BB♭ Sousaphone
D3 on the BB♭ Sousaphone
Written D3. Tap the diagram to hear it.
D3 is an open note on the 5th partial: no valves down, so the lip alone picks the slot. 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
D3 is an open note on the 5th partial: no valves down, so the lip alone picks the slot. 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: Open (no valves)
- Written pitch: D3
- Sounding frequency: 146.83 Hz
- Harmonic partial: 5 — the valves set the tube length, but your air and embouchure select the partial.
Alternate fingerings for D3
- 1-2: Valves 1 + 2. Places D3 on the 6th partial rather than the flat 5th — a trill and flexibility 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.