Albert-System Clarinets
Created | Updated Mar 18, 2003
AlbertAlbert was a Belgian clarinet-maker, based in Brussels. His work started in around 1840, and his sons continued making clarinets until the end of the first world war.Clarinet Keywork SystemsThe way in which the clarinet has developed goes hand-in-hand with the performers themselves. The clarinet developed from the chalumeau, a single-reed instrument with a small range(As and when performers needed more keys to get around different fingerings in particular pieces, or play more notes, they would go to a clarinet-maker, and have new keys added. And so varying schools of thought developed over how clarinet keywork "should be". The system used in Britain today is the "boehm system"The Albert SystemThe Albert system, then, was the system of clarinet keywork developed by albert. It is still used for albanian folk music (amongst other eastern european countries) in bands, for the reason that in the scales used in such music, faster playing is possible with the system. It is also used amongst jazz groups, particularly in the jazz capital of the US, New Orleans.the Boehm SystemThe Boehm system (the most commonly used system on both flutes and clarinets today) developed from a type of clarinet developed by Iwan Muller, which was used up until the late 1800s. Klosé and Buffet adapted the Boehm system to the clarinet in about 1840, and although the clarinet has changed a little since then, the fingering system which we use now is much the same. The boehm system positions holes and keys for comfort, and eliminates cross-fingerings, whilst at the same time making the instrument more stable, and more in tune. (as well as the clarinet and flute, the system is also used on saxophone, oboe and partially on the bassoon)The Auler SystemThe Auler ("Oil-er") system is more complicated than the French, English, or American systems, and is used in Germany alone. The tone and pitch are better than on a boehm instrument, however due to the greater amount of mechanism required, the technique is far more complicated. (the Auler system has 22 keys, five rings and finger plate)The BoreThe bore of a clarinet is the technical term for the hole down the middle of it. Whereas every other woodwind instrument has a conical bore (even the flute) the clarinet has a cylindrical bore, which attributes to its' unique sound. The Auler systems difference from the other clarinet systems is also due to its' bore, which is different from a standard clarinet bore.Differences between Albert-System keywork and BoehmThe Albert system has 13 keys and 2 rings, as opposed to the 22/5 in the Auler System and the 17/6 in the Boehm System. It is for this reason that the Albert System is often refered to as a type of "simple system" clarinet. Differences between Albert-System and Boehm system (from Boehm perspective) are...
fewer rings, and rearranged/missing keys in between rings g# key does not cross under A key wraparound register key. two less trill keys at right. missing f#(below middle C) key at left and 2 missing keys from block of four at bottom of clarinet the fingerings for B/Bb(below middle C) are also changed around. - To Be Continued
