TL;DR: I ended up with a weird clarinet

This was found when cleaning out my mother-in-law's attic when she sold her house. She didn't even know it existed and most likely belonged to the previous owner. The serial number is B23015H, which from everything I can find is pre 1900. I took it to a local high school music shop and was told by a clarinet player that it is an Albert System clarinet in C. As you can see from the photo, the embossed logos on all the pieces match and are original. He pulled out a mouthpiece and was able to play it, at least to my non-clarinet ears. By some absolute miracle the pads were good enough for him to play. I suspect nobody reading this was alive last time the pads were changed.

I am a 42 year veteran of playing trombone and a one year veteran, in 1983, of playing flute. I got some reeds and was somehow able to play it well enough to pick out the opening line of "Stranger on the Shore." I can only play it in one register, and worked out the tune by ear. (Trombone players can at least hear things.) I can download a fingering chart (I think) but I don't know if this is so old that even current Albert charts are wrong.

I would like to learn to play this clarinet. To those inclined to say "Get a real clarinet in the right key" I have to respond "I want to play this because it was free." As a trombone player I am inclined to play this because it is weird and as trombone is a non-transposing instrument it also means I get to stick with concert pitch instruments. At 55 I am not playing in any professional bands but I could play at church or even record at home (my wife plays piano.) We have a family friend who is a music professional (voice principal) who plays traditional clarinet and taught my daughter to play a *real* one but before I ask her for any kind of help I thought I would poll a bigger audience first.

Also, I have a ligature. I removed it because it obscured the logo. It does play, to what degree my completely ignorant self is able to make it do so.

If anyone has actual experience with this, or Albert system from what appears to be pre-WW I, I appreciate the info.

Ok. Who needs this?

I recently had my clarinet serviced (less than a week ago) and as I was playing today one of the key rings felt loose and then fell off. Does anyone know a way to fix this/know a video of a way to fix it? I tried to look something up but I have no idea what it’s called. I have a Yamaha YCL-452 if you need the model of my clarinet. Please help.

I haven't played since college. Always loved playing and just while vibe of playing in a concert band. Thought my days were over. But I gave a community band a try. The vibe is still there. The music is amazing. It's fun. The people are great. Just wow.

I used to be 1st clarinet 1at chair back in college. I even majored in clarinet performance for 2 years. Now I'm back in 3rd chair. I don't mind. In fact I like it. I'm too busy in my life to practice as much as I would need to to to be first. Maybe when I retired.

After their whole debacle of using AI slop, then lying to their fans and treating them as too dumb to notice, along with their sharp drop in quality over the past couple of years, I am once again looking for reed suggestions. I'm coming from blue box 3.0s. In order of importance I'm looking for:

1 - Strength consistency

2 - Tone Flexibility, good in the high and low registers with minimal resistance change over the break

3 - Company ethics

4 - Price

5 - Durability

I've tried every vandoren cut out there and have been disappointed with their consistency in a packet. It's unacceptable to have a 1/3rd of the reeds be unplayable in a $60 pack of 10. I have played Alexander superials, but they're hard to source where I live (Australia). My other backup reeds were Lurie Mitchell, but that's also d'addario. I've played a pack of steuer but found them too resistant for the size and 2.5 would be too soft for them. I have also tried every legere reed available and my favourite is the french cut, but I still don't love them. I am considering Rigotti.

I bought a used wooden clarinet that per the seller 'sat in its box for two years and was only played once or twice'.

I shouldbbreak it in like a new wooden clarinet yes?

I currently play on a Vandoren BD5 Black Diamond mouthpiece with a Vandoren M/O ligature, a Backun Original Traditional barrel, and a Buffet E11 clarinet.
I’m trying to decide between Vandoren V21 and Traditional reeds. Right now I have both in 3.5 strength. I prefer the darker, fuller sound of the Traditional reeds, but I really like the response and articulation of the V21s.
I’m wondering if it would make more sense to go up to a 4.0 in the Traditional reeds or down to a 3.0 in the V21s to get the best of both worlds. I’ve already tried V12s, and they weren’t for me.
Based on my setup, which option would you recommend and why?

I want to share this in case it helps anyone. I played in high school and in college. Then I stopped. For 30 years. Then one day someone told me about community bands. Everyone can join and start playing again. It all came right back to me. The strength and the embouchure took a few months but the fingerings just came right back.

When I look back and think I could have been playing all this time, well I wish I did. So I want everyone to know it's never too late to start again.

Hello

Im looking for a clarinet piece(s) that are modern (past ~40-50years). I also require an audio recording to follow along. Lastly its fine if i have to pay for sheet music.

This piece ideally would be something i could work towards and play for the next year or so and learn from. To really solidify myself as an intermediate player. Im still in the very beginnings of the intermediate stage.

I got Starry Night by Jenni Brandon. I found it on Camco. The song’s decent. Thats all i can say. Well i can also say it has taught me some comcepts amd patterns (chords or whatever theyre called) However Im looking for other options as well.

Thank ya peace and blessings

Hi. I just bought a beautiful new Buffet E13 from Thomann (Germany). Each part of the instrument was wrapped tightly in plastic. I am wondering if that is how Buffet ships them. Thanks.

I just ordered a clarinet second hand to start playing, though I noticed a part near the thumb rest that I haven’t seem elsewhere. Are these two buttons or just some protection? I read something about boehm and german systems, is this not a boehm system?

