BB♭ Sousaphone
D♭3 on the BB♭ Sousaphone
Written D♭3. Tap the diagram to hear it.
D♭3
5th partialBeginner note
D♭3 is the 5th partial with valve 2, 1 semitone below open D3. The 5th partial sits flat on every valved brass instrument, so keep the air moving and the pitch up. The fifth partial sits flat; keep the air moving so the note does not sag under the band.
About this note
D♭3 is the 5th partial with valve 2, 1 semitone below open D3. The 5th partial sits flat on every valved brass instrument, so keep the air moving and the pitch up. The fifth partial sits flat; keep the air moving so the note does not sag under the band.
- Primary fingering: Valves 2
- Written pitch: D♭3
- Sounding frequency: 138.59 Hz
- Harmonic partial: 5 — the valves set the tube length, but your air and embouchure select the partial.
Alternate fingerings for D♭3
- 2-3: Valves 2 + 3. A 6th-partial fingering for the same note, a standard substitute when it is approached from above.
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.