Chromatic Scale on Clarinet
T thumb hole R register key
How to play it
Chromatic Scale: notes and fingerings
Every semitone, up with sharps and down with flats. Practice every fingering on your clarinet, from low E across the break to high C.
Written notes for B♭ clarinet. The table shows the Boehm system. For the German system, use the switch next to the clarinet in the tool. T is the thumb hole, R the register key, the dots your six finger holes. Tap any note in the tool to hear it.
How to read the fingerings
T is the thumb hole, R the register key, both on the back. The dots are the six finger holes: left hand on top, right hand below. Filled means closed.
Your C sounds B♭
The notes here are written for B♭ clarinet, which sounds one whole step lower. So the F Major Scale is the concert E♭ Major Scale your band plays.
Start slowly
Begin at 60 BPM with the click on. Play every note full and steady. Speed up only when it feels easy.
tonestro
24 clarinet scales in the tonestro app
Play along and finally know if it's right. Right notes turn green. Missed one? Play it again.
Questions about the Chromatic Scale
What are the fingerings of the Chromatic Scale on clarinet?
Boehm system: E3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH E/B. F3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH F/C. F♯3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH F♯/C♯. G3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3. G♯3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH A♭/E♭. A3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2. A♯3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1. B3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 2. C4: thumb, LH 1 2 3. C♯4: thumb, LH 1 2 3, LH C♯/G♯. D4: thumb, LH 1 2. D♯4: thumb, LH 1 2, side 4. E4: thumb, LH 1. F4: thumb. F♯4: LH 1. G4: open. G♯4: G♯. A4: A. A♯4: register key, A. B4: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH E/B. C5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH F/C. C♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH F♯/C♯. D5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3. D♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH A♭/E♭. E5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2. F5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1. F♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 2. G5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3. G♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, LH C♯/G♯. A5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2. A♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2, side 4. B5: thumb, register key, LH 1. C6: thumb, register key.
German system: E3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH E/B, RH F/C. F3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH F/C. F♯3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH F♯/C♯, RH F/C. G3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3. G♯3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH A♭/E♭. A3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2. A♯3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2, B♭/F sliver. B3: thumb, LH 1 2 3, RH 1. C4: thumb, LH 1 2 3. C♯4: thumb, LH 1 2 3, LH C♯/G♯. D4: thumb, LH 1 2. D♯4: thumb, LH 1 2, E♭/B♭ sliver. E4: thumb, LH 1. F4: thumb, LH 1, side 3. F♯4: thumb. G4: open. G♯4: G♯. A4: A. A♯4: register key, A. B4: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH E/B, RH F/C. C5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH F/C. C♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, LH F♯/C♯, RH F/C. D5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3. D♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, RH A♭/E♭. E5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2. F5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2, B♭/F sliver. F♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, RH 1. G5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3. G♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2 3, LH C♯/G♯. A5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2. A♯5: thumb, register key, LH 1 2, E♭/B♭ sliver. B5: thumb, register key, LH 1. C6: thumb, register key, LH 2.
Which notes use a key for the little finger?
Boehm system: E3, F3, F♯3, G♯3, C♯4, B4, C5, C♯5, D♯5 and G♯5. Most of these keys come in pairs, one for each hand, so you can move from one note to the next without sliding the same finger.
German system: E3, F3, F♯3, G♯3, C♯4, B4, C5, C♯5, D♯5 and G♯5.
How do I practice the Chromatic Scale?
Start with one octave from low E at 60 BPM. Say the fingering before you play each note. When it feels easy, go for the whole range from low E to high C.
Is this for the Boehm or the German system?
Both. The tool starts with the Boehm system, the standard outside Germany and Austria. Switch to the German (Oehler) system next to the clarinet: the drawing, the fingerings and the words change with it. The table on this page shows the Boehm fingerings.
How fast should I play scales?
Start at 60 BPM with the click on and play every note full and steady. When the scale feels easy twice in a row, go 4 BPM faster.