Each partial has its own tendencies, and each instrument is slightly different. Now that you know this, you don’t have to memorize anything. For more information, check out my article on intonation. 3/4 E-flat Tuba Fingering. If your eyes just glazed over with confusion, I strongly urge you to keep thinking about this until it makes sense (or consult the fingering charts below). Students are loving this new feature. A 2 means the “second valve,” otherwise known as the valve under your middle finger. If you’re at the level that you’re doing this, you probably don’t need this chart, though. Low E is played 2-4 instead of 1-2-3, low F is played 4 instead of 1-3, low B-natural is played 2-4 instead of 1-2-3, and low C is played 4 instead of 1-3. This article will give you the standard tuba and euphonium fingering charts. Here are the extended notes with non-compensating valves (since most B-flat tubas are non-compensating): I’ll stick in a cautionary note that everything in this range is in flux, depending on the instrument. Go here for the master list of all of our Tuba Fingering Charts. Double check with a tuner. A valve instrument changes the length of tubing by pressing a set of valves down. The number of times I've turned up to a school for a workshop, band camp or other event, gone to help out the Tuba player who is obviously struggling and realised very quickly that they are trying to play an Eb Tuba like it's a Bb Tuba - is truly staggering. Double check with a tuner. Basic Fingering Charts – Limited to notes introduced in the first semester to year of instruction, B-flat to F together on one row – all instruments. It will take quite a bit of time and practice to become natural. Then from the open fingering up to the F with an open fingering is called the third partial. All of the notes between two sets of open fingerings are called a partial. Fingerings are given below with the standard notation of “1, 2, 3, 4.” A 1 means press the valve down under your “first finger,” otherwise known as your index finger. This free chart shows young musicians how the notes on the tuba are organized by fingering and partial, making them easier to memorize. The notation of 0 means a totally open fingering (no valves pressed down). Some of the notes are pretty close, and others are very far off. Mallet Percussion (Bells, Xylophone) Basic Scale Sheets – B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, F, and C Concert Scales, each pitch is annotated to reinforce the key signature. This should help you understand new fingerings when you don’t have a chart available and will help you work out good alternate fingerings. Many people try to correct for this by using 1-3 for C and 1-2 for D. High G is normally quite sharp, and so people bring the note down by playing it with the third valve instead of 1-2. Tuba Fingering Chart 4-Valve.pdf This is because changing the number of valves down moves the fundamental. Is yours a different type of Tuba? BBb Tuba 14 21 28 35 BBb Tuba Fingering Chart Non-Compensating 4 Valve www.norlanbewley.com Norlan Bewley Cb N/A Gb 2-3 Db 2-3 A# c 1-2-3-4 G 1-2 or 3 1-2 or 3 E Db 1-3-4 0 or 1 E 2-4 or 1-2-3 Plus, it shows which partial each note is on (a bonus for struggling tuba players). Any time you used to play 1-3, you can replace this with 4. To learn more about the compensating valve system see https://www.norlanbewley.com/holton490.htm. The seventh partial is extremely flat to the point that I put parentheses around it in the first position chart. Note: Alternate fingerings just change the partial you are in. Basic Fingering Charts – Limited to notes introduced in the first semester to year of instruction, B … The fifth partial is when you play these notes with the given fingerings (again down an octave for tuba). The fourth valve basically exists to give you a set of tube lengths that help you fix the problems mentioned in the previous section on partials and tuning. The fourth valve also allows you to extend the length of tubing with combinations not possible before, like 1-2-4. These notes will naturally be a little sharp. Have a question or want to discuss music, low brass performance or instruments, or music education? The 3 means your ring finger, and the 4 means the fourth valve, if you have one. A 2 means the “second valve,” otherwise known as the valve under your middle finger. Arrangements and original compositions by Norlan Bewley: tuba-euphonium quartet & ensemble sheet music, Treble Clef F attachment Trigger Trombone, Compensating Treble Clef 4 Valve BBb Tuba, Compensating Treble Clef 4 Valve Euphonium, https://www.norlanbewley.com/holton490.htm, Go here for the master list of all of our Tuba Fingering Charts, Sheet Music: Santa Wants a Tuba for Christmas. Mallet Percussion (Bells, Xylophone) Basic Scale Sheets – B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, F, and C Concert Scales, each pitch is annotated to reinforce the key signature. The fifth partial is quite low and these might require alternate fingerings on your instrument. Every instrument will be slightly different, but the general trends are the same. You’ll also learn a lot when you start to notice the trends of your instrument. Non-compensating horns can technically “play” the B-natural with 1-2-3-4 and then lipping it down. You may have noticed that fingerings repeat in the above fingering charts. Fingering and Trill Charts for every instrument.