He modified it in order that blowing into the beginning of the barrel sounded just a little like a dying Octopus. He also added four thousand buttons to confuse anyone who tried to play it. He had created the first clarinet. Unfortunately, he forgot that he still had a shell left in the shotgun, so when he found out how to play above a live performance G6, the supersonic vibrations set the gun off, which in turn blew his molecules into next Tuesday. The wood traditionally used for clarinet construction is grenadilla, also known as African blackwood, or mpingo wood. Due to the density of grenadilla wood, it’s preferred by advanced students and professionals for the unmistakable sound and resonance only a wood clarinet produces. The wood clarinet’s drawback is that it needs proper care to live a long life; care that some students aren't disciplined enough to deliver. Sufficient humidity is vital to maintaining the health of a grenadilla clarinet; extreme fluctuations in moisture may cause cracks in the body, ruining the tool. Consistent air moisture is ideal but nearly unimaginable. Thankfully, there are strategies of taking care of wood clarinets that assure a longevity see below. While not as common as the soprano models, th bass clarinet does have a large repertoire, and it is heard in classical, orchestral, jazz, and even pop music.