 The A clarinet and B ♭ clarinet have nearly the same bore, and use the same mouthpiece. Orchestral players using the A and B ♭ instruments in the same concert could use the same mouthpiece (and often the same barrel) for both (see 'usage' below). The A and the B ♭ instruments have nearly identical tonal quality, although the A typically has a slightly warmer sound. The tone of the E ♭ clarinet is brighter than that of the lower clarinets and can be heard even through loud orchestral or concert band textures. The bass clarinet has a characteristically deep, mellow sound, while the alto clarinet is similar in tone to the bass (though not as dark).
