Tuba Fingerings and Play-Along
Press a note to see which valves go down and hear how deep it should sound. Choose the BB♭ or E♭ tuba in bass clef, or treble clef parts, then play along with a tune or start the first lessons.
Private by design: the chart and the lessons never use the microphone; in the play-along it is used only if you press Listen, and stays on this device. Nothing is recorded, saved or sent.
Keyboard: Tab to the notes, then the arrow keys move from note to note and play each one.
Play along with a tune
Starter tunes and the free library of over 2,000 pieces (only the ones that fit), with the valves for every note as it scrolls past. Slow it down, or switch on wait mode so the music waits for you.
First lessons
Two short lessons for beginners, for the instrument and clef chosen in the chart. Each step says how it is assessed:
- Graded by Classfern – questions on valves, notes and concert pitch.
- Self-assessed – the playing steps and the “I can” checklist: you check them off when you have done them.
- Judged by a teacher or parent (rubric) – sound, right notes and keeping going.
- Evidence kept at home – a practice diary and a recording on your own device; Classfern only keeps a list.
Lesson 1: your first notes
Breathing and buzzing, your first five notes and their valves, long notes and Hot Cross Buns.
Lesson 2: first tunes
More notes, then Mary Had a Little Lamb and Lightly Row with the play-along.
Your answers stay on this device. More theory and ear training tests.
How it works
Press a note in the chart to see its valves and hear it; the diagram moves to show the change. Play the notes in order plays them one after another. Open the play-along to pick a tune: the notes scroll to the