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NoteAtlas

Low D on the Bass Clarinet

To play Low D (D4) on bass clarinet: Left hand: thumb, 1, 2.

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): open3Side key 1: opens1Side key 2: opens2Side key 3: opens3Side key 4: opens4Right index (hole 4): open4Right 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 DD4
Left hand: thumb, 1, 2
Written
D4
Sounds
C3
D4 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)
Tip · Low D

Low D sounds concert C3, the C below the bass clef staff — the note a bass clarinet reads in treble clef but plays down where the cellos live.

Trill fingering: Low D to E♭4

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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Tip · Low D

Low D sounds concert C3, the C below the bass clef staff — the note a bass clarinet reads in treble clef but plays down where the cellos live.

Trill fingering: Low D to E♭4

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteLow C♯Left hand: thumb, 1, 2, 3 + left little-finger C♯/G♯ keyNext noteLow E♭Left hand: thumb, 1, 2 + side key 4 keyFull 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 D

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

  • TrillLow D → E♭4D4 to E♭4

    HoldLow D: Left hand: thumb, 1, 2

    ShakeLeft sliver key

    Trill the left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key. Full fingering with the trill key down: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left 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 D is written D4 and sounds concert C3.

Thumb plus the left index and middle fingers. Low D sounds concert C3, the C below the bass clef staff — the note a bass clarinet reads in treble clef but plays down where the cellos live.

  • Primary fingering: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2)
  • Written pitch: D4 · Concert pitch: C3
  • Sounding frequency: 130.81 Hz

What to press, key by key

  • Thumb hole
  • Left index (hole 1)
  • Left middle (hole 2)

Trill fingerings

  • Low D ↔ E♭4 (Trill the left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key): Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left sliver key

Questions

How do you play Low D on bass clarinet?

To play Low D (D4) on bass clarinet: Left hand: thumb, 1, 2. Low D is written D4 and sounds concert C3. Press: Thumb hole, Left index (hole 1), Left middle (hole 2).

Is Low D written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. On B♭ bass clarinet it sounds concert C3.

What is the trill fingering for Low D?

To E♭4: Trill the left-hand E♭/B♭ sliver key.

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.