How Pereira 3D Is Making Clarinets More Affordable

While many wish to explore their musicality by taking up a skill like playing an instrument, oftentimes the prohibitive costs of acquiring and maintaining instruments, such as the clarinet with its different accessories and variations, can keep many from taking it up. Applying the benefits of 3D printing to his clarinet expertise, Ryan Pereira launched Pereira 3D in 2014 with the creation of his first after-market clarinet barrel. Using 3D printing in their clarinet products allowed for lower manufacturing costs, resulting in significantly more affordable products, including Pietera 3D’s Balance Barrels which are designed for students and cost only $50 relative to comparable barrels which cost upwards of $200-$300.

In general, when one plays the clarinet, different barrels can produce different sounds that have their advantages and disadvantages — barrels can create sounds that are somber or whimsical, more or less focused, or change the blowing resistance of your clarinet. Furthermore, with usage, clarinet accessories become worn and require frequent replacement to produce optimal sounds. Using biocompatible 3D Wood materials, such as Blackwood and Mahogany that are currently available in abundance, Pereira 3D makes the case for sustainability in producing clarinet replacement parts and repairs. In addition to 3D-printed clarinet barrels, the company produces clarinet bells, mouthpieces, and ligatures.

Clarinet repair services by Pereira 3D in Philadelphia, PA USA (Photo Credit: Pereira3D)

Pereira 3D Clarinet Accessories

Growing up in a household of engineers, Ryan Pereira found himself constantly learning about the latest technologies, which led him down the path of discovering a clarinet barrel that produces a clear, centered, and smooth sound. He later turned to 3D printing in order to enhance barrel precision and customization. Pereira, a classically-trained clarinet player, deepened his expertise after spending four years as a clarinet repair apprentice, where he experimented with the different aspects of clarinet performance including testing clarinet bumper materials, barrel tapers, and beveling clarinet cork pads.