Clarinet fingering chart for beginners: the first 12 notes

These are the first 12 notes most clarinet players learn, in the order they usually come up in a band book. Each fingering is shown on a diagram of the clarinet, next to the note on the staff. The notes are shown just as they appear in your clarinet music.

Want to drill them? Practice these fingerings in Woodwind Trainer →

How to read a clarinet fingering chart

• Top to bottom is your left hand, then your right hand. The left hand is always on top, nearest the mouthpiece.
• Filled circles are covered or pressed. Empty circles are open. Cover each tone hole completely with the pad of your finger.
• T is the thumb hole on the back, covered by your left thumb. R is the register key, also pressed with your left thumb.
• The small keys on the side are pressed with the side of a finger or with a pinky. The diagram only shows them when a note uses them.

The first five notes

Start with your left hand only. Open G uses no fingers at all. Each note below it adds one more: the thumb for F, then your first, second, and third fingers for E, D, and C.

The throat tones: A and B♭

Above open G are the throat tones, played with small keys at the top of the clarinet. For A, roll the side of your left index finger up onto the A key. For B♭, keep the A key down and add the register key with your thumb.

Roll your finger rather than lifting it. Keeping it close to the tone hole makes the move back to G and below much smoother. These notes sit right below the break; see the clarinet register key and crossing the break.

Low notes and the pinky keys

Below middle C, keep all of your left hand down and add your right hand: just your second finger for B, first and second for A, all three for G. B skips the first finger, so watch that one. The two lowest notes also need pinky keys: F adds the right pinky F key, and E adds the left pinky E key.

The clarinet has pinky keys on both sides, and some notes can be played with either one. That lets you switch hands when two pinky notes come in a row. Your director will show you which side to use in your music.

Common fingering mistakes

• Leaky tone holes. A small gap under any finger makes low notes squeak or not speak. Use the flat pad of your finger, not the tip.
• Lifting fingers too high. Keep fingers hovering just above the holes so you can find them quickly.
• Forgetting the thumb. Every note in this guide except open G and the throat tones needs the thumb hole covered.
• Squeezing harder for low notes. The low notes need a complete seal and steady air, not more pressure from your hands.

Practice these fingerings

• Finger each note silently while saying its name, from open G down to low E and back.
• Play the first five notes as long tones, checking that every hole is sealed.
• Practice G to A to B♭ and back, rolling your finger instead of lifting it.

Then quiz yourself in Woodwind Trainer: you'll see a note and pick (or build) its fingering, so the chart moves from the page into your hands.