When is the Best Time to Upgrade your Clarinet?
Updated: 7 hours ago
Is your child ready for a better clarinet—or is it too soon to upgrade?
That's a question that I hear often from parents, band directors, and students.
While there's no magic number of years a student needs to play before stepping up to an intermediate clarinet, there are some clear signs that it may be time.
Student model clarinets are designed to be easier to blow, and the plastic bodies make them lighter and easier to hold than wooden “step-up” clarinets. A student clarinet made for a beginner is often a less-expensive option for a young player who might not be sure about their long-term commitment. Intermediate and performance-level clarinets are made of wood and generally produce a nicer sound than student clarinets.
When is the best time to “step up” to an intermediate clarinet? Read on for a few considerations.
TL;DR
Has the student learned the basics?
When a young musician has learned the basics on their student instrument, such as correct embouchure, playing position, and correct fingerings, they are ready to “step up” to a wooden intermediate clarinet.
Specifically, as a young clarinetist begins to learn and play higher notes, including the E’s, F’s, and G’s at the top of the staff and beyond, an intermediate clarinet, sometimes called a performance-level or step-up clarinet, will allow them to sound their best.
For most of my students, their second or third year of playing is usually a great time to upgrade their clarinet.
No amount of clarinet equipment replaces good practice habits, but having the right gear makes playing clarinet much more fun! Before you invest in a new clarinet, be sure your child is playing on quality reeds and an quality mouthpiece.
Does your child take care of their instrument?
All clarinets, wooden or plastic, need to be swabbed out daily after practicing and stored indoors, in the case. If your child values their student clarinet and takes good care of it, they are probably ready for a step-up instrument.
Here's some unsolicited advice—consider hanging on to their student model clarinet if your child plans to play in marching band.
Are you able to make the investment?
Finally, cost is a practical consideration for parents. A quality instrument is an important part of any musician’s success. If your child has already demonstrated the commitment to playing clarinet and you can make the investment, then it’s a good time to upgrade their instrument to a wooden clarinet.
Does a quality intermediate clarinet really sound better?
Short answer—yes. You should expect a smoother sound that is more in tune throughout.
What intermediate clarinet do I recommend?
For my students, the Jupiter JCL 1100SQ is my first choice because it plays consistently, right out of the box, without the need for extra setup by a technician. Plus, I love the alternate Ab-Eb lever. Read more about it here.
You can expect this clarinet to last your child throughout high school and beyond.
Even with a performance-level instrument, I can’t promise your child will play all the right notes all the time, but their low notes will sound fuller and richer, and their high notes will sound less shrill and be easier to play.
What that means for your student is that they will simply sound better.
I hope I’ve answered all your questions about when it's time to step up to your next clarinet. Best wishes on your musical journey!
Happy Clarineting!
Amy
About Amy:
Amy Chambers is a private clarinet and bass clarinet teacher offering online and in-person clarinet lessons for beginners through advanced students preparing for college auditions, All-State, youth symphony, honor bands, and solo performance.
Founder of ClarinetGeek.com and creator of @themusicchambers, Amy specializes in helping clarinetists build strong fundamentals, confidence, musical expression, and audition success through personalized instruction. For info about lessons with her, visit https://www.clarinetgeek.com/
Disclaimer:
I only recommend products that I personally use or confidently recommend to my own students. If you purchase something through one of the links on this page, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work and helping me create free educational resources for clarinet players.
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