TL;DR: A shorter clarinet barrel raises your pitch and a longer one lowers it. On most Bb clarinets in the U.S., the barrel you need will be 65 or 66 mm long, and A clarinets often use one about a millimeter shorter. If you have to pull your barrel out more than about half a millimeter to play in tune, a shorter barrel (or a tuning ring) will usually give you better throat tones than a big gap. If you need a barrel far outside the usual range, check your mouthpiece first.
Barrel length is one of the most practical setup questions a clarinetist can ask, and one of the least explained. Students inherit whatever barrel came in the case, then spend years pulling out a few millimeters at every rehearsal and wondering why their throat tones sound weak and flat.
This guide covers what barrel length actually changes and which barrel sizes are common. It also explains why pulling out too far causes problems, how bore and taper complicate the picture, and how to test barrel lengths with a tuner so you buy the right size the first time.
Table of Contents
- What clarinet barrel length changes
- Common clarinet barrel sizes
- Why pulling out too far hurts your sound
- Barrel length is not the whole story: bore and taper
- Signs you need a different barrel length
- How to test clarinet barrel length with a tuner
- Barrel length and your mouthpiece
- Key Takeaways
- FAQ
- Find your barrel and mouthpiece
What clarinet barrel length changes
The barrel is the short section between the mouthpiece and the upper joint. Acoustically, it is part of the air column. Make it longer and the whole instrument gets a little longer, so the pitch drops. Make it shorter and the pitch rises. Pulling out a barrel works the same way that pulling out a flute headjoint does.
The effect is not spread evenly across the instrument, though. The barrel is a much bigger share of the tube when you play short-tube notes (the throat tones and the open notes near the top of the staff) than when you play long-tube notes like low E or clarion B. That means:
- Throat tones and short-tube notes move the most when you change barrel length or pull out.
- Low chalumeau and lower clarion notes move less. They have plenty of tube below the barrel, so one millimeter at the top matters less.
- Your twelfths can shift slightly. Because the registers respond differently, a barrel change can make some intervals between the chalumeau and clarion a touch wider or narrower.
That is why choosing a barrel is about more than one tuning note. A barrel that puts your open G perfectly in tune but leaves your low E flat may not be the best choice. For a refresher on how the registers relate, see our guide to clarinet registers.
Common clarinet barrel sizes
Barrels are usually sold by length in millimeters. Yamaha’s educational site calls 66 mm the most typical length. In the United States, where ensembles tune to A=440, most Bb clarinet barrels are 65 or 66 mm. Many European orchestras tune a little higher, which is one reason players there often reach for shorter barrels.
Clarinet maker and mouthpiece designer Clark Fobes writes that a well-designed mouthpiece on a Buffet R13 Bb generally needs a 66 mm barrel to play at A=440–441, with 65 or 67 mm also acceptable. Buffet A clarinets, he notes, generally need about 65 mm, with 64 or 66 mm also workable. Other brands and models differ, so use these as starting points, not rules.
| Barrel length | Effect on pitch | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 62–63.5 mm | Noticeably sharper | Higher-pitch orchestras, mouthpieces that play flat |
| 64–64.5 mm | Sharper | A clarinets, players who run flat, warm halls where a longer barrel would be too low |
| 65–65.5 mm | Slightly sharper than standard | A common Bb choice at A=440; many A clarinets |
| 66 mm | Reference length for many Bb clarinets | The most typical stock length on Bb clarinets |
| 67 mm and longer | Flatter | Players who run sharp, sharp mouthpieces, hot venues |
Half-millimeter sizes exist for players whose ideal setting sits between two standard lengths. If you always pull out about half a millimeter on a 65 mm barrel, a 64.5 mm barrel may let you push all the way in.
Pro Tip: Note the length of the barrel you play now before you shop. Most barrels have it stamped or engraved near the top. If it doesn’t, measure from tenon socket edge to socket edge with a caliper. Every decision below starts from that number.
Why pulling out too far hurts your sound
If longer means flatter, why not just pull out the barrel until you’re in tune? Because pulling out does not simply make the barrel longer. It leaves a gap between the barrel and the upper joint, a small ring of empty space where the bore suddenly gets wider.
That step in the bore disturbs the air column right where the short-tube notes are most sensitive. Clark Fobes notes that throat E and F become disproportionately flat when the barrel is pulled out more than about half a millimeter, because of this local widening of the bore. Many players also hear a softer, less centered throat sound and slightly vaguer response.
