What is a Quarter Tone Clarinet? A Complete Guide to Microtonal Music
What is a quarter tone clarinet? A quarter tone clarinet is a special type of clarinet designed to play notes that are “in between” the standard notes you’d find on a piano. It can produce pitches that are a quarter step higher or lower than the usual half steps, opening up a whole new world of musical sounds.
Regular clarinets play only the 12 basic notes we hear in most music. But quarter tone clarinets can play the notes that fall right in the middle of these spaces.
Musicians have been using these unique instruments for over 100 years. Famous orchestras like the Prague Philharmonic play pieces that need quarter tone clarinets. Music schools now teach students how to play these special instruments too.
This guide will show you how these clarinets work, what music uses them, and how hard they are to learn.
What is a Quarter Tone Clarinet and How Does It Work?
A quarter tone clarinet works just like a regular clarinet but has extra parts. These extra keys and holes let players make the special pitches. The instrument uses the same basic parts: a mouthpiece, reed, and long wooden body. But it has more keys in different places.
Most quarter tone clarinets have extra keys between the normal finger holes. When you press these keys, they open small holes that change the sound. Dr. Richard Stein made the first quarter tone clarinet around 1900 in Berlin. Since then, makers have found better ways to build these instruments.
The science behind it is pretty simple. Sound comes from air moving through the clarinet’s body. When you make the body longer or shorter, the pitch changes. Quarter tone clarinets can make very tiny changes to this length. This creates pitches that fall exactly halfway between normal notes.
| Method | Good Points | Bad Points |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Keys | Very exact pitches | Hard to learn fingerings |
| Lip Control | Uses normal clarinet | Not as precise |
| Sliding Parts | Easy to adjust | Costs more money |
Some quarter tone clarinets use sliding parts instead of extra keys. Others let you bend the pitch by changing how you hold your mouth. Each method has good and bad points for creating microtonal intervals.
What Music Uses Quarter Tone Clarinets?
Contemporary classical music uses quarter tone clarinets the most. Composers like Charles Ives and Krzysztof Penderecki wrote famous pieces for these instruments. These pioneering microtonal composers expanded harmonic boundaries. Ives wrote some of the first quarter tone pieces in the 1920s.
Middle Eastern music traditions also use quarter tone intervals. Many Arabic songs have pitches that regular Western instruments cannot play exactly right. Composers who want to mix these styles often ask for quarter tone clarinets. This helps them get the authentic sound of Middle Eastern music.
Movie soundtracks use quarter tone clarinets to create scary or strange feelings. The slightly “off” sound makes people feel uncomfortable without knowing why. Horror movies and thrillers use this trick a lot. The quarter tone intervals create tension that normal music cannot make.
What is a quarter tone clarinet’s role in jazz music? Free jazz pioneers like Ornette Coleman used similar ideas in their music. Today’s players can use these special instruments to create the sounds Coleman could only imagine.
| Music Type | How It’s Used | Famous Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Classical | New sounds and harmonies | Works by Ives, Penderecki |
| World Music | Authentic Middle Eastern sounds | Arabic maqam pieces |
| Film Music | Scary, tense scenes | Horror movie soundtracks |
How Hard Is Learning a Quarter Tone Clarinet?
Learning quarter tone clarinet is much harder than regular clarinet. First, you need to play regular clarinet well. Then you have to learn completely new finger positions. Your brain has to remember where all the extra keys are located.
The biggest challenge is learning to hear the right pitches. Your ears are used to normal music intervals. Quarter tones sound “wrong” at first, even when they’re played correctly. The transition between registers contains weak quarter tones that need careful practice.
Your fingers have to stretch to new positions because of the extra keys. Some players get tired hands when they first start. The mouth position might need to change too, depending on the instrument design.
Playing with other musicians becomes much harder. Everyone needs to listen very carefully to stay in tune. If one person plays a quarter tone slightly wrong, it can make the whole group sound bad.
Mental focus is much more important with quarter tone clarinet. Your brain works harder to process the unusual pitches and remember complex fingerings. Many players feel more tired after practicing quarter tone music.
Practice Tip: Start by practicing very slowly with an electronic tuner. This helps train your ears to recognize the correct quarter tone pitches before you try to play fast passages.
What Are the Different Types Available?
Standard quarter tone clarinets look like regular clarinets but have extra mechanisms. Companies like Buffet Crampon and Selmer have made small numbers of these instruments. In the 1920s Alois Hába commissioned a quarter tone clarinet from the Kohlert company.
Experimental quarter tone clarinets try completely new designs. Some have two separate tubes that you can switch between. Others have sliding parts that let you change pitch smoothly. These designs often cost more but offer unique sounds.
Electronic quarter tone clarinets combine regular clarinet sound with computer processing. They detect your finger positions and breath, then electronically change the pitches to create perfect quarter tones. Some traditional players don’t like these, but they offer very precise tuning.
Modified regular clarinets provide a cheaper way to try quarter tone playing. Skilled repair technicians can add basic quarter tone abilities to existing instruments. These conversions don’t offer as many microtonal options, but they let players explore the basics.
What is a quarter tone clarinet worth in custom builds? Master craftsmen like Andreas Glier create instruments designed for specific needs. These builds can take over a year to finish and cost much more than regular clarinets.
| Clarinet Type | Price Range | How Exact | How Easy to Find |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Quarter Tone | $8,000-$15,000 | Very exact | Hard to find |
| Experimental Types | $5,000-$20,000 | Varies | Custom only |
| Electronic Hybrid | $3,000-$8,000 | Perfect | Some available |
Where Can You Learn and Buy These Instruments?
