Bass Clarinet Fingering Chart

How to read this chart

Filled circles mean press that key or cover that hole; open circles stay up. The diagram runs top to bottom: the thumb and register key on the back, the throat levers beside them, the left hand’s three tone holes, then the right hand’s three with the side keys to their right, and the two little-finger clusters at the bottom. The extra key at the very bottom is the low E♭ extension.

On a bass clarinet the tone holes are covered by plateau keys rather than open rings, so the “hole” you cover is a pad you press. The seal comes from firm, flat finger pressure — a soprano player’s worry about fingertips riding the edge of a ring does not apply.

Written vs concert pitch

The bass clarinet is a B♭ instrument written in treble clef, sounding a major ninth below what is written: written C5 sounds concert B♭3, the band tuning note, and written C4 sounds B♭2. That is an octave below the soprano clarinet reading the same part, which is the point — a bass clarinettist reads with the same fingerings as the section and sounds in the cello range. The play button in the chart sounds the concert pitch.

The low E♭ key and what lies below

The soprano clarinet stops at written low E. Almost every student bass clarinet adds one key below it for low E♭: finger low E and add the extension key — under the right little finger on most models, a right-thumb lever on some. It sounds concert D♭2. Professional instruments continue to low C with a further cluster of keys; those notes vary by maker and are not covered here.

The bottom of the horn wants slow, wide air and a very relaxed jaw. Set the floor peg so the instrument is not sitting on its bell, or the low notes go flat and stuffy.

Full bass clarinet fingering chart — all notes

The complete standard range, written E♭3 to C6, chromatically: chalumeau, throat notes and clarion. The concert column shows what each written note actually sounds.

The same chart, written out

Every fingering in words — handy for copying into lesson notes, and it reads aloud properly on a screen reader.

Alternate bass clarinet fingerings

Alternates aren’t “better” fingerings — each one earns its place in a specific musical situation. Select any of these notes in the chart above and switch variants to compare them.

• Low E (E3) — Right little-finger E/B key: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky E/B key. Use whichever little finger the surrounding notes leave free — the right one here when the left is needed for low F or low F♯.
• Low F (F3) — Left little-finger F/C key: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Left pinky F/C key + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6). Use the left side when the right little finger is already committed to the E/B or A♭/E♭ key.
• Low F♯ (F♯3) — Right little-finger F♯/C♯ key: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky F♯/C♯ key. Switch to the right side when the left little finger is needed for low E, low F or low C♯.
• Low B (B3) — B/F♯ sliver key: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right sliver key. Use in chromatic movement between B♭ and B, where it saves lifting the index finger and dropping the middle finger at the same time.
• Low E♭ (E♭4) — Left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left sliver key. Use when moving between D and E♭ or trilling, since only the left hand has to move. — Fork fingering (right index): Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Right index (hole 4). Slightly sharp; use for facility when the neighbouring notes already put the right index finger down.
• F♯4 (F♯4) — Chromatic F♯ (side keys 3 and 4): Thumb hole + Side key 3 + Side key 4. Use next to F4 so the thumb and left index finger can stay exactly where they are.
• Throat G (G4) — Resonance fingering (right hand down): Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6). Use on sustained or exposed G, where the right hand is free, to fill out a thin tone.
• Throat G♯ (G♯4) — Resonance fingering (right hand down): G♯ key + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6). Use when G♯ is held or exposed and the right hand is otherwise idle.
• Throat A (A4) — Resonance fingering (right-hand shading): A key + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky F/C key. Use on sustained throat A to fill out the sound and settle the pitch.
• Throat Bb (B♭4) — Resonance fingering (both hands shading): Register key + A key + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky F/C key. Use on longer B♭s where there is time to set the extra fingers — it sounds fuller and sits closer to pitch. — Side-key B♭ (G♯ key with the first side key): G♯ key + Side key 1. Use in trills and quick passages around A and B where a clear, ringing B♭ matters more than the security of the standard fingering.
• B4 (B4) — Right little-finger E/B key: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky E/B key. Pick the side that leaves the other little finger free for whatever comes next.
• C5 (C5) — Left little-finger F/C key: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Left pinky F/C key + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6). Use when the right little finger is already on the E/B or A♭/E♭ key.
• C♯5 (C♯5) — Right little-finger F♯/C♯ key: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky F♯/C♯ key. Use when the left little finger is needed for B, C or G♯ nearby.
• F♯5 (F♯5) — B/F♯ sliver key: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right sliver key. Use for chromatic movement between F and F♯ so the right hand can stay still.
• G♯5 (G♯5) — Right-hand alternate: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5). Use when the surrounding notes already have right-hand fingers down and the left little finger is busy.
• B♭5 (B♭5) — Left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left sliver key. Use for A–B♭ trills and chromatic runs, where only the left hand needs to move. — Fork fingering (right index): Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Right index (hole 4). Use for facility when the neighbouring notes already involve the right index finger.

Trill fingerings

Trill fingerings trade a little tone quality for speed — use them for rapid alternation, not sustained notes.

• Low B♭ (B♭3) ↔ B3 — Trill the B/F♯ sliver key with the right middle finger: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right sliver key
• Low D (D4) ↔ E♭4 — Trill the left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left sliver key
• F4 (F4) ↔ F♯4 — Trill side keys 3 and 4 with the right index finger: Thumb hole + Side key 3 + Side key 4
• Throat G♯ (G♯4) ↔ A4 — Trill the second side key: G♯ key + Side key 2
• Throat G♯ (G♯4) ↔ B♭4 — Trill the first side key: G♯ key + Side key 1
• Throat A (A4) ↔ B♭4 — Trill the second side key: A key + Side key 2
• Throat A (A4) ↔ B4 — Trill the first side key, which avoids crossing the break: A key + Side key 1
• Throat Bb (B♭4) ↔ B4 — Trill the second side key: Register key + A key + Side key 2
• Throat Bb (B♭4) ↔ C5 — Trill the first side key: Register key + A key + Side key 1
• F5 (F5) ↔ F♯5 — Trill the B/F♯ sliver key: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right sliver key
• A5 (A5) ↔ B♭5 — Trill the left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left sliver key
• C6 (C6) ↔ D6 — Trill the side G♯ key: Register key + Thumb hole + G♯ key

Common bass clarinet mistakes

• Biting. The bass takes a bigger reed and mouthpiece than the soprano and needs a looser jaw and slower air. Squeezing thins the sound, sharpens the pitch and makes the low register refuse to speak.
• Half-pressing the plateau keys. A pad that is not fully down leaks, and the note gurgles. Press flat and firm, especially in the right hand.
• Leaving the right hand off for throat notes. The resonance fingerings — right-hand fingers added to open G, G♯, A and B♭ — matter more on bass than on soprano, and they set the right hand up for the break.
• Resting the bell on the floor or a leg. The bass clarinet has a floor peg for a reason: a blocked bell pulls the lowest notes flat and stuffy.

Frequently asked questions