Clarinet Fingering Chart (B♭)

For when the standard one is awkward

Alternate B♭ clarinet fingerings

Alternates aren’t “better” fingerings: each one earns its place in a specific musical situation, like tuning or a fast passage. The standard fingering is always shown first. Tap one to show it on the chart above; each alternate has its own link to send.

• E3Low EStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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♯. Show it big

• F3Low FStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• F♯3Low F♯StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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 or low C♯ next to it. Show it big

• B3Low BStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• E♭4Low E♭StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1Alt 2Alt 2

  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. Show it big

  Fork fingering (right index) (Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Right index (hole 4)) — Slightly sharp; use for facility when the neighboring notes already put the right index finger down. Show it big

• F♯4StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• G4Throat GStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• G♯4Throat G♯StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• A4Throat AStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• B♭4Throat B♭StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1Alt 2Alt 2

  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. Show it big

  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. Show it big

• B4StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• C5StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• C♯5StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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 or G♯ nearby. Show it big

• F♯5StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• G♯5StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  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. Show it big

• B♭5StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1Alt 2Alt 2

  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. Show it big

  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. Show it big

• D6Altissimo DStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1Alt 2Alt 2

  Short fingering (G♯ key with the lowest side key) (Register key + Thumb hole + G♯ key + Side key 4) — Less flat than the bare short fingering; used mainly for a quick trill against C6. Show it big

  Trill fingering (G♯ key only) (Register key + Thumb hole + G♯ key) — Use for a rapid trill against C6, not for sustained notes — it is noticeably flat. Show it big

• E♭6Altissimo E♭StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  Right ring finger vent (Register key + Thumb hole + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky A♭/E♭ key) — Use when arriving from clarion notes that already have the right hand down. Show it big

• F6Altissimo FStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  Covered F (Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Left pinky C♯/G♯ key + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6)) — Use for slurring up from the lower registers and for quiet playing, where the vented fingering can misfire. Show it big

• F♯6Altissimo F♯StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1Alt 2Alt 2

  Left hand with the lowest side key (Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Side key 4 + Right pinky A♭/E♭ key) — Use when pitch accuracy matters and for wide leaps — it responds at every dynamic. Show it big

  Covered F♯ (Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky A♭/E♭ key) — Use for slurs out of the clarion register and for sustained notes at the extremes of the dynamic range. Show it big

• G6Altissimo GStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  Left index vent (Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right pinky A♭/E♭ key) — Use when slurring up from clarion notes, where keeping the left index finger down steadies the entry. Show it big

• G♯6Altissimo G♯StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1Alt 2Alt 2

  Right little-finger F♯/C♯ key (Register key + Thumb hole + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right index (hole 4) + Right ring (hole 6) + Right pinky F♯/C♯ key) — The same fingering with the F♯/C♯ key on the other hand — take whichever side the phrase leaves free. Show it big

  Short A♭ (right index with the A♭/E♭ key) (Register key + Thumb hole + Right index (hole 4) + Right pinky A♭/E♭ key) — Use where an easy, well-tuned fingering matters more than matching the neighboring altissimo notes. Show it big

• A6Altissimo AStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1Alt 2Alt 2

  Left little-finger F/C key (Register key + Thumb hole + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Left pinky F/C key) — Take it with the left little finger when the right one is already holding another key in the same phrase. Show it big

  F♯/C♯ key vent (Register key + Thumb hole + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right pinky F♯/C♯ key) — A slightly different color and pitch center; try it when the standard fingering will not speak on your instrument. Show it big

• B♭6Altissimo B♭StandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  Side-key B♭ (Register key + Thumb hole + G♯ key + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Left pinky C♯/G♯ key + Side key 3 + Side key 4) — Use for exposed entries, where response and intonation matter more than fingering economy. Show it big

• B6Altissimo BStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  Without the side G♯ key (Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right pinky F♯/C♯ key) — Use when the neighboring notes do not need the G♯ lever, so the left index finger can stay flat on its hole. Show it big

• C7Altissimo CStandardStandardAlt 1Alt 1

  A♭/E♭ key version (Register key + Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Right index (hole 4) + Right pinky A♭/E♭ key) — Try this when the standard fingering will not center — altissimo C differs a lot between set-ups. Show it big

12 trills · free

Trill fingerings

A trill is a fast wobble between two notes. Hold the first note and shake one key: press it and let it go, fast. The key to shake is drawn in green. Trill fingerings trade a little tone quality for speed, so use them for rapid alternation, not sustained notes.