Every note with the keys to press. Filled circles are closed holes.
Octave 1 · Bb1 to B1 (2 fingerings)
Bb1
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
Bb B C D 123|E 123F
B1
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
B C D 123|E 123F
Octave 2 · C2 to B2 (12 fingerings)
C2
Standard..
C D 123|E 123F
C#2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
C D 123C#|E 123F
D2
Standard.
D 123|E 123F
Eb2
Standard.
D 123Eb|E 123F
E2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard. (W = Whisper key)
W 123|E 123F
F2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|123F
F#2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|F# 123F
G2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|123
G#2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|123G#
A2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|12-
Bb2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|Bb 12-
B2
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|1--
Octave 3 · C3 to B3 (16 fingerings)
C3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 123|---
C#3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
D C# W 123|---
D3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 12-|---
Eb3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
W 1-3|---
Eb3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Great for pp.
W 1-3|Bb -2-
E3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W 1--|---
F3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard.
W ---|---
F#3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard. Leave >half of LH 1 open.
W ¼23|F# 123F
G3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard. Cover half of LH 1.
W ½23Eb|123
G#3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Standard. Cover >half of LH 1.
W ¾23|123G#
A3
1. Standard.
123|12-
A3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Flick fingering for slurs. (a = high A key)
a 123|12-
Bb3
1. Standard.
123|Bb 12-
Bb3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Flick for slurs.
a 123|Bb 12-
B3
1. Standard.
123|1--
B3
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Flick for slurs. (b = high B key)
b 123|1--
Octave 4 · C4 to B4 (20 fingerings)
C4
1. Standard.
123|---
C4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Flick for slurs.
b 123|---
C#4
Standard.
D C# 123|---
D4
1. Standard.
12-|---
D4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Flick for slurs. (d = high D key)
d 12-|---
Eb4
Standard.
12-|123
E4
Standard.
1-3Eb|123
F4
Standard.
1-3Eb|12-
F#4
1. Standard.
-23Eb|Bb 12-
F#4
2. Standard.
-23Eb|12-F
G4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
W ½23Eb|1--F
G4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
W ½23|1--F
G#4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
W ¾23Eb|--3
G#4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
W ½23Eb|--3
A4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
a C# 123Eb|--3
A4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
a C# 123Eb|---F
Bb4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
a C# 123Eb|12-F
Bb4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
a C# 123|12-F
B4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
b 12-Eb|Bb 12-F
B4
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
b 12-Eb|Bb 1--F
Octave 5 · C5 to G#5 (15 fingerings)
C5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
b 1--Eb|Bb 12-F
C5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
b 1--Eb|Bb 1--F
C#5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
d b 1-3Eb|1-3
C#5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
d 1-3Eb|1-3
D5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
d -½3Eb|Bb --3F
D5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
d -23Eb|Bb --3G#
Eb5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
d -eb-3Eb|Bb --3G#
Eb5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Alternate.
d -eb-3|Bb --3G#
E5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
1. Standard.
C# ½23|G# 123F
E5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
2. Flat.
C# -eb23|-2-F#
F5
1. Bright and full of overtones.
C# 12-|F# 123G#
F5
2. Bright and full of overtones.
C# 12-|F# 123F
F#5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Sources disagree on this fingering.
UNVERIFIED
G5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Sources disagree on this fingering.
a 12-|1--
G#5
No diagram for this fingering: see the written fingering below.
Not verified — no published fingering confirmed. Not listed in standard extended range.
UNVERIFIED
Alternate fingerings
18 notes carry more than one published fingering on the Bassoon. Each option is shown in the chart above with the reason to choose it: Eb3, A3, Bb3, B3, C4, D4, F#4, G4, G#4, A4, Bb4, B4, C5, C#5, D5, Eb5, E5, F5.
Questions
What are all the notes on the Bassoon?
This chart lists every note on the Bassoon from Bb1 to G#5 — 65 fingerings across 5 octaves: octave 1 (2), octave 2 (12), octave 3 (16), octave 4 (20), octave 5 (15). Each note is shown with its written-out fingering; 16 of the 65 also have a diagram.
How do you read this chart?
Each card shows one written note and its fingering written out, so it can be read aloud or copied. A diagram is shown wherever it can show the whole fingering; where it cannot (the whisper key, a flick key, a partly covered hole, the E♭ sliver key, more than four keys, or no confirmed fingering), the card says so and the written fingering stands on its own.
How does the Bassoon transpose?
The Bassoon is non-transposing: it reads and sounds at concert pitch, in bass clef.
What is the range of the Bassoon?
This chart runs from Bb1 to G#5.
Which Bassoon notes have alternate fingerings?
18 notes carry more than one published fingering: Eb3, A3, Bb3, B3, C4, D4, F#4, G4, G#4, A4, Bb4, B4, C5, C#5, D5, Eb5, E5, F5. The chart shows each option with the reason to choose it.