Music schools with strong contemporary programs offer the best quarter tone clarinet lessons. The Eastman School of Music, Yale School of Music, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland include microtonal studies in their advanced classes. These schools have special instruments and teachers who know quarter tone techniques.
Private teachers with microtonal experience provide one on one instruction. Many quarter tone clarinet specialists now offer online lessons. The International Clarinet Association keeps lists of teachers who specialize in these extended techniques.
Summer programs and music festivals often have quarter tone clarinet workshops. Events like the Boston Microtonal Society concerts feature clarinet performances of contemporary chamber music. These intensive programs let you learn quickly through daily practice.
New quarter tone clarinets from major makers typically cost $8,000 to $15,000. This is much more than regular professional clarinets because of the extra parts and limited production. Used quarter tone clarinets rarely come up for sale but cost 60-80% of new prices.
Rental options help students and professionals explore quarter tone clarinet without buying. Specialized music stores in major cities often rent these instruments. Monthly rates typically run $200-$400. Some music schools loan instruments to qualified students.
What is a quarter tone clarinet’s maintenance cost? The extra mechanisms need specialized repair knowledge. Qualified technicians charge premium rates for microtonal instrument servicing.
Final Thoughts
Quarter tone clarinets open doors to musical worlds that regular instruments cannot reach. Understanding what is a quarter tone clarinet helps musicians appreciate these specialized woodwind instruments that create pitches between normal notes. These instruments represent the ongoing evolution of musical expression in contemporary music.
The investment in learning quarter tone clarinet extends beyond money to include significant time and ear training development. However, the musical rewards make this journey worthwhile for adventurous musicians.
Access to microtonal literature, unique performance opportunities, and expanded artistic expression await those who embrace these instruments.
What is a quarter tone clarinet’s future in modern music? These instruments continue to grow in importance as composers explore new harmonic territories.
Whether you’re a professional clarinetist or a composer imagining new musical possibilities, quarter tone clarinets offer pathways into unexplored sonic landscapes that evolve with each generation of innovative musicians.
FAQ: What is a Quarter Tone Clarinets
1. Can you play quarter tones on a regular clarinet?
Yes, you can play some quarter tones on a regular clarinet using special fingerings and embouchure control. However, such fingerings are awkward in rapid passages, and results tend to vary from one clarinet to another. Professional clarinetists like Jason Alder have created detailed fingering charts for quarter tones on standard clarinets, but dedicated quarter tone clarinets offer much better consistency and easier playability for microtonal music.
2. Who invented the first quarter tone clarinet?
Around 1900, Dr. Richard H. Stein, a Berlin musicologist made the first quarter-tone clarinet, which was soon abandoned. Later developments came in the 1920s when Alois Hába commissioned a quarter tone clarinet from the Kohlert company of Grazlitz. These early instruments paved the way for modern quarter tone clarinet designs used in contemporary classical music today.
3. Are quarter tone fingering charts available for different clarinet systems?
Yes, quarter tone fingering charts exist for multiple clarinet systems. Arnold Wendl created comprehensive fingering charts for both Oehler system and Albert system clarinets. Jason Alder has fingering charts available for bass clarinet and contrabass clarinet, and he’s now on the 3rd Edition of both clarinet and bass clarinet charts. These charts are widely used by university clarinet teachers in their studios and cited in numerous academic papers.
4. What’s the difference between quarter tone and regular clarinet fingerings?
Quarter tone fingerings use different combinations of keys and holes to create pitches that fall between standard semitones. Regular clarinet fingerings follow established patterns for the 12-note chromatic scale, while quarter tone fingerings require learning completely new finger positions. Some quarter tone fingerings involve partial hole coverings, special key combinations, or embouchure adjustments that don’t exist in standard clarinet technique.
5. How much does a quarter tone clarinet cost compared to a regular clarinet?
Quarter tone clarinets cost significantly more than regular clarinets, typically ranging from $8,000-$15,000 for new instruments. This is 2-3 times more expensive than professional standard clarinets due to the additional mechanisms, specialized manufacturing, and limited production runs. Used quarter tone clarinets rarely appear on the market but generally cost 60-80% of new prices when available.
6. Do I need special training to play quarter tone clarinet?
Yes, quarter tone clarinet requires specialized training beyond regular clarinet skills. Greg Oakes went back to basics and created new practice techniques for himself when learning quarter tone clarinet. Players need to develop new muscle memory for unfamiliar fingerings and train their ears to recognize microtonal intervals that sound “wrong” to ears accustomed to standard tuning. Most teachers recommend having solid intermediate-to-advanced regular clarinet skills before attempting quarter tone techniques.
7. What composers write music for quarter tone clarinet?
Notable composers who have written for quarter tone clarinet include Charles Ives (who wrote some of the first quarter tone pieces in the 1920s), Krzysztof Penderecki, Georg Friedrich Haas, and Alois Hába. Contemporary composers continue to explore quarter tone clarinet in experimental and microtonal music. The instrument appears in contemporary classical music, world music fusion pieces incorporating Middle Eastern scales, and modern film scores seeking unique timbral effects.
8. Can quarter tone clarinets play regular music too?
Yes, quarter tone clarinets can play standard repertoire using normal fingerings, though the additional mechanisms may feel slightly different under the fingers. However, most quarter tone clarinet players use these specialized instruments specifically for microtonal music rather than standard clarinet literature. The extra keys and mechanisms are designed for quarter tone intervals, so players typically switch between regular and quarter tone clarinets depending on the musical requirements of each piece.
