E-flat clarinet
- Range
- G3–C7
- Overtones to
- about 4.57 kHz
- Sources
- 42 independent: not from a mic maker
What it is
The small clarinet in E-flat, a minor third above the B-flat clarinet; used in the orchestra and wind band, with "a bright, shrill sound similar to the sound of the piccolo".5
Also called Eb clarinet.
Range
G3 to C75196 Hz – 2.09 kHz
Sounds a minor third above written; many orchestration books give written G6 as the top.
Written E3 to A6; the range above is sounding pitch.
Overtones reach about 4.57 kHz (the highest harmonic within 40 dB of the strongest, at a moderate level; louder playing reaches higher)6.
About the range
Written E3-A6, sounding G3-C7; many orchestration books give written G6 as the top. It sounds a minor third above written.5
How loud
Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.
| Playing level | |
|---|---|
| 88 dB(A) | at 1.5 m; One E-flat clarinettist in a typical solitary practice session (23 min), measured by O'Brien (2013), as tabled by Skalevik (Table 1)7 |
| Player's exposure (dosimeter) | |
| 94–96 dB(A) | at the player's ears (left 96 dB, right 94 dB); One E-flat clarinettist in a typical solitary practice session (23 min), measured by O'Brien (2013), as tabled by Skalevik (Table 1)7 |
One E-flat clarinettist in a 23-minute solitary practice session (O'Brien 2013, as tabled by Skalevik): 96 dB(A) at the left ear, 94 dB(A) at the right and 88 dB(A) at 1.5 m in front, louder than the two B-flat clarinettists in the same table (92 dB(A) at the ears).7
Recording it
No E-flat clarinet-specific source found; the clarinet's advice (aim at the finger holes, not the bell) is the nearest.
Mics
- 5 setups from 4 sources, 2 of them independent of any mic maker.
- On top: the mics more than one source names for this instrument, in any role, the most named first. That is a count of sources, not our verdict.
- Few independent sources so far, so the full list shows no counts.
No mic is named by more than one source yet: each names its own.
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (3)
Studio and stage
The 3 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Woodwinds advice DPA 4006close, about 5-10 cm from the instrument, aimed halfway between the mouthpiece and the left hand
"Approx. 5-10 cm away from the instrument, aim the mic halfway between the mouthpiece and the left hand"; omni for lower sensitivity to wind and pop. DPA: the techniques apply to "other variants of the flute family".
1 - Spot Woodwinds advice DPA 4011spot, behind and slightly above the player's head, pointing at the finger holes
"spot-miked behind and slightly above the head of the player, pointing at the finger holes" (4011 cardioid or 4015 wide cardioid). DPA: the techniques apply to "other variants of the flute family".
1 - Close Woodwinds advice condenser (type only)close, about 30 cm from the sound holes
A mic placed about 1 foot from sound holes will produce a natural, well-balanced sound.
2
Studio
The 2 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Spot Woodwinds advice Royer ribbon microphonespot, close mics on the woodwinds
Royer ribbon mics on the woodwinds and low brass
3 - Contact Woodwinds advice 2 × Schoeps MK 4pair, stereo pair as overall woodwind pickup
the woodwinds had a stereo pair of Schoeps MK4s as an overall pickup
4
Sources
- DPA Mic University: How to mic a flute or recorder
- Shure: How to Choose the Best Mics for Brass, Wind, and String Instruments
- Mix: The Changing Landscape of Orchestral Recording (engineer Steve Smith, Music Works Studios)
- Sound On Sound: Jake Jackson: Recording The 2012 Olympic Anthems
- Wikipedia, E-flat clarinet
- SHARC Timbre Database v2 (Gregory Sandell): harmonic analyses of McGill University Master Samples
- Forum Acusticum 2023: Skalevik, Sound levels at musicians' ears from classical instruments during solitary practice