Bass Clarinet Note Chart
Bass clarinet in B♭ · written E♭3–C6, every semitone · chalumeau, throat and clarion registers · tap to hear
How to play
- Bass clarinet uses the same fingerings as the ordinary B♭ clarinet across this whole range — if you play one you can play the other. It just sounds an octave lower.
- The twelfth rule: every note from B4 upward is the fingering of the note a twelfth (an octave plus a fifth) below, plus the register key. A clarinet overblows at the twelfth, not the octave — that is the single biggest difference from every other woodwind, and it is why the fingerings look the way they do.
- The five throat tones (F♯4, G4, G♯4, A4, B♭4) are the awkward ones. They break the pattern entirely, and your thumb comes off the hole for all of them. G4 is completely open — no keys at all.
- Low E♭3 uses the extension key that bass clarinets have and sopranos do not. Professional instruments extend further still, down to a written C3.
- Tap a note to see which keys and holes to cover and hear the pitch. The bass clarinet uses the same fingerings as the B♭ soprano clarinet — it just sounds far lower.
- The diagram groups the keys the way you hold it: the back register and thumb keys (plus the throat A key), the three left‑hand holes, the three right‑hand holes, and the little‑finger E and F keys. A filled circle means cover it.
- Cover the thumb + all six holes for G, then lift one finger at a time to climb up to open G (the throat tone). A and B♭ use the side A key.
- Transposing: written notes sound a major 9th lower on a bass clarinet. Play note repeats; Play all runs up the range. Vol sets volume.
- Tip — the register key (left thumb) jumps each fingering up a twelfth into the clarion register.
You can see fingerings for every note and hear full range of the bass clarinet as you play along. You’re able to tap on any note in the grid to see its exact fingering position or run through whole scale automatically. This is a useful tool for practicing fingering patterns and hearing how changing key affects the pitch.
To begin with, select a note from the grid at the left-hand side of interface. As you click each note it will update big display on the right with the note’s name and also its frequency measured in hertz. Below this are some diagram that light up to show you what notes to cover and which keys or holes to press.
How to Use the Bass Clarinet Fingering Chart
If they’re filled-in circles then the note is played, or hole is covered. If they’re open circles then the note isn’t played or the hole is not covered. Controls have been logically grouped in the diagram based off where they are held on the instrument. From top down the diagram illustrates back and throat keys including register key and thumb hole. Next are finger holes for right hand and then left hand. Side tone keys and little finger keys is listed below.
You might notice a play note button next to each one which will sound if clicked, or you can simply click directly on the diagram and it will repeat the chosen pitch. The full pitch range of the instrument is Eb3-C6. To get an ear for just how far up or down the bass clarinet sounds, use the play all button to listen through its entire range. You can click again to stop it at any time. You can also set volume level as you wish before hitting the play button.
Pressing the help button opens up the help panel which has some quick information about transposition and fingering. It also explains standard pattern, throat tones, and the twelfth overblow rule. The fullscreen button will expand the widget to fill your screen making it easier to see. If you’re projecting your screen this can be quite helpful. If you simply prefer a cleaner view then that’s helpful too.
The fingerings on a bass clarinet is the same as those on soprano Bb clarinet. However, it is an octave below what you write for. This chart is an easy way of matching what you have written down against what pitch you play. It spans the registers: Chalumeau (the lower part), Throat (five awkward tones from F4), and Clarion (higher section).
Notice that thumb falls away for five tricky throat tones. Click through the scale slowly and let your fingers absorb the pattern. Note that fingering pattern above B4 are changed by change in register key. Listen as it smoothly switches from one register to another using the play all feature. Keep the volume down where it is comfortabley so you can concentrate on the pitch.
There’s all of information you need to dive into the range of the bass clarinet. You can click on the grid and it will give you fingerings for any piece you might be working on. The audio feedback will help double-check your aural learning. Play with the available key combinations and different registers.