Small adjustments of a fraction of a millimeter are normal and expected. You will push in on a cold morning and pull out in a hot room. But if your everyday position is two or three millimeters out, you are playing with that gap all the time. In that case, a shorter barrel set close to fully pushed in is usually the better solution.
Two other fixes help here:
- Tuning rings. These thin rings fill the gap when you pull out, so the bore stays smoother. They are a good stopgap and are often used at the middle tenon when one joint runs sharp.
- Spreading the adjustment. Pulling out a little at the barrel, the middle joint, and the bell, rather than all at the barrel, tends to give more even tuning across the registers.
If your throat tones already sound thin even when you’re pushed in, read our guide to fixing thin, stuffy clarinet throat tones. Barrel position is only one of several causes.
Barrel length is not the whole story: bore and taper
Two 65 mm barrels can play differently. Length gets the attention, but the inside of the barrel matters just as much for tuning and feel.
- Bore diameter. According to Yamaha, a larger bore sharpens the pitch, so a wide-bore 66 mm barrel can play higher than a narrow-bore 66 mm barrel. Bore also changes resistance: wider usually feels freer, narrower usually feels more focused.
- Taper. Most barrels are not a straight cylinder. Many are slightly wider at the top, some are wider at the bottom, and some have no taper at all. Each shape changes how the registers line up, especially the twelfths and the throat tones.
- Material and wall. Wood, hard rubber (ebonite), and synthetic barrels differ in feel and stability. Our clarinet barrel materials guide covers the trade-offs, and how barrels alter resonance explains why players hear the difference.
Fit matters too. A barrel from one clarinet may fit another brand, but that doesn’t mean it will play well on it. Boehm and German (Oehler) clarinets use different bores and fittings, so their barrels are not interchangeable. If you’re unsure which system you play, our article on German vs French clarinets explains the difference.
Pro Tip: When you compare barrels, compare like with like. Test two lengths of the same barrel model first to find your length. Then compare different models at that length to find your sound. Changing length and design at once makes it hard to know which difference you’re hearing.
Signs you need a different barrel length
Use this table to diagnose what you’re experiencing. Check your tuner with a warmed-up instrument, a reed you trust, and a steady, supported mezzo-forte.
| What you notice | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| You pull out 1.5 mm or more every day | Barrel too long for your setup | A barrel about 1 mm shorter, or a tuning ring as a stopgap |
| You’re pushed all the way in and still flat | Barrel too short for your setup, or a flat-playing mouthpiece | A barrel about 1 mm longer; check the mouthpiece |
| Throat tones flat and weak, rest of the instrument fine | Barrel pulled out too far, creating a gap | Shorter barrel set near fully pushed in |
| Fine at home, sharp in every rehearsal | Warm room, adrenaline, louder playing | Keep a second barrel about 1 mm longer in your case |
| Need a barrel far outside 64–67 mm on a Bb | Mouthpiece, instrument, or embouchure issue | Check mouthpiece pitch and voicing before buying barrels |
Temperature belongs in this picture too. A cold instrument plays flat and a warm one plays sharp, so warm up fully before deciding anything. Many players keep two barrels for this reason: their usual length and one a millimeter different for very warm or very cold rooms. For more on why individual notes drift, see our guide to clarinet tuning tendencies.
How to test clarinet barrel length with a tuner
This test takes about 20 minutes and works for students and professionals alike. You need a tuner (an app is fine), a pencil, and the barrels you want to compare.
- Warm up for five to ten minutes on your current barrel so the instrument and reed are at playing temperature.
- Push the barrel all the way in. Testing at a consistent position removes one variable.
- Play a set of reference notes. D’Addario and Selmer both suggest a small set of reliable notes rather than every note. A good set is low C, open G, and top-line F. Add throat A or B♭, low E, and clarion B so you can see both short-tube and long-tube behavior.
- Play each note without looking at the tuner, then look. Write down how many cents sharp or flat it is. Don’t adjust your embouchure to chase the needle.
- Switch barrels and repeat, still fully pushed in, with the same reed and the same dynamic.
- Compare the patterns, not just the average. The best length usually puts the reference notes close to zero while keeping the throat tones and the twelfths reasonably even. If two barrels test within a few cents of each other, pick the one that sounds better.
