When you buy a clarinet, the instrument gets all the attention. The accessories are an afterthought, usually whatever comes in the box, or whatever the music store points you toward.
But a bad swab leaves lint in your bore. Cork joints that aren’t greased properly develop cracks. A cheap ligature restricts your reed in ways that hurt your tone more than you’d expect. These things are cheap to fix and expensive to ignore.
Here’s what actually matters, and what to buy.
Essential Clarinet Accessories
| Accessory | Top Pick | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Swab | Hodge Silk Clarinet Swab | $12–18 |
| Tuner / Metronome | Korg TM-60C | $25–35 |
| Reeds | Vandoren Traditional CR103 | $28–36 (box of 10) |
| Mouthpiece | Vandoren B45 Traditional | $90–110 |
| Cork grease | Vandoren Cork Grease | $6–10 |
| Ligature | Rovner Dark | $18–25 |
| Stand | Hercules DS531BB | $20–30 |
Hodge Silk Clarinet Swab
Swab your clarinet every single time you finish playing. Moisture that sits in the bore softens the pads, promotes mold growth, and changes how the instrument feels and sounds over time. This isn’t optional maintenance, it’s as fundamental as putting the instrument back in its case.
The issue with most cotton swabs is the lint. They absorb moisture well, but they also leave small fibers in the bore that get caught under pads and in the mechanism. Over time it creates problems that are annoying to fix.
Silk doesn’t do that. The Hodge Silk Swab absorbs moisture cleanly, dries quickly between sessions, and lasts for years. Instrument repair technicians recommend it consistently. It costs more than a cotton swab, but it’s a one-time purchase that pays for itself.
- Silk leaves no lint, important for long-term instrument health
- Dries quickly between uses
- Lasts years with normal care
- Used by professional players and recommended by repair techs
Korg TM-60C Tuner and Metronome
Playing in tune and in time. Those are the two things. Everything else in music builds on those two things, and you need feedback to develop both.
Phone apps work, but a dedicated device is faster to grab, doesn’t depend on notifications being off, and doesn’t drain your phone during a long practice. The Korg TM-60C combines a chromatic tuner and metronome in one unit and comes with a contact clip-on mic, which matters in a noisy room where a regular mic picks up everything and gives you unreliable readings.
This is what most school band programs and private teachers recommend. There’s no real reason to look at anything else in this category.
- Tuner and metronome in one device
- Clip-on contact mic for accurate tuning in noisy environments
- Clear display, simple controls
- Standard recommendation across school band programs
Vandoren Traditional CR103 Reeds
Reeds are the one accessory you’ll buy over and over. They wear out, they chip, they have good days and bad days. Getting them right matters more than almost any other purchase.
Vandoren Traditional is the standard for a reason, consistent quality, reliable response in all registers, and individually sealed so they stay fresh in the box. Start with strength 2.5. Most beginners are pushed toward 3 too quickly and spend months fighting a reed that’s too stiff for where they are.
- Most consistent reeds available at any price
- Individually sealed in Flow Packs
- Available from strength 1 through 5
- More expensive than Rico, but fewer duds per box
Vandoren B45 Mouthpiece
If you’re still on the mouthpiece that came with your clarinet, this is your most important upgrade. The world’s best-selling clarinet mouthpiece. The ebonite construction and open tip opening give you a warmer, more resonant tone and better response than any stock plastic mouthpiece.
Most players who switch to a B45 notice the difference within the first practice session. It’s not subtle.
-
- Single biggest upgrade most players can make
- Ebonite for warm, resonant tone
- Works for classical, jazz, and band
- A long-term investment, players keep these for decades
Vandoren Cork Grease
Apply a thin layer to each cork joint every time you assemble your clarinet. That’s it. The cork dries out without grease and eventually cracks, which causes air leaks that affect your tone and intonation.
Vandoren’s cork grease is what teachers recommend because it applies smoothly, doesn’t melt in warm weather, and a tube lasts close to a year. The main mistake beginners make is using too much, a thin coat is all you need.
- Keeps corks from drying, cracking, and leaking
- Doesn’t melt or run in warm weather
- A single tube lasts most players 8–12 months
Rovner Dark Ligature
The ligature holds the reed to the mouthpiece. The cheap metal clamp that comes with most student clarinets works, but it grips the reed in a way that restricts its vibration. You lose some of the tone and response that the reed is capable of.
The Rovner Dark is fabric-based. The contact points sit on the back of the mouthpiece rather than the front, which leaves the full face of the reed free to vibrate. The result is a warmer, more centered sound, and at under $25, it’s an easy upgrade to recommend.
- Fabric construction, freer reed vibration than metal
- Warm, centered sound with better response
- Easy to fit and adjust
- Popular with both students and professional players
Hercules DS531BB Clarinet Stand
Put the clarinet down without a stand and it ends up on a chair, a table edge, or the floor. That’s how instruments get stepped on, knocked over, and damaged. A stand takes thirty seconds to set up and removes that risk entirely.
The Hercules folds flat and fits in any case pocket. The rubber grips won’t scratch the finish. There’s a small peg holder for a reed cap or extra ligature. It’s stable, it travels well, and it’s been a standard in orchestras and school music rooms for years.
- Folds flat, fits in any case accessory pocket
- Rubber grips protect the finish
- Small peg holder for accessories
- Won’t tip over easily
What to Buy First
If you’ve just started playing: cork grease, a swab, and the Korg tuner. Those three things protect your instrument and develop your ear from day one.
First upgrade: the Vandoren B45 mouthpiece. It makes more difference to your tone than anything else on this list.
After that: the Rovner ligature, the Hodge swab if you’re still using cotton, and the stand when you’re tired of setting the clarinet on a chair.
The rest can wait until you know what you actually need.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Charlotte Moore
Charlotte Moore is a Clarinetist by profession and has over time offered lessons on how to play the clarinet among other musical instruments. And while a majority of clarinet players are well versed with the process of settling with a good clarinet among other accompanying features. There is little information about clarinets. The reason why Charlotte prepared comprehensive experts touching on the various facets of the clarinet. The consolidated information will offer more insight on everything clarinets including the best stand to use, and the best plastic clarinet that you can invest in, among other information. Charlotte Moore is a devoted mother of two and a professional clarinet player.