The E♭ clarinet, or piccolo clarinet, is a member of the clarinet family. It is about half the length of a soprano B♭ clarinet and is higher pitched by four whole steps. The E♭ clarinet is used for its brighter timbre and higher pitch range. A person who plays the E♭ clarinet is called an E♭ clarinetist, E♭ clarinet player, or E♭ player. In school concert band settings, E♭ players are typically chosen out of the top three or four clarinet players in the section. Unlike other high woodwinds, E♭ clarinets are typically paid for by school funds and lent to students from the school.