- Confirm in context. Play a slow scale and a passage from your current music, and if possible play with another musician. A barrel that tests well but feels stuffy or unstable isn’t the right one.
Barrel length and your mouthpiece
The mouthpiece sits directly on top of the barrel, and it has a large effect on overall pitch. Mouthpieces differ in internal volume, baffle shape, and design pitch. Some are designed for A=440 and others for a higher standard; Selmer notes, for example, that Vandoren’s 13 Series mouthpieces are tuned to A=440 while its traditional line is tuned to A=442.
That means a barrel change and a mouthpiece change are linked:
- If you switch to a mouthpiece that plays lower, you may need a shorter barrel to stay in tune.
- If your new mouthpiece plays higher, you may need a longer barrel or more pull.
- Tip opening and reed strength also affect pitch. A reed that is too soft for the facing tends to make you flat in the upper register, and one that is too hard can make you pinch sharp. Our clarinet reed strength chart and tip opening guide help you match the two.
The practical rule: choose your mouthpiece first, then choose your barrel length to match it. If you test barrels and then change mouthpieces, test the barrels again. Our guide to testing mouthpieces at home walks through that first step.
Key Takeaways
| Point | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Shorter barrel = higher pitch | If you’re always pulled out, try about 1 mm shorter. If you’re pushed in and still flat, try about 1 mm longer. |
| 65 and 66 mm are the most common Bb lengths | Start there at A=440. A clarinets often use about 1 mm less. |
| Short-tube notes move the most | Throat tones show barrel problems first, so include them when you test. |
| Big gaps hurt throat tones | Beyond about half a millimeter of pull, a shorter barrel or a tuning ring is usually better. |
| Bore and taper matter as much as length | Compare lengths within one barrel model before comparing different models. |
| Mouthpiece first, barrel second | The mouthpiece sets your baseline pitch; the barrel fine-tunes it. |
FAQ
What is the standard clarinet barrel length?
There is no single standard, but 66 mm is the most typical length on Bb clarinets, and 65 mm is nearly as common in the U.S. A clarinets usually use a barrel about a millimeter shorter. Your best length depends on your clarinet, mouthpiece, and pitch standard.
Does a longer clarinet barrel make it sharp or flat?
A longer barrel makes the clarinet flatter, and a shorter barrel makes it sharper. The change is largest on short-tube notes like the throat tones and smallest on long-tube notes near the bottom of the instrument.
How far can I pull out my clarinet barrel?
Small adjustments are normal, but once the gap goes beyond about half a millimeter, the throat tones tend to go flat and lose focus. If you regularly pull out more than that, try a shorter barrel or a tuning ring.
Can I use a 64 mm barrel on a Bb clarinet?
Yes, if your setup plays flat or you perform at a higher pitch standard. Check with a tuner first. If you need a barrel much shorter than 64 mm at A=440, look at your mouthpiece and embouchure before buying more barrels.
Will any clarinet barrel fit my clarinet?
Not necessarily. Boehm-system barrels generally fit other Boehm clarinets, but bore and taper vary by brand and model. German-system (Oehler) clarinets need their own barrels. Always try a barrel on your own instrument before you commit. Our article on testing custom barrels at home explains how.
Find your barrel and mouthpiece
Once you know your number, choosing a barrel gets much easier. Gleichweit makes two precision-machined ebonite barrels for Bb and A Boehm clarinets, including Buffet Crampon, Selmer Paris, Leblanc, and Yamaha models:
- The Gleichweit B2 Clarinet Barrel comes in the standard whole-millimeter lengths of 64, 65, and 66 mm, in black or black-brown.
- The Gleichweit B3 Clarinet Barrel comes in half-millimeter sizes (62.5, 64.5, and 65.5 mm), for players whose ideal setting sits between standard sizes.
Since the mouthpiece sets your baseline pitch, it’s worth getting that right first. A Gleichweit Test Box lets you try several mouthpieces at home for 7 days, with your own clarinet, barrel, and reeds, for a $40 test fee. Choose the Closed-Tip Test Box (1.01–1.20 mm), the Medium-Tip Test Box (1.17–1.24 mm), or the Open-Tip Test Box (1.27–1.40 mm). If you’re not sure where you fit, the Variety Test Box (1.16–1.40 mm) covers the widest range.
Find the mouthpiece that sounds like you, then set your barrel length with a tuner. That way you can spend rehearsals listening instead of pulling out.