All courses > Instruments and Vocal > Saxophone and Clarinet ::

Clarinet Setup for Absolute Beginners: Parts, Assembly, and Safe Handling

Capítulo 1

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Main Sections of the Clarinet (What Each Part Does)

A standard B♭ clarinet is assembled from five main sections. Learning their names and how to handle them prevents bent keys, air leaks, and frustrating squeaks.

Mouthpiece: The top piece where the reed attaches. It shapes much of your tone and response.
Barrel: A short connector between mouthpiece and upper joint. It fine-tunes overall pitch and helps the instrument “fit” comfortably.
Upper joint: The top long section with many keys and tone holes; your left hand plays here.
Lower joint: The bottom long section; your right hand plays here. It includes long keys that can bend if squeezed.
Bell: The flared bottom piece. It helps the lowest notes speak and completes the air path.

Safe Handling: Where to Hold Each Piece (So You Don’t Bend Keys)

Clarinet keys are thin metal levers. If you grab the instrument by the keys, they can bend out of alignment. Always hold by the smooth, key-free areas of the body.

Mouthpiece

Hold by the hard rubber/plastic body of the mouthpiece.
Avoid pressing on the tip or rails (the thin edges) and avoid touching the table (flat back surface) if it’s wet or dirty.

Barrel

Hold anywhere on the barrel’s smooth surface.
Do not force it; barrels fit snugly and should be twisted on gently.

Upper joint

Hold around the upper joint’s smooth wood/resin areas, away from key clusters.
Keep fingers off the long bridge-key area near the middle (where upper and lower joints meet).

Lower joint

Hold on the smooth body below the main right-hand keys or near the bottom where there are fewer mechanisms.
Avoid squeezing the long side keys (often on the right side). These bend easily.

Bell

Hold by the bell’s rim or outer curve.
Never use the bell as a “handle” to swing the whole clarinet around; attach it only after the joints are aligned.

Step-by-Step Assembly (With Cork Grease and Gentle Twisting)

Assemble over a soft surface (bed, carpet, or your open case) so a slip won’t cause damage. If a joint feels stuck, stop and use more cork grease rather than forcing.

1) Prepare the corks

Check the corks on the upper joint (top and bottom) and lower joint (bottom). They should look smooth, not dry or cracked.
Apply a thin layer of cork grease: one or two light swipes around the cork is usually enough.
Spread it evenly with a finger so there are no thick clumps.

2) Attach the barrel to the upper joint

Hold the upper joint by the smooth body (not the keys).
Hold the barrel with the other hand.
Push together with a gentle twisting motion (small back-and-forth turns). Do not rock side-to-side.

3) Attach the mouthpiece to the barrel

Hold the barrel/upper joint securely by the barrel and upper joint body.
Slide the mouthpiece onto the barrel using a gentle twist.
For now, set the mouthpiece angle roughly straight with the upper joint; you can fine-adjust later.

4) Join the upper and lower joints (most important alignment step)

This connection includes the bridge keys—two small key “arms” that must line up so they can move freely. Misalignment can cause keys to stick or notes not to work.

Hold the upper joint by the smooth body, keeping fingers away from the bridge-key area.
Hold the lower joint by the smooth lower body, avoiding the long side keys.
Bring the joints together straight, then twist gently until seated.
Align the bridge keys: the small bridge key on the upper joint should sit just above (not on top of) the matching bridge key on the lower joint so they can “touch and pass motion” correctly when keys are pressed.

Quick alignment check: Press a few keys on the upper joint and watch the bridge area. The bridge keys should move without snagging or pushing each other sideways.

Continue in our app.

Listen to the audio with the screen off.
Earn a certificate upon completion.
Over 5000 courses for you to explore!

Or continue reading below...

Download the app

5) Attach the bell to the lower joint

Hold the lower joint by the smooth body near the bottom.
Twist the bell on gently until it is fully seated.

Common Assembly Problems (And What to Do Instead of Forcing)

Problem	Likely cause	Safe fix
Joint won’t go in	Dry cork / not enough grease	Add a small amount of cork grease and try gentle twisting
Keys feel stuck after assembly	Bridge keys misaligned	Separate upper/lower joints slightly, realign, and reseat
Joint goes on but feels wobbly	Too much grease or worn cork	Wipe excess grease; if still loose, ask a technician/teacher
You hear clicking when twisting	Fingers pressing keys while assembling	Re-grip on smooth body areas and keep fingers off keywork

Before-Playing Readiness Checklist (30 Seconds)

Swab availability: Your swab is out and reachable for after playing (or quick moisture removal if needed).
Stable chair/stand position: Your chair is steady and your music stand is placed so you won’t bump the clarinet when turning pages.
Joints seated without forcing: Mouthpiece–barrel, barrel–upper joint, upper–lower joint, and bell are snug and fully seated. No gaps, no excessive force used.

If anything feels unusually tight or misaligned, stop and fix it before you play—most “mystery problems” at the start come from assembly issues.

Now answer the exercise about the content:

When joining the upper and lower joints, which bridge-key alignment helps the keys move freely?

You are right! Congratulations, now go to the next page

You missed! Try again.

The bridge keys must be aligned so they can move without pushing sideways or snagging. The upper bridge key should sit just above the lower one to allow proper touch-and-pass motion.