Bass Clarinet
Low E on the Bass Clarinet
Written E3 — sounds concert D2. Tap the diagram to hear it.
E3
Concert D2Beginner note
Every hole covered plus the E/B key. Bass clarinet low E wants slow, wide air and a very relaxed jaw; the long tube speaks late if you rush it. Set the floor peg so the instrument is not resting on the bell, or the note goes flat and stuffy.
About this note
Every hole covered plus the E/B key. Bass clarinet low E wants slow, wide air and a very relaxed jaw; the long tube speaks late if you rush it. Set the floor peg so the instrument is not resting on the bell, or the note goes flat and stuffy.
- Primary fingering: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Left pinky E/B key + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6)
- Written pitch: E3 · Concert pitch: D2
- Sounding frequency: 73.42 Hz
Alternate fingerings for Low E
- 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♯.
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.