Clarinet fingering · Note B♭
How to Play B Flat on Clarinet
This guide shows how to play B flat on clarinet in all three octaves of a standard B♭ Boehm clarinet: middle B♭4, low B♭3 and high B♭5. 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 B Flat (B♭4): the middle line of the staff
Written B♭4 · Throat tones · Sounds as concert A♭4
B♭4 is the highest of the four throat tones. The thumb hole stays open; press the top A key and the register key together.
Leave the thumb hole open. Press the register key. 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 B Flat (B♭3): just below middle C
Written B♭3 · Chalumeau · Sounds as concert A♭3
B♭3 is in the low chalumeau register. Cover the thumb hole, the three left-hand holes and the first right-hand hole.
Cover the thumb hole. Leave the register key released. Cover left-hand index, middle, ring holes. Cover right-hand index hole.
- No additional side or little-finger keys.
Synthetic concert-pitch tone · A4 = 440 Hz. Not a clarinet recording.
Reference tone stopped
High B Flat (B♭5): above the first ledger line
Written B♭5 · Clarion · Sounds as concert A♭5
B♭5 is in the upper clarion register. It adds the right-hand lowest side key (E♭/B♭) to two left-hand fingers, the thumb hole and the register key.
Cover the thumb hole. Press the register key. Cover left-hand index, middle holes. Leave all right-hand holes open.
- Also press RH lowest side key (E♭/B♭).
Same fingers as E♭4, plus the register key.
Synthetic concert-pitch tone · A4 = 440 Hz. Not a clarinet recording.
Reference tone stopped
Which B Flat Is in Your Music?
Before you play B flat on clarinet, find the note on the staff. B♭ on the middle line of the treble staff is B♭4, the middle B flat. Low B♭3 hangs just below the middle C ledger line, and high B♭5 sits just above the first ledger line above the staff. A♯ is the same pitch with a different name, so A♯ uses the same fingering as B♭ in each octave.
Written B♭ on a B♭ clarinet sounds a whole step lower, as concert A♭. The reference tone on this page plays that concert pitch.
Playing B Flat on Clarinet in the Throat Register
The fingering for B flat on a clarinet changes with each octave, and the middle one is the least obvious. B♭4 uses the register key even though it is not in the clarion register: with the thumb hole open, the register key and the top A key together sound B♭4. It is the last note before the break.
From B♭4, the next note up, B4, covers every finger hole and closes the thumb hole. Practise B♭4 to B4 slowly so that the thumb, fingers and little finger arrive together.
From B Flat to C: Crossing the Break
Going from middle B flat on clarinet, B♭4, up to C5 is the most common way players meet the break. The top A key comes off, the thumb closes its hole, all six fingers go down and one little finger presses an F/C key, while the register key stays pressed. Keep the register key down through the change and move every other finger at once.
Concert B Flat on Clarinet
Concert B flat is a different note from the written B♭ on this page. Bands often tune to concert B♭, and on a B♭ clarinet that note is written C. To play concert B flat on clarinet, finger written C5, or written C4 for the lower octave. That is also why the instrument is called a B♭ clarinet: its written C sounds as concert B♭.
What Is the B Flat Clarinet?
The B♭ clarinet is the standard soprano clarinet played in school bands, wind ensembles and orchestras, and it is the instrument this site covers. It is a transposing instrument: written C sounds as concert B♭. Orchestras also use a slightly longer clarinet in A, which sounds a minor third below written pitch; Yamaha’s instrument guide explains the difference between the two.
So “B flat on clarinet” can mean two things: the written note B♭ in your part, which this page shows how to finger, or the B♭ clarinet itself. Both use the same Boehm fingering for each written note.
B♭ Clarinet Fingering FAQ
Is B flat on clarinet the same as A sharp?
Yes. A♯ and B♭ name the same pitch here, so they share one fingering in each octave. Only the name and the staff notation change.
What note is concert B flat on clarinet?
Written C. Concert B♭4 is written C5 and concert B♭3 is written C4 on a B♭ clarinet. The written B♭ on this page sounds as concert A♭.
How is high B♭5 related to low E♭4?
B♭5 uses the E♭4 fingering with the register key pressed: the thumb hole, two left-hand fingers and the right-hand lowest side key.
Are there other ways to play B flat on clarinet?
Yes. Players use alternate fingerings for middle B♭4, especially in fast passages and for tuning, and the Woodwind Fingering Guide lists several. This page shows the basic fingering only.
Why is B so hard to play on clarinet?
Written B4 is the first note above the break. The thumb hole, all six finger holes, the register key and a little-finger E/B key must all close together, so a small leak stops the note. B♭4, just below it, uses almost no fingers, which makes the change feel large.
Does this page cover B flat trills?
No. Trill and resonance fingerings for B♭4 depend on the passage and are outside this site’s basic fingerings.
More Clarinet Fingerings
Sources for These B♭ Fingerings
Each B♭ 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 — Alternate 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