This new mouthpiece I've had for a few weeks has too small of a cork, so it just sits in the barrel, with no resistance required to put in in or take it out. It can even be wiggled.

I am wondering if it's possible that this is causing me to squeak, among other problems since I've also had this problem at around the same time that I started using this clarinet.
Also, I did not play the clarinet on my original mouthpiece for a long time prior to this loose fitting one, which is what is making things unclear to me.

i just feel like i need to share my two favorite clarinet gadgets that i use all the time and every penny was worth it. (you might’ve heard of them before but i had to dive deep so idk if it’ll be much help but…)

1. get a kooiman thumb rest (i think mine is etude 3 with the red rubber part). it might be pricey and feel funny at first, but you’ll no longer have thumb or wrist pain (or very minimal amounts of pain). i like this cause i play a lot and my thumb would hurt like crazy then carry up to my wrist and arm, but i never wanted to use a neck strap. my absolute favorite.

2. Liprotek- it’s like a moldable invisalign type thing that you activate with hot water and then shape it around your bottom teethe to protect your lip from getting cut up and swollen from your teeth when you play. its also reusable so all you have to do is put it back into hot water and then it’ll be moldable and you can put it back in the container. i only really use it when i practice cause im not gonna pull up to rehearsals and concerts wearing it, but its nice for when you practice for a while and then have to play again the next day so you experience minimal pain. i love this thing.

I'm trying to help my cousin get better at playing the clarinet but I do not play a wind instrument. He said he often gets lightheaded while playing and some of his friends do, too. He's been playing diligently for about a year. Please help, thank you.

Hypothetically, in a situation where I have been chosen to play in a little festival at a little university and I’m supposed to submit my audition tomorrow to see what level band I get into and I need to pick one lyrical and one technical piece (can be parts of a solo, etude, All-State excerpts, or concert band music). What would you pick? Hypothetically ofc.

If I was in this hypothetical situation, I think I would pick something like Rondo Allegretto, gymnopedie number 3, or like sleepers awake? But at the same time how much do you even play of that? Do I do last years all state excerpt for the slow piece which was No. 17. Cantabile? I can’t do this years all state music because I was non stop in the hospital which is also why I am so very unprepared for this, and my director said she’d help me pick music but then looked at me like I was dumb when I asked for help today. So if you were cooler and better than me, what would you pick to play? Please help :)

Skill level reference, couldn’t tell you, I played Camille Saint-Saëns for solo and ensemble and got a 1 last year, but my condition makes it a little harder to play so it’s hard to gauge?

I actually have 2 Buffet Crampon E11 clarinets purchased back in the early 2000's. I can't find any information using the Serial #. Anyone have an idea what I'm looking at? One serial # is 874428

I believe they have the silver plated keys and... that's all I really know. Seems they can sell for ~$400-500 on Ebay in similar condition.

Thanks for the help

I’m thinking of participating in my first soloist concours in April and am looking for fun and interesting music pieces that are a bit silly and out there. There’s no genre restriction and I have 10-20 minutes depending on how difficult the piece is. I am considering Artie Shaw’s concerto, but ideally I would play a klezmer piece. I rather play with a backing track or with nothing at all because I’ve never played with piano accompaniment before. Do you have any recommendations?

My daughter has started playing the clarinet during band club in her school and I am thinking that getting her a clarinet for Xmas would help her develop her skills.

I would like to spend less than $500, on a used instrument.

For example, I have seen you can get a used Yamaha YCL-450 for $450. Is that model any good for a child?

Any recommendations in general?

Thanks for the help.

I‘m a new clarinettist and already blowing for my life because I play the G clarinet. Every time I practice I feel discouraged because my reeds are so hard to blow it gives me headaches. Often I spend 10-15 minutes of my lesson trying to finesse the reed with my teacher‘s help. I play Vandoren and as everyone knows they’re hard af. I’m turning into a woodworker with all the scraping. I asked my teachers help about synthetics and he said he’s looking for a proper model himself.

My cello teacher plays period music and I once saw him fighting gut strings in the summer heat during a performance. While I respect the hustle and skill I was indeed wondering why someone would accept the hassle. And now I’m sitting here opening reed bags like I’m looking for that golden chocolate bar from Willy Wonka.

If you're doing ATSSB tryouts this Saturday, I'd like to know. If you want, tell me what region.

I guess I was tonguing too fast or something

Hi, do you guys have any suggestion for earplugs that don’t distort the sound too much. I have also heard about custom earplugs , what exactly are those and where can I get them?

Calling All Pit Musicians: Share Your Stories Have you ever played in the pit for a theater production? I’d love to hear your most memorable moments—whether they’re funny, sad, chaotic, or heartwarming!

What show was it, Was it an unexpected mishap, a hilarious interaction, or a touching moment? Share all the details and context—I’m excited to hear your experiences from the other side of the stage!

https://youtu.be/VmQGeFCiBww

I would like to buy my father a case of Bb clarinet reeds for Christmas. I found a very nice one at an affordable price and in the description it says that it is suitable for Eb clarinet reeds up to alto sax reeds. I read that the Eb clarinet reeds are small while the alto sax reeds are very large. My question is are Bb clarinet reeds within these sizes? Can I buy this case with confidence knowing that it is the right size for my Bb clarinet reeds?

So I stopped playing clarinet about two years ago, but I want to start play again. there is a detached key on the lower joint and i think it just needs the screw which I don’t have, so i wanted to know if i could order the part and fix it myself before taking it in to the shop.

So I do band at my high school for the beginner level, nothing too crazy. Recently though, I got my bottom braces and the inside of my bottom lip is getting stabbed by my braces when I play the Clarinet. I could ignore it for a while, but now it just makes it hard to play. On top of that, I have turbos on my 2 front teeth that sort of make it hard to bite down fully. I was hoping for some advice on what to do, given I have a concert in 2 weeks and I have to learn a new song.

Welcome to the space to self-promote to your heart's content. If you're a teacher looking to attract students, a craftsman looking to sell their products, etc., this is the thread for you!

Hello! As you've read in the title, I have an issue when playing the clarinet. I've been playing for quite a while for college and recently I've had trouble finishing classes with my teacher because I get very nauseous and dizzy. I have a certain tendency to get nauseous even though I'm not sick, but this is the first time it has been bad enough to prevent me from doing something. It also seems to get worse whenever I play the clarinet.

My clarinet exam is two weeks from now, and for obvious reasons I am a little anxious as to whether or not I will be able to perform properly. As I said earlier, it is the first time this happens, but has happened everytime I have had a class or tried practicing for the last week.

I am a bit anxious during my classes, but stress has never affected me in such a physical way before. I also tried eating more often before my classes, but it seems to only have made it worse. Any idea what could cause this issue?

Hey all! I’m trying to find a good place to get my clarinet appraised so I can get an idea of how much I can sell it for/what kind of refurbishment it needs for potentially a better value. I played for years at a young age and was gifted this from a distant Aunt as a "used wooden clarinet" that I always new was much nicer than I ever played growing up, but I'd already moved on to other instruments as I was older and its just sat in it's case in my house never played. It seems to be in fairly good shape, I was able to find a reed an play a few notes that sounded very rich and nice. It could use a polish but I don't see any keys that aren't working.

From looking at the labels and serial number it's an Evette Buffet Crampon clarinet D series, but no idea of the year. I've attached some pictures, would appreciate any insights!

https://preview.redd.it/8xr4323xqa4e1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94042c82d4c49cb673b5079f9d6825e002888e59

https://preview.redd.it/hue8suezqa4e1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fcc496d15f8847ee24d32619cbc6707a87892087

https://preview.redd.it/qag9mv82ra4e1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eee168aa06950e3c4996ca8a1e7a82bf996478a6

I got this clarinet from a former band director for free and I'm trying to identify the value of it and what model it is. It's unmarked but came in a selmer case with a HS* mouthpiece (if that helps, I'm a sax player so I don't know clarinets well). It has a serial number of P0021824 but so far I have not been able to find the model from that. It's in fairly good condition and I'm looking to sell it. Image https://ibb.co/kgPfNxh I can post more images if needed

The silver parts of my clarinet are becoming less shiny and they begins to have brownish marks on them. Is this oxidation of the silver ? I always let my clarinet in te box when I don't use it, what is the cause ? How can I fix it ?

Hi! I’m 25 years old and I started learning the clarinet less than a year ago. It’s my third instrument, so I feel like I’m progressing fairly quickly. At the moment, I’m borrowing a Buffet Crampon E11, but it's quite old and not in the best condition. The keys are in pretty rough shape, and when I play, they vibrate, causing a buzzing sound that really bothers me. Since the clarinet isn’t mine, I can’t get it repaired. I can only borrow it for a year, so I’ve decided to buy my own clarinet a bit sooner than I had planned.

My teacher suggested I get a Buffet Crampon E13, but she mentioned that some students who recently purchased it noticed that the keys started to turn yellowish, likely because the silver coating is quite thin. I’ve just noticed that my local store has the Yamaha YCL-CX 2nd Gen on sale for 40% off for a limited time, which brings it to the same price as the Buffet Crampon. However, I’m not familiar with how Yamaha clarinets perform. Do you have any recommendations or advice?

Someone on marketplace is selling a Bundy by selmer resonite clarinet for $60 with the claim that it has new corks and pads. Is it worth it?