After playing clarinet for years, there is only so much you can complain about. To other people, your playing can sound fresh, polished, and perfect. But behind that beautiful sound, there is usually a different story: hidden struggles and little problems that only clarinet players would understand. Allow me to elaborate!
The number one thing that comes to mind is reeds. Every day can feel like a struggle to find the perfect reed. Some days they work perfectly, and other days they just do not cooperate. Moisture, temperature, and usage can all come into play, causing reeds to randomly stop working the way you want them to. It makes me so annoyed.
To be fair, this problem is so common that most people familiar with band logistics have probably heard about it. So instead, let me talk about a more niche problem, that being the smell of the clarinet. For some reason, leaving your clarinet uncleaned for a while causes it to smell like a wet sock. It kind of smells like the corks of the clarinet? Or maybe a wet reed. Either way, it is disgusting.
Another niche problem is all of the tiny noises a clarinet can make while performing. Squeaks are the obvious mistakes in sound, but what about the clicky keys and pad noises? My private lesson teacher once had to criticize a trill I played because my keys were making so much noise that they distracted from the actual sound. Yet another example of this is air leaking from the corners of your mouth, which can also be surprisingly noticeable, especially during quiet sections. Having to account for these nuances drives me insane.
Going back to reeds, why are they so expensive? A box of reeds usually costs around $40, which would be reasonable except most of them straight up do not actually work. Unfortunately, many reeds in a box just do not cooperate. Having to sand and adjust them just for the chance that they might function properly is tedious of a task and honestly a painful process.
One last thing I could talk about is cold weather, like really cold weather. When I marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, it was freezing! Trying to play the clarinet in that kind of weather felt like you were trying to blow your face off. With your fingers freezing, your instrument feels completely different to the touch, and somehow you are expected to play at a high level.
Despite me complaining about every last detail and problem that comes with playing the clarinet, I still love it very dearly. These were just a few of the hidden challenges that come with playing the clarinet, but there is a reason they are hidden. They are not going to stop you from making good music, and they certainly are not going to stop you from becoming a great player.
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