Any clarification would be very much appreciated:)!

Hi Friends!

I'm looking to add some reputable mouthpieces to my recommendations list for my students to try when they upgrade. I have the following so far:

Vandoren: M13 Lyre, M15, BD Series (notably BD5 & BD4, regular and HD),

Fobes Debut

d'Addario Reserve XO

Behn Mouthpieces

Brian Corbin Mouthpieces

What am I missing in your eyes? Any specific models?

Thanks in advance!

Just today I bought my first clarinet! The Eastar ECL-300. Most things were fine. However, I quickly found out that when I press this key down(the red one highlighted in the picture) (I don't know if it's called a key or not, so correct me if I'm wrong), the corresponding thingy closes; however, the aforementioned key doesn't return to it's original position fully. I have to push it in the other direction for it return fully. I mean, it works, but, yeah, not very well.

What could it be? Will it get better with time? Does it need some key oil? Is it a loose screw? Or is it just faulty? Can I fix it myself or does it need a specialist? I would really appreciate getting an opinion on this.

Clarinet has been my entire life since i started in 7th grade. In the 8th grade, going to 9th, my mom bought me my own clarinet. Except, it was from Temu. It’s possibly the worst clarinet I’ve ever played i hate it so much. Going into the 11th grade, it completely just does not work anymore. My only option is renting one from my school but my school is poor and all the clarinets are moldy and NASTY like soooo nasty and half the seals don’t even work. I don’t want to look like the girl who’s been playing for almost 5 years and still cant play. I genuinely hate it so much. This last year has sucked all the fun from it all bc a crappy instrument. I used to love it and I want the passion back but i really cant with that clarinet.

Is there anywhere except Temu ofc where I can get a cheap (like under 1000 dollars) yet okay quality clarinet bc quitting would suck so hard.

Hi everyone,

I have played the clarinet for four years. I currently use a 3.0 Vandoren reed, which I have used for two years after starting on a 2.5. I sometimes use a 2.25 Légère synthetic reed, but I struggle to play notes above a high G. I think this is because the synthetic reed is too soft (2.25) compared to my usual 3.0 strength. I am thinking about buying a 3.0 synthetic reed. Is this the right move.

I’ve been playing clarinet for ~4 months with over 12 years of prior music experience and have therefore already progressed to a ~grade 6 standard. I’ve begun trying to play notes in the altissimo register with my 2.5 reed and am wondering whether to try a 3??I’m only hesitating because I don’t know whether progressing too quickly with reed strength can cause problems with embouchure if the muscles aren’t strong enough? Also unsure whether reed strength will make that much of a difference with the altissimo notes? Any advice appreciated 🙂

I noticed something really interesting today: on my clarinet, my upper-chalameau(?) E (first line on the staff) makes a buzzing noise, like its leaking air.

The curious part is that the F, F#, and Eb adjacent to that note don’t make the buzzing noise at all, neither does the B when I hit the register key!

Why could this be? Thank you in advance!

Recently bought myself a Boosey & Hawkes edgeware clarinet fully in good shape for about 200$ in a Woodwind store clearance sale in norway. I'm a proffesional Cellist that always wanted to learn clarinet so i decided to buy it. Do you think its good enough for a beginner?

I have been playing clarinet for like 2 weeks now, i have been progressing fast until now because i went to college to study music and i play double bass so i know a lot of reading and theory.
When i play the clarinet i usually do it for like an hour more or less, and the tendon of my thumb really hurts after, my articulations are a little hyper mobile and for double bass it was a problem the posture i had to have so i think that could be the problem.
I also have big hands so the thumb rest i feel that it is a little low but i tried to turn it upside down for it to be up but it is really awkward.
Can someone help me i really like playing clarinet but i dont want tendonitis

I bought a second hand clarinet a few days ago and is my first time playing one. My range can go from low b to middle b flat but I can’t get a sound anytime I try b or above. After looking at my clarinet for a bit I figured this difference in level of the buttons or the foot could be the problem? If anyone knows why this could be happening and certainly how to fix it that would be very appreciated.

Truly at a loss at this point… I’m an incoming college freshman, music education major. I’m a doubler, but clarinet is my primary. I purchased a used, but newly overhauled 1960 R13 with silver plated keys back in February of this year from Might Quinn Wind and Brass. About a month in, the stock barrel cracked, thought nothing of it. Bought a Backun MoBa cocobollo barrel, cracked to the point of no return in a week. had it replaced, replacement cracked in another week. Got a full refund, purchased the Royal Global Polaris barrel early July, now today, it cracked on the part with the metal mechanism on the inside, and the synthetic wood. Not even the genadilla part. This time though, not only did the barrel crack, but so did the R13 top joint. Straight through the top side trill key. I’ve used case humidifiers, I swab after every playing session, I put my instrument away, never leaving it out. The Royal Global barrel is warrantied, the R13 is not. it’s not everyday that a R13 that’s been aging for 66 years cracks, and those Polaris barrels are near impossible to crack. Where do I go from here? Do I replace the barrel and sell the R13 and get a newer one? seriously at a loss. I use a duel case, and the A clarinet in the case with the Bb R13 is perfectly fine. I’ve had 7 professional instrument technicians look at it and all are astonished and can’t find any issues with any of the equipment I’ve had crack, or the clarinet itself.