Clarinet fingering · Note A
How to Play an A on the Clarinet
This guide shows how to play an A on the clarinet in all three octaves of a standard B♭ Boehm clarinet: middle A4, low A3 and high A5. Each fingering has the written note on the staff, a hole diagram, the extra keys in words and a reference tone you can play.
Standard Boehm B♭ soprano clarinet · Written pitch · Source-cross-checked fingerings
Middle A (A4): the A in the second space of the staff
Written A4 · Throat tones · Sounds as concert G4
A4 is one of the four throat tones, from G4 to B♭4. It needs no finger holes at all: the thumb hole stays open and you press only the top A key with the side of your left index finger.
Leave the thumb hole open. Leave the register key released. Leave all left-hand holes open. Leave all right-hand holes open.
- Also press Top A key.
Synthetic concert-pitch tone · A4 = 440 Hz. Not a clarinet recording.
Reference tone stopped
Low A (A3): two ledger lines below the staff
Written A3 · Chalumeau · Sounds as concert G3
A3 is in the low chalumeau register. Cover the thumb hole, the three left-hand holes and the first two right-hand holes; the register key stays released.
Cover the thumb hole. Leave the register key released. Cover left-hand index, middle, ring holes. Cover right-hand index, middle holes.
- No additional side or little-finger keys.
Synthetic concert-pitch tone · A4 = 440 Hz. Not a clarinet recording.
Reference tone stopped
High A (A5): the first ledger line above the staff
Written A5 · Clarion · Sounds as concert G5
A5 is in the upper clarion register, so the register key is pressed together with the thumb hole and two left-hand fingers.
Cover the thumb hole. Press the register key. Cover left-hand index, middle holes. Leave all right-hand holes open.
- No additional side or little-finger keys.
Same fingers as D4, plus the register key.
Synthetic concert-pitch tone · A4 = 440 Hz. Not a clarinet recording.
Reference tone stopped
Which A Is in Your Music?
Before you work out how to play an A on the clarinet, find the note on the staff. A in the second space of the treble staff is A4, often called middle A. Two ledger lines below the staff is low A3, and the first ledger line above the staff is high A5. Each A uses a different fingering, so check the octave before you play.
A B♭ clarinet part is written a whole step higher than it sounds, so the A you read sounds as concert G. Written A4 sounds as concert G4; the reference tone on this page plays that concert pitch.
How to Play an A on the Clarinet, Step by Step
Learning how to play an A on a clarinet comes down to five checks. First, name the octave: middle A4, low A3 or high A5. Second, set the thumb: A4 leaves the thumb hole open, while A3 and A5 cover it. Third, set the register key: only A5 uses it. Fourth, place the fingers shown in the diagram and check the key list for anything extra, such as the top A key for A4. Finally, play the reference tone and compare it with the note you hear.
If the note sounds a step too low or too high, the fingering is usually right but belongs to a different octave. Look again at where the note sits on the staff.
Moving Between the Three A Fingerings
Going from A4 up to A5 changes almost everything: the thumb and register key go down, the top A key comes off and two left-hand fingers cover their holes. Practise the two notes slowly back and forth until the change feels like one movement.
A4 to B4 crosses the break, where the fingering moves from the throat tones to the clarion register. If that change is new, read the B4 and C5 diagrams in the full clarinet fingering chart.
How to Play Concert A on Clarinet
Concert A is the tuning note many orchestras use, A4 at 440 Hz. On a B♭ clarinet it is written B4, not A. To play concert A, finger written B4: cover the thumb hole and all six finger holes, press the register key and press one little-finger E/B key, left or right.
So if a conductor asks for an A, play written B4. If your music shows a written A, the octave sections above show how to play an A on the clarinet.
A Sharp and A Flat on Clarinet
A♯ is the same pitch as B♭, so A sharp uses the B flat fingering in each octave. A♭ is the same pitch as G♯. Written G♯4 / A♭4 is another throat tone: leave the thumb hole open and press only the left-hand side G♯ key.
Is There a Clarinet in A?
Yes. Besides the B♭ clarinet, orchestras use a clarinet in A. It is slightly longer and sounds a minor third below the written note, while the B♭ clarinet sounds a whole step below. Yamaha’s instrument guide explains how the two relate. Both use the same Boehm fingering for a written note, so the fingerings on this page also show how to play an A on the clarinet in A; only the sounding pitch changes.
The reference tones on this page are for the B♭ clarinet. On an A clarinet, written A4 sounds as concert F♯4.
A Clarinet Fingering FAQ
What note is A on a clarinet?
On a B♭ clarinet, the written A in the second space of the staff is A4 and sounds as concert G4. Low A3 and high A5 are the same letter one octave below and above, each with its own fingering.
Why does my middle A sound weak or out of tune?
A4 is a throat tone that uses only one key, so it can sound thinner than the notes around it. The International Clarinet Association describes resonance fingerings that some players add for tone and tuning. They are optional, so ask your teacher before you change the basic fingering.
Is the A fingering the same in every octave?
No. A3 covers the thumb hole, three left-hand holes and two right-hand holes. A4 uses only the top A key. A5 uses the D4 fingering with the register key pressed.
Is written A on the clarinet the same as concert A?
No. On a B♭ clarinet written A sounds a whole step lower, as concert G. Concert A is written B4. The play button on this page plays concert pitch.
What is the easiest way to learn how to play an A on the clarinet?
Start with middle A4. It uses one key and no finger holes, so you can focus on the sound. Then learn low A3, which is the middle C4 fingering plus two right-hand fingers, and high A5 last.
How do you play altissimo A on clarinet?
Altissimo A, written A6, is above the range of this site, which stops at written C6. Ask a teacher or use an altissimo chart for your instrument.
What if my clarinet is not a Boehm-system B♭ clarinet?
These fingerings are for the standard Boehm-system B♭ soprano clarinet. Bass clarinet, German/Oehler systems and other instruments may differ.
More Clarinet Fingerings
Sources for These A Fingerings
Each A fingering on this page matches the basic Boehm fingering in both Yamaha’s fingering guide and the Woodwind Fingering Guide. The written-to-concert pitch relationship follows Yamaha’s explanation of the B♭ clarinet. For the throat tone, the International Clarinet Association describes optional resonance fingerings that players may use for tone and tuning; this page shows the basic fingering only. The diagrams are original drawings, not copies of source artwork, and source agreement is not the same as approval by a named teacher. Read how we check the fingerings or report a possible error.
- Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide — Fingering diagram for the clarinet (Boehm system)
- The Woodwind Fingering Guide — Basic fingering chart for Boehm clarinet, chalumeau register (E3–B♭4)
- The Woodwind Fingering Guide — Basic fingering chart for Boehm clarinet, clarion register (B4–C6)
- Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide — Written and sounding pitch of the B♭ and A clarinets
- International Clarinet Association — Tip: Throat tones