A♭3 on the BB♭ Tuba

To play A♭3 on tuba, press valve 1.

Now showing

A♭3

Valve 1

Written: A♭3
Sounds: A♭3
Partial: 8th

What’s a partial?

With the same valves down your lips can buzz several notes. Each one is a partial, counted from the lowest. A♭3 is the 8th.

Play along: hear the note for 2 beats, then you play it for 2.

Tip · A♭3

Blowing harder will not find this note; a faster airstream behind a firmer aperture will.

E1Low E F1Low F G♭1Low G♭G1Low G A♭1Low A♭A1Low A B♭1B1 C2 D♭2D2 E♭2E2 F2 G♭2G2 A♭2A2 B♭2B2 C3 D♭3D3 E♭3E3 F3 G♭3G3 A♭3A3 B♭3High B♭

Practice this

Speed72BPM

Tip · A♭3

Blowing harder will not find this note; a faster airstream behind a firmer aperture will.

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteG3Valves 1 + 2 Next noteA3Valve 2 Full chartAll 31 tuba notesThe whole fingering chart ScaleConcert B♭ majorWritten B♭ major, fingering under every note TrainerNote trainerRead bass clef notes PrintPrintable PDFLetter · A4 · blank

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Alternate fingerings for A♭3

Each alternate has its own link. Send it to a student and the page opens with that fingering on the big diagram.

Not recommendedOpen (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.

Same fingering, different note

Your lips choose between these notes: the fingering stays the same.

A♭1Low A♭E♭23rd partial A♭24th partial C35th partial E♭36th partial

More for advanced players

Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

A♭3 sounds A♭3 (the tuba reads at concert pitch). It is on the 8th partial.

Eighth partial with valve 1. Blowing harder will not find this note; a faster airstream behind a firmer aperture will.

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 (the shape of your lips) 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.

Questions

How do you play A♭3 on tuba?

To play A♭3 on tuba, press valve 1. A♭3 sounds A♭3 (the tuba reads at concert pitch). It is on the 8th partial.

Is A♭3 written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. It sounds A♭3.

Is there another fingering for A♭3?

Open (7th partial): 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. (not recommended)

BB♭ Tuba fingering data last updated 22 October 2026. Every diagram here, in the printable PDF and in the chart image comes from one dataset, so the paper and the screen cannot disagree.