bass clarinet

A short sample of the sound of the bass clarinet Four modern short bass clarinets, from left to right Leblanc L400, Signet Selmer 1430P, E. M. Winston, Leblanc 330S Two short bass clarinets, on the right side made from boxwood The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B♭ clarinet, it is usually pitched in B♭ (meaning it is a transposing instrument on which a written C sounds as B♭), but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B♭ clarinet. Bass clarinets in other keys, notably C and A, also exist, but are very rare (in contrast to the regular A clarinet, which is quite common in classical music). Bass clarinets regularly perform in orchestras, wind ensembles and concert bands, and occasionally in marching bands, and jazz bands. They also play an occasional solo role in contemporary music and jazz in particular.

Someone who plays a bass clarinet is called a bass clarinettist or a bass clarinetist.