Bassoon Fingering Chart

David A. Wells
davidawells.com

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Student v2.1
Diagrams created with the Fingering Diagram Builder by Bret Pimentel • fingering.bretpimentel.com
 Concert Pitch Transposition Chart

Concert Pitch: C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B
Db Eb Gb Ab Bb
Concert Pitch Instruments C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B
Transposition: no change
Piccolo, Flute Db Eb Gb Ab Bb
Oboe, Bassoon
Trombone, Baritone B.C., Tuba
Mallet Percussion

Bb Instruments D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C C#
Transposition: up a major 2nd
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet Eb Gb Ab Bb Db
Soprano Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Trumpet, Baritone T.C.

Eb Instruments A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#
Transposition: down a minor 3rd
Soprano Clarinet Bb Db Eb Gb Ab
Alto Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

F Instruments G G# A A# B C C# D D# E F F#
Transposition: up a perfect 5th
English Horn Ab Bb Db Eb Gb
French Horn

G Instruments F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E
Transposition: up a perfect 4th
Alto Flute Gb Ab Bb Db Eb
+
Bassoon
  Bocals come in three common lengths, with 2 being standard, 1 being
shorter (sharper) and 3 being longer (flatter).  There are also the rarer
sizes of the longer 4 and the shorter 0 and 00.  It harms response to pull
the bocal out because of the "bubble" created in the receiving tube.

  Temperature:  cold = flat, hot = sharp

  Reed strength:  hard reed = sharp, soft reed = flat

  Embouchure:  (usually directly related to reed strength) loose

embouchure = flat, pinched embouchure = sharp

  Range:  lower notes are sharp on many bassoons, but the bass joint can
be pulled a little from the boot, because there is not bridge key
between those two joints.  High range depends on too many factors too
generalize.

  Dynamic range:  Varies by player.  Experienced players flatten in

extremely loud dynamics.  Softer dynamics are harder to generalize. 
Young players usually do not have a wide dynamic range, and the
problem of flatting in a diminuendo is really caused by reed, air and
embouchure.
 Rhythm Sheet #1

2 3 4

                

5 6 7 8

             

9 10 11 12

            

13 14 15 16

                       

17 18 19 20

                        

21 22 23 24

                    

25 26 27 28

                      

29 30 31 32

                        
    
 Rhythm Sheet #2

2 3 4

      

  

        
  

5 6 7 8

              

     


9 10 11 12

                               

13 14 15 16

                             

17 18 19 20

                 
 

21 22 23 24

                          

25 26 27 28

                       

29 30 31 32

                       
    
 Rhythm Sheet #3

2 3 4

                   

5 6 7 8

                



9 10

                      


11 12

                        


13 14 15 16

                                  

17 18 19 20

                                

21 22 23 24

                     

       

25 26 27 28

                                   

29 30 31 32

                                  
 Rhythm Sheet #4

2 3 4

                    

   

5 6 7 8

                   



9 10 11 12

          

3 3 3 3 3

13 14 15 16

                 
3 3

3 3

17 18 19 20

                            

21 22

                    

23 24

                     

25 26 27 28

                
  
 

29 30 31 32

                       

 Rhythm Sheet #5

2 3 4

                 

5 6

                      


7 8

  



     

 

    




9 10 11 12

                


13 14 15 16

    

          

   

17 18 19 20

            
  

21 22 23 24

                    
  

25 26 27 28

                           

29 30 31 32

                     
 

 Rhythm Sheet #6

2 3 4

              

    


5 6 7 8

                



9 10 11 12

                        
    

13 14 15 16

                 
   

17 18 19 20

                        
 

21 22 23 24

                      
 

25 26 27 28

                      
 

29 30 31 32

                         
 
 Rhythm Sheet #7
2 3 4

                 

5 6 7 8

                   

9 10 11 12

                    

13 14 15 16

   

      

 

    


17 18 19 20

          

      

21 22 23 24

                  

    


25 26 27 28

                        

29 30 31 32

                       
 Rhythm Sheet #8
  2  3   4  
              

5 6  7   8 
  

 



 



 


9 10 11   12  
         


13 14  15   16  
             
 


17  18  19  20  
         

  

   


21 22 23 24 
           
 

25 26 27  28 
          

29  30 31   32 
   

        
 Slowly ( )

2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17

Slowly ( )

2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16
 Expressively ( )

2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

10 13 14 15

16 18 19

20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

32 33 34 35 36