Clarinet
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The clarinet is a single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell.
Two-key clarinet with fingering chart, from Museum musicum theoreticalo practicum, 1732
Sketch of the basset clarinet used by Anton Stadler since 1789 and a replica
Tone holes - countersunk and straight
Early Clarinet with 4 keys (c. 1760).
Chalumeau
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The chalumeau is a single-reed woodwind instrument of the late baroque and early classical eras. The chalumeau is a folk instrument that is the predecessor to the modern-day clarinet. It has a cylindr
Clarinet
…German instrument maker Johann Christoph Denner is generally credited with inventing the clarinet sometime around 1700 by adding a register key to the chalumeau, an earlier single-reed instrument. Over time, additional keywork and airtight pads were added to improve the tone and playability. Today the clarinet…
A Modern School Chalumeau
The range of chalumeaux including bass, tenor, alto, and soprano examples.
Chalumeau, illustrated in Marin Mersenne's Dictionary of 1636. These are stalks of wheat with attached (idioglott) reeds and fingerholes in the plant's stem.
Fingering chart for the upper register of a keyless chalumeau, from Museum musicum theoreticalo practicum, 1732.