Putting the Clarinet Together
The five main parts of the clarinet are the bell, the bottom joint, the top joint, the barrel and the mouthpiece. They all fit together in the order shown in the previous section. There is a piece of cork at the point where each of the pieces fit together. If the cork is too dry, you may need to use some cork grease to make assembly of the parts easier. Once the cork grease has been applied, you probably won’t need to use it again for some time.
Using a gentle twisting motion, attach the bell to the lower joint.
Next, put the top and bottom joints together using the same gentle twisting motion, being careful not to damage the keys at the end of each joint where they connect together. When the holes on both joints form a straight line, they are in the correct position.
The Next step is to twist the top joint into the barrel. Don’t push it all the way in, as the joining of these two sections is crucial for tuning to other instruments. If you push the sections completely together, you will have no room to move if the tuning needs adjusting.
