Altissimo G on the B♭ Clarinet
To play Altissimo G (G6) on clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 2 · Right hand: 4, 5 + right little-finger A♭/E♭ key.
Play along: hear the note for 2 beats, then you play it for 2.
- Register key
- Thumb hole
- Left middle (hole 2)
- Right index (hole 4)
- Right middle (hole 5)
- Right pinky A♭/E♭ key
A high note many school parts reach. Keep the reed free to vibrate: think “ee” with your tongue, use fast air and don't bite. If it squeals, loosen your lips a little and try again.
A high note many school parts reach. Keep the reed free to vibrate: think “ee” with your tongue, use fast air and don't bite. If it squeals, loosen your lips a little and try again.
Sound and display
Next moves
Teaching a class? Class mode keeps Stand mode and Test me on the notes your class is learning.
Alternate fingerings for Altissimo G
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 G is written G6 and sounds concert F6.
Altissimo G is usually the first note above F♯6 that a student can rely on, and it tops out many school-band clarinet parts. Keep the reed vibrating freely: biting to reach it produces the classic altissimo squeal instead of the note.
- Primary fingering: Register key + Thumb hole + Left middle (hole 2) + Right index (hole 4) + Right middle (hole 5) + Right pinky A♭/E♭ key
- Written pitch: G6 · Concert pitch: F6
- Sounding frequency: 1396.91 Hz
What to press, key by key
- Register key
- Thumb hole
- Left middle (hole 2)
- Right index (hole 4)
- Right middle (hole 5)
- Right pinky A♭/E♭ key
Alternate fingerings for Altissimo G
- 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.
Questions
How do you play Altissimo G on clarinet?
To play Altissimo G (G6) on clarinet: Left hand: register key, thumb, 2 · Right hand: 4, 5 + right little-finger A♭/E♭ key. Altissimo G is written G6 and sounds concert F6. Press: Register key, Thumb hole, Left middle (hole 2), Right index (hole 4), Right middle (hole 5), Right pinky A♭/E♭ key.
Is Altissimo G written or concert pitch?
The name on this page is the written note you read. On B♭ clarinet it sounds concert F6.
Is there another fingering for Altissimo G?
Left index vent: Use when slurring up from clarion notes, where keeping the left index finger down steadies the entry.

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.