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NoteAtlas

Altissimo B on the B♭ Clarinet

To play Altissimo B (B6) on clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 1, 2 · Right hand: 4, 5 + G♯ key.

Full chart
BackThroat keysLeft handSide keysRight handL pinkyR pinkyRegister key: pressedRThumb hole: pressedTA key: openAG♯ key: pressedG♯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): pressed4Right middle (hole 5): pressed5Right 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♭
Now showing
Altissimo BB6
Left hand: register key, thumb, 1, 2 · Right hand: 4, 5 + G♯ key
Written
B6
Sounds
A6
B6 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
  • G♯ key
  • Left index (hole 1)
  • Left middle (hole 2)
  • Right index (hole 4)
  • Right middle (hole 5)
Tip · Altissimo B

Approach it by slurring up from F♯6 and G6 so the voicing has somewhere to travel.

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 B

Approach it by slurring up from F♯6 and G6 so the voicing has somewhere to travel.

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteAltissimo B♭Left hand: register key, thumb, 2, 3 + G♯ key, left little-finger C♯/G♯ key, right little-finger A♭/E♭ keyNext noteAltissimo CLeft hand: register key, thumb, 1 · Right hand: 4 + G♯ key, right little-finger F♯/C♯ 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 B

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 B is written B6 and sounds concert A6.

B6 returns to a tidy two-fingers-per-hand shape with the side G♯ key venting. Approach it by slurring up from F♯6 and G6 so the voicing has somewhere to travel.

  • Primary fingering: Register key + Thumb hole + G♯ key + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5)
  • Written pitch: B6 · Concert pitch: A6
  • Sounding frequency: 1760.00 Hz

What to press, key by key

  • Register key
  • Thumb hole
  • G♯ key
  • Left index (hole 1)
  • Left middle (hole 2)
  • Right index (hole 4)
  • Right middle (hole 5)

Alternate fingerings for Altissimo B

  • 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.

Questions

How do you play Altissimo B on clarinet?

To play Altissimo B (B6) on clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 1, 2 · Right hand: 4, 5 + G♯ key. Altissimo B is written B6 and sounds concert A6. Press: Register key, Thumb hole, G♯ key, Left index (hole 1), Left middle (hole 2), Right index (hole 4), Right middle (hole 5).

Is Altissimo B written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. On B♭ clarinet it sounds concert A6.

Is there another fingering for Altissimo B?

Without the side G♯ key: Use when the neighboring notes do not need the G♯ lever, so the left index finger can stay flat on its hole.

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.