Alto Clarinets
The E ♭ alto clarinet is similar in appearance to a basset horn, and also features an angled neck and upright bell. The mouthpiece is plastic; the neck and bell are metal; and the rest of the body is usually made of wood. The E ♭ alto clarinet uses the common Boehm system of fingering. The low volume and somewhat fuzzy tone of the alto clarinet makes it relatively unpopular, though it still has its supporters.
The F alto clarinet has been referred to as the tenor clarinet, yet has mostly fallen out of use.
Contra-alto/ Contralto Clarinet
The EE ♭ contra-alto clarinet plays an octave lower than the alto clarinet. The contra-alto’s deep, confident voice is ideal as a substitute in music written for the baritone saxophone. This subterranean-pitched instrument can also be found in some Broadway pit orchestras.
