Contrabass clarinet
|
The contrabass clarinet is the largest member of the common clarinet family. It usually comes in Eb and Bb. (The Eb contrabass clarinet is also known as the contra-alto clarinet.) The contra, as it is sometimes called, sounds two octaves below the "standard" Bb Soprano Clarinet, and one octave below the Bb bass clarinet. While larger clarinets such as the octocontrabass (which sounds three octaves below the "standard" Bb Soprano clarinet) and the octocontralto have been made, this is the lowest commonly used clarinet. There are not many brands; Leblanc builds a version made of metal (known as paperclip), Selmer a rosewood version looking much more like the Bass-clarinet, and Vito has a resonite (plastic) instrument.