B♭ Clarinet

Low B on the B♭ Clarinet

Written B3 — sounds concert A3. Tap the diagram to hear it.

B3
Concert A3Beginner note
Written B3 on the treble staff

Low B is taken with the right middle finger on its own, which surprises students who expect the right hand to come off entirely. Check the note against low B♭ so the ear learns the difference between one right-hand finger and another.

About this note

Low B is taken with the right middle finger on its own, which surprises students who expect the right hand to come off entirely. Check the note against low B♭ so the ear learns the difference between one right-hand finger and another.

  • Primary fingering: Thumb hole + Left index (hole 1) + Left middle (hole 2) + Left ring (hole 3) + Right middle (hole 5)
  • Written pitch: B3 · Concert pitch: A3
  • Sounding frequency: 220.00 Hz

Alternate fingerings for Low B

  • 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.

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.