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NoteAtlas

Low B♭ on the Bass Clarinet

To play Low B♭ (B♭3) on bass clarinet: Left hand: thumb, 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4.

Full chart
BackThroat keysLeft handSide keysRight handL pinkyR pinkyRegister key: openRThumb hole: pressedTA key: openAG♯ key: openG♯Left index (hole 1): pressed1Left middle (hole 2): pressed2Left sliver key: openslLeft ring (hole 3): pressed3Side key 1: opens1Side key 2: opens2Side key 3: opens3Side key 4: opens4Right index (hole 4): pressed4Right middle (hole 5): open5Right sliver key: opensrRight ring (hole 6): open6Left pinky E/B key: openELeft pinky F♯/C♯ key: openF♯Left pinky F/C key: openFLeft pinky C♯/G♯ key: openC♯Right pinky E/B key: openERight pinky F♯/C♯ key: openF♯Right pinky F/C key: openFRight pinky A♭/E♭ key: openA♭Low E♭ extension key: openE♭
Now showingBeginner note
Low B♭B♭3
Left hand: thumb, 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4
Written
B♭3
Sounds
A♭2
B♭3 on the treble staff

Play along: hear the note for 2 beats, then you play it for 2.

Press or cover
  • Thumb hole
  • Left index (hole 1)
  • Left middle (hole 2)
  • Left ring (hole 3)
  • Right index (hole 4)
Tip · Low B♭

A good hand-position check on bass: the other two right-hand fingers should hover just above their keys, ready to drop together.

Trill fingering: Low B♭ to B3

E♭3Low E♭E3Low EF3Low FF♯3Low F♯G3Low GG♯3Low G♯A3Low AB♭3Low B♭B3Low BC4Low CC♯4Low C♯D4Low DE♭4Low E♭E4F4F♯4G4Throat GG♯4Throat G♯A4Throat AB♭4Throat B♭B4C5C♯5D5E♭5E5F5F♯5G5G♯5A5B♭5B5C6
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Speed72BPM
Tip · Low B♭

A good hand-position check on bass: the other two right-hand fingers should hover just above their keys, ready to drop together.

Trill fingering: Low B♭ to B3

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteLow ALeft hand: thumb, 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5Next noteLow BLeft hand: thumb, 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 5Full chartAll 34 bass clarinet notesThe whole fingering chartScaleConcert B♭ majorWritten C major, fingering under every noteTrainerNote trainerRead treble clef notesPrintPrintable PDFLetter · A4 · blank

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Trill fingering from Low B♭

Hold the first note and shake the key drawn in green: press it and let it go, fast.

  • TrillLow B♭ → B3B♭3 to B3

    HoldLow B♭: Left hand: thumb, 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4

    ShakeRight sliver key

    Trill the B/F♯ sliver key with the right middle finger. Full fingering with the trill key down: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right sliver key.

Gold (filled): hold these downGreen with a dark ring: shake this key, press and release it fast

More for advanced players

Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

Low B♭ is written B♭3 and sounds concert A♭2.

Right index finger alone in the lower hand. A good hand-position check on bass: the other two right-hand fingers should hover just above their keys, ready to drop together.

  • Primary fingering: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4)
  • Written pitch: B♭3 · Concert pitch: A♭2
  • Sounding frequency: 103.83 Hz

What to press, key by key

  • Thumb hole
  • Left index (hole 1)
  • Left middle (hole 2)
  • Left ring (hole 3)
  • Right index (hole 4)

Trill fingerings

  • Low B♭ ↔ 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

Questions

How do you play Low B♭ on bass clarinet?

To play Low B♭ (B♭3) on bass clarinet: Left hand: thumb, 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4. Low B♭ is written B♭3 and sounds concert A♭2. Press: Thumb hole, Left index (hole 1), Left middle (hole 2), Left ring (hole 3), Right index (hole 4).

Is Low B♭ written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. On B♭ bass clarinet it sounds concert A♭2.

What is the trill fingering for Low B♭?

To B3: Trill the B/F♯ sliver key with the right middle 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.