The clarinet is a woodwind instrument with a single-reed mouthpiece, a straight cylindrical tube with an almost cylindrical bore, and a flared bell. Johann Christoph Denner is generally credited with inventing the clarinet in Germany around the year 1700 by adding a register key to an earlier instrument called the chalumeau. Over time, additional keywork and airtight pads were added to improve the tone and playability.
These days the most popular clarinet is the Bb clarinet. However, the clarinet in A, just a semitone lower, is commonly used in orchestral music. Since the middle of the 19th century the bass clarinet has become an essential addition to the orchestra. The clarinet has proven to be an exceptionally flexible instrument, equally at home in the classical repertoire as in concert bands, military bands, marching bands, klezmer, and jazz.