B♭5 on the Bass Clarinet
To play B♭5 on bass clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 1, 2 + side key 4 key.
Play along: hear the note for 2 beats, then you play it for 2.
- Register key
- Thumb hole
- Left index (hole 1)
- Left middle (hole 2)
- Side key 4
The sliver-key and fork alternates are smoother in fast passages.
The sliver-key and fork alternates are smoother in fast passages.
Sound and display
Next moves
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Alternate fingerings for B♭5
Each alternate has its own link. Send it to a student and the page opens with that fingering on the big diagram.
- Alternate 1Left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver keyRegister 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.
- Alternate 2Fork fingering (right index)Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Right index (hole 4). Use for facility when the neighboring notes already involve the right index finger.
More for advanced players
Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works
About this note
B♭5 is written B♭5 and sounds concert A♭4.
Register key, thumb, the left index and middle fingers and the A♭/E♭ side key — the same shape as E♭4 with the register key added. The sliver-key and fork alternates are smoother in fast passages.
- Primary fingering: Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Side key 4
- Written pitch: B♭5 · Concert pitch: A♭4
- Sounding frequency: 415.30 Hz
What to press, key by key
- Register key
- Thumb hole
- Left index (hole 1)
- Left middle (hole 2)
- Side key 4
Alternate fingerings for 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 neighboring notes already involve the right index finger.
Questions
How do you play B♭5 on bass clarinet?
To play B♭5 on bass clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 1, 2 + side key 4 key. B♭5 is written B♭5 and sounds concert A♭4. Press: Register key, Thumb hole, Left index (hole 1), Left middle (hole 2), Side key 4.
Is B♭5 written or concert pitch?
The name on this page is the written note you read. On B♭ bass clarinet it sounds concert A♭4.
Is there another fingering for B♭5?
Left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key: Use for A–B♭ trills and chromatic runs, where only the left hand needs to move. Fork fingering (right index): Use for facility when the neighboring notes already involve the right index finger.
Bass Clarinet fingering data last updated . Every diagram here, in the printable PDF and in the chart image comes from one dataset, so the paper and the screen cannot disagree.