How to assemble your clarinet.

1. Put the bell onto the bottom joint.

• Hold the bottom joint as shown in the picture
• Use a twisting action.
• The keys and linkages are finely adjusted so that all the notes play easily - be careful not to bend any keys!  
• Apply a little cork grease to the joint.  This makes putting the joints together much easier.

 

2.  Join the top and bottom joints.

• Apply a little cork grease to the joint.
• Hold the top joint so as to press down the ring key which will raise the centre link key.
• Hold the bottom joint and bell where they join together (so no keys are being pressed).
• Using a gentle twisting action join the top to the bottom.
• Ensure that the centre link lines up as shown in the picture.  

   3. Add the mouthpiece and barrel assembly.

• Apply a little cork grease to the joint.
• Hold the barrel and mouthpiece so as not to disturb the reed.
• Hold the main body of the clarinet so as not to bend any keys.
• Using a gentle twisting action join the barrel to the top joint.
• The reed faces should be at the bottom side, so it rests against the bottom lip when playing.  

 

How to put the reed on.

• Place the Reed on the flat part of the Mouthpiece.
• Hold the reed in position with your thumb.  the reed should be central to the mouthpiece and the tip of the reed slightly below the tip of the mouthpiece.
• Place the ligature over the mouthpiece and reed.  The ligature should hold the reed on the thickest part of the reed - many mouthpieces will have some lines engraved as a guide.

Important note   There are many different styles and designs of ligature.  The one shown above is a 'metal' ligature;  the screws on this kind of ligature are at the bottom of the mouthpiece on the reed.

If you have a leather ligature (or some special kinds of metal ligature) like the ones pictured below it fits differently!  The screw goes at thee top of the mouthpiece, the reed is held against the leather part which may or may no have a special insert which rests against the reed.  Under no circustances should the leather type ligature be fitted on with the screw at the bottom - you mouthpiece may get damaged and your instrument will not play as well as it should if at all!

Leather ligatures fit with the screw at the top of the mouthpiece.

 

Here are pictures of other types of ligature which fit with the screw at the top of the mouthpiece.  It's generally felt that this kind of ligature has advantages in tonality.  We recommend either BG revelation models or Vandoren Optima models for use with Hanson clarinets.

BG revelation:     Rovner:   Vandoren Optima 

If in doubt please do call us!