Buying a new clarinet is tough, especially when you don't know what to look for. There are specs on different models that you have no idea what they are. Here is some terminology (and more on the way) to help you understand the different parts of the clarinet. Words in italics will be defined at the bottom of the page.
Mouthpiece
The top piece of the clarinet. This is the part that comes in contact with the mouth during its use. It is made out of Ebonite, a rubber-type material that is compressed by heat. The mouthpiece is responsible for the timbe and pitch. Attached to the mouthpiece is the reed and its held in place by a ligature. The combination of the quality of the Ligature, Reed and Mouthpiece affect how resistant blowing through the clarinet can be and the type of tone it produces. There are many different brands of mouthpieces and prices that range from ~$30 - $100+
Reed
The reed is responsible for tone and of course to produce the sound. It is a thin strip of cane with a flat side that rests on the flat side of the mouthpiece and is rectangular in shape with a curved tip that is similar to the tip of the mouthpiece. The vibrations of the reed produce the sound of the clarinet. The reeds are made out of Arundo Donax.
Reeds come in different strengths indicated by numbers. 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 ... 5.
1.5 reeds are the thinnest reeds used by beginning students and the reeds become thicker as the number reed increases. The tip of the reed is very thin and is often chipped if it not taken care of. Reeds cost from $3 each and they come in boxes of 10.
Ligature
Devise that holds the reed on the mouthpiece. Originally, string was used to hold Reeds to the mouthpiece which have grooves to keep the string in place. (Some clarinetists still use this today) Shoestring ligature picture here
There are many different types of Ligatures. Some are made out of a variety of metals and others are made out of leather. Different metals used are said to give different resonances.
Barrel
The barrel (also known as a tuning barrel or neck) is the section where it is adjusted to do fine tuning on the clarinet. The barrel is tuned by lengthening or shortening the gap between the barrel and the upper joint. This is referred to as “pulling out” or “pushing in”. When the barrel is pulled out, the clarinet sounds lower (flatter). When the barrel is fully pushed in, the clarinet will sound higher (sharper). Longer the tube, the lower it sounds basically.
Upper joint and Lower Joint
The Upper Joint is attached to the Barrel at the top and the Lower Joint on the bottom. When assembled, this joint is played by the left hand. (Doesn't matter if the person is left or right handed) This is the only part of the clarinet that has cork tenons on the top and bottom of the joint.
Lower Joint is the largest joint. It is played by the right hand and has a cork tenon on the bottom which connects with the Bell.
Bell
The bell is the bottom joint of the clarinet that flares outwards. Bells are also used on other instruments such as Brass and saxophones. The bell on the clarinet is important to help project the low notes and also to keep the low notes in tune
Because of the flared shape, the clarinet can stand up by itself (not recommended!) Use a clarinet stand or put the clarinet back in its case when not in use.
Tenon Corks
Tenon Corks are found on the end of the mouthpiece, on the ends of the Upper Joint and on the bottom of the lower joint. A thin strip of cork is attached to the tenon to help seal air from coming out when playing.
Sometimes the cork can dry and it is hard to put together, especially when the clarinet is new. Cork Grease or Vaseline is used to help lubricate the joint.
On some wooden clarinets, there is a metal ring called a tenon ring on the end of the tenon joint, this is to prevent the wood from cracking. You can also find a ring around the end of a joint that does not have a tenon joint to prevent chipping. Some student clarinets will not have the silver rings.
Keys
Keys are to do with the silver mechanism that are pressed by the fingers. keys come in different shapes and sizes on the clarinet. Some are round others are oblong in shape which are all attached to rods and posts that screw into the body of the clarinet.
Depending on what keys are pressed depends on the sound and pitch when played.
Keys can be made out of different metals:
Silver plating gives a shinier appearance.
Nickel plating is stronger and lighter than silver but can cause allergic reactions in some people.
