[von Faulkenstein]

A friend obtained a used clarinet but is not sure the type (Bflat, etc.) how can you tell?
Thanks.

[freeztar]

This should give you some background:
Clarinet family - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you have a tuner, blow into the clarinet with no keys pressed and you should be able to determine its natural pitch.

[Tarantism]

Originally Posted by freeztar

This should give you some background:
Clarinet family - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you have a tuner, blow into the clarinet with no keys pressed and you should be able to determine its natural pitch.

yeah but make sure its in tune...im not sure how though. all i know first-hand about horns is that i was playing (or attempting to play) an Alto Saxaphone that was out of tune. it sounded bad.

EDIT: here you go:

http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/YPP/Jenny.html

I have always wondered how you tune a clarinet. People have asked me but I never really found out. Instead of turning a peg you have to pull out the barrel very slightly. If you have a piano play the note "C" on you clarinet and get someone to play a "b flat" on the piano. If you sound sharp pull out the barrel on your clarinet and try again until you have got it right. Do the same with other notes. Don't pull it out than 4 mm or it might fall apart or wobble. The sound will improve as the clarinet warms up.

[Tormod]

There are various reasons for why instruments are tuned to different notes. Mostly it's due to the timbre (sound color). The clarinet has always been in Bb AFAIK.

Even with a Bachelor of Music Performance in my collection of degrees I've never been able to wrap my head around instrument transposition that well. It's probably because I'm a guitar player, where what you play is what you get (or at least what you wish you get).

[von Faulkenstein]

I heard that one can tune a clarinet but how or is it always considered "in tune"?
Thanks.

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by von Faulkenstein

I heard that one can tune a clarinet but how or is it always considered "in tune"?
Thanks.

Tarantism addresses this in post #3 above.

[von Faulkenstein]

Thank you. I missed that post about how to tune. We will try this "pulling out" of the tube--using a tuner and I would think that the part one pulls out is the two longer, joining tubes (in the middle?).
Doc

[von Faulkenstein]

We pulled out the smaller tube (next to mouthpiece) and used a tuner--to check tuning--it always indicated F (no matter how much the tube was changed. We must have a F clarinet? Mystery as to how to tune a clarinet?

[Tormod]

Not likely - the only f clarinet I am aware of is the basset horn 1and it has a distinct shape.

Basset-horn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Could the F just be a marker for something?