The 18 keys clarinet, also known as the clarinet or carat, is the "orator" in orchestras and theatrical soprano in woodwinds. The treble area is loud and clear; the midrange area is expressive, the timbre is pure, clear and beautiful; the bass area is deep, rich and full. The 18-keys clarinet is one of the most widely used instruments in the woodwind family.

The 18-keys clarinet is a woodwind instrument, usually made of African blackwood, made of wood, hard rubber, or metal, with a beak-shaped mouthpiece and a circular hollow, the 18-keys clarinet body consists of five It is composed of a detachable pipe, the pipe body is cylindrical, and the lower end is an open bell mouth.

A reed is fixed at the mouthpiece of the 18-keys clarinet. When the player blows through the space between the reed and the mouthpiece, it must match the lower lip with appropriate pressure. The thin reed tip of the 18-keys clarinet vibrates, causing the column of air in the instrument's tube to vibrate, resulting in a mellow tone.

The 18-keys clarinet's roots can be traced back to the horn and bagpipe, and is generally believed to have evolved from a similar vertical single-reed instrument, the chalumeau.

The 18-keys clarinet is different from the oboe. The clarinet is a transposing instrument, the oboe is not a transposing instrument, and the oboe uses two reeds clamped together to sound, and the 18-keys clarinet uses one reed and flute to sound.

The characteristics of the 18-keys clarinet instrument: the treble area is bright and clear; the midrange area is expressive, and the tone is pure, clear and beautiful; the bass area is deep, rich and full. The 18-keys clarinet is the most widely used instrument in the woodwind family.