Contra-alto clarinet
The contra-alto clarinet is a large, low-sounding musical instrument of the clarinet family. The contra-alto clarinet is pitched in the key of E-flat and is sometimes called the E-flat contrabass clarinet. It is the second-largest member of the clarinet family, larger than the bass clarinet but not as big as the B-flat contrabass clarinet.
Like other clarinets, the contra-alto clarinet is a wind instrument that uses a reed to produce sound. The keys of the contra-alto are similar to the keys on smaller clarinets, and are played in the same way. The range of the contra-alto clarinet is from the lowest G on the piano to a few notes above middle C.
The contra-alto clarinet is a relatively recent addition to the clarinet family. It is used mostly in concert bands and clarinet choirs, where it usually (though not always) plays the bass line of a piece of music. It is occasionally used in jazz, and a few solo pieces have been written for it.
This is a picture of a contra-alto clarinet made by the clarinet-making company Selmer.
