The clarinet is a single-reed instrument that belongs to the woodwind instrument family.  The clarinet was invented over 300 years ago with the modernized version being created in the mid 1800’s.  The most common clarinet is the Bb clarinet, however there are many others as well like the A clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, and Eb clarinet. The body of the clarinet is usually made out of African blackwood (typically grenadilla) with the keys being silver, while most student clarinets are made out of plastic.  The sound is made by air blowing across a reed fastened to a mouthpiece.  The sound of the clarinet has been described as “dark,” “warm,” “rich, yet pure.” To change notes, the clarinet uses a combination of open tone-holes and keys that are pressed down to close or open a tone-hole.  The clarinet can be found in orchestras and small chamber ensembles, concert bands and marching bands, trad. jazz bands, swing bands, and Klezmer bands.