BB♭ Sousaphone
A♭3 on the BB♭ Sousaphone
Written A♭3. Tap the diagram to hear it.
A♭3
8th partial
A♭3 is the 8th partial with valve 1, 2 semitones below open B♭3. Up here the slots are only a step apart, so hear the note before you play it. This high note is rare in sousaphone parts; reach it with air speed and save your chops for the show.
About this note
A♭3 is the 8th partial with valve 1, 2 semitones below open B♭3. Up here the slots are only a step apart, so hear the note before you play it. This high note is rare in sousaphone parts; reach it with air speed and save your chops for the show.
- Primary fingering: Valves 1
- Written pitch: A♭3
- Sounding frequency: 207.65 Hz
- Harmonic partial: 8 — the valves set the tube length, but your air and embouchure select the partial.
Fingerings to avoid for A♭3
- Open (7th partial): Open (no valves). The open 7th partial sounds roughly this pitch but about a third of a semitone flat; listed for reference only, not as a usable fingering.
BB♭ Sousaphone 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.