Chalumeau – ClariDuk

The chalumeau is the predecessor of the modern clarinet.
Its sound is softer and more open than that of the clarinet.
This modern version of the chalumeau uses the same mouthpiece as the clarinet, has nine tone holes instead of the eight of the historical instrument, and plays in the second register when the thumb hole is slightly opened.

The range is approximately 2 1/2 octaves, depending on the player’s skill.

It is made of olive wood and has a clear and rich, resonant sound. I occasionally make it from other types of wood as well.

It is available in the key of G.

Samantha Archer recorded this beautiful demo playing a chalumeau in G made of olive wood, she is accompanied by Jaron Tripp playing a Cajonico.
Enjoy Archer & Tripp!

The ClariDuk has a sound very similar to that of the Armenian duduk and features the same fingering and tone hole construction. It is played with a modern Boehm clarinet mouthpiece, making it much easier to play. The tedious search for suitable reeds is eliminated, and less lip and diaphragm training is required to produce the beautiful, mellow sound of the duduk.

I offer the instrument in A in a simple one-piece version as well as a version with a tuning barrel, like this one made of boxwood.

In G, it is only available with a tuning barrel and various types of wood such as boxwood, olive, and plum.