make sure you read your warranty information carefully.
