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NoteAtlas

Altissimo A on the B♭ Clarinet

To play Altissimo A (A6) on clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 2, 3 + right little-finger F/C key.

Full chart
BackThroat keysLeft handSide keysRight handL pinkyR pinkyRegister key: pressedRThumb hole: pressedTA key: openAG♯ key: openG♯Left index (hole 1): open1Left 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): 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: pressedFRight pinky A♭/E♭ key: openA♭
Now showing
Altissimo AA6
Left hand: register key, thumb, 2, 3 + right little-finger F/C key
Written
A6
Sounds
G6
A6 on the treble staff

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

Press or cover
  • Register key
  • Thumb hole
  • Left middle (hole 2)
  • Left ring (hole 3)
  • Right pinky F/C key
Tip · Altissimo A

Altissimo A is the practical ceiling of most school-band clarinet writing. It is an E6-shaped vent with a different little-finger key, and it answers to a fast, focused airstream far more than to jaw pressure.

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♭5B5C6C♯6Altissimo C♯D6Altissimo DE♭6Altissimo E♭E6Altissimo EF6Altissimo FF♯6Altissimo F♯G6Altissimo GG♯6Altissimo G♯A6Altissimo AB♭6Altissimo B♭B6Altissimo BC7Altissimo C
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Tip · Altissimo A

Altissimo A is the practical ceiling of most school-band clarinet writing. It is an E6-shaped vent with a different little-finger key, and it answers to a fast, focused airstream far more than to jaw pressure.

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteAltissimo G♯Left hand: register key, thumb, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 6 + left little-finger F♯/C♯ key, right little-finger F♯/C♯ keyNext noteAltissimo B♭Left hand: register key, thumb, 2, 3 + G♯ key, left little-finger C♯/G♯ key, right little-finger A♭/E♭ keyFull chartAll 45 clarinet notesThe whole fingering chartScaleConcert B♭ majorWritten C major, fingering under every noteTrainerNote trainerRead treble clef notesPrintPrintable PDFLetter · A4 · blank

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Alternate fingerings for Altissimo A

Each alternate has its own link. Send it to a student and the page opens with that fingering on the big diagram.

More for advanced players

Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

Altissimo A is written A6 and sounds concert G6.

Altissimo A is the practical ceiling of most school-band clarinet writing. It is an E6-shaped vent with a different little-finger key, and it answers to a fast, focused airstream far more than to jaw pressure.

  • Primary fingering: Register key + Thumb hole + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right pinky F/C key
  • Written pitch: A6 · Concert pitch: G6
  • Sounding frequency: 1567.98 Hz

What to press, key by key

  • Register key
  • Thumb hole
  • Left middle (hole 2)
  • Left ring (hole 3)
  • Right pinky F/C key

Alternate fingerings for Altissimo A

  • 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.
  • 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.

Questions

How do you play Altissimo A on clarinet?

To play Altissimo A (A6) on clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 2, 3 + right little-finger F/C key. Altissimo A is written A6 and sounds concert G6. Press: Register key, Thumb hole, Left middle (hole 2), Left ring (hole 3), Right pinky F/C key.

Is Altissimo A written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. On B♭ clarinet it sounds concert G6.

Is there another fingering for Altissimo A?

Left little-finger F/C key: Take it with the left little finger when the right one is already holding another key in the same phrase. F♯/C♯ key vent: A slightly different color and pitch center; try it when the standard fingering will not speak on your instrument.

B♭ Clarinet fingering chart: Altissimo A
How to play Altissimo A (written A6) on the B♭ Clarinet: Register key + Thumb hole + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right pinky F/C key.

B♭ 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.