The
bass clarinet is a
musical instrument of the
clarinet family. Like the more common , it is usually pitched in B (meaning it is a
transposing instrument on which a written C sounds as B), but it plays notes an
octave below the soprano B clarinet. Bass clarinets in other keys, notably C and A, also exist, but are very rare (in contrast to the regular A clarinet, which is quite common in classical music). Bass clarinets regularly perform in
orchestras,
wind ensembles/concert bands, occasionally in marching bands, and play an occasional solo role in contemporary music and jazz in particular.