F3 on the BB♭ Tuba

To play F3 on tuba, press no valves: play it open.

Now showing

Open (no valves)

Written: F3
Sounds: F3
Partial: 6th

What’s a partial?

With the same valves down your lips can buzz several notes. Each one is a partial, counted from the lowest. F3 is the 6th.

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

Tip · F3

Slightly sharp on most instruments, which is why upper F can sound bright against the section.

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♭

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Tip · F3

Slightly sharp on most instruments, which is why upper F can sound bright against the section.

Sound and display

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Previous noteE3Valve 2 Next noteG♭3Valves 2 + 3 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 F3

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

Alternate 11-3Valves 1 + 3. The same pitch off the 8th partial; a flexibility fingering, sharp like all 1-3 combinations.

Same fingering, different note

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

B♭12nd partial F23rd partial B♭24th partial D35th partial B♭3High B♭

More for advanced players

Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

F3 sounds F3 (the tuba reads at concert pitch). It is on the 6th partial.

Open horn on the 6th partial, an octave above F2. Slightly sharp on most instruments, which is why upper F can sound bright against the section.

Primary fingering: Open (no valves)
Written pitch: F3
Sounding frequency: 174.61 Hz
Harmonic partial: 6: the valves set the tube length, but your air and embouchure (the shape of your lips) select the partial.

Alternate fingerings for F3

1-3: Valves 1 + 3. The same pitch off the 8th partial; a flexibility fingering, sharp like all 1-3 combinations.

Questions

How do you play F3 on tuba?

To play F3 on tuba, press no valves: play it open. F3 sounds F3 (the tuba reads at concert pitch). It is on the 6th partial.

Is F3 written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. It sounds F3.

Is there another fingering for F3?

1-3: The same pitch off the 8th partial; a flexibility fingering, sharp like all 1-3 combinations.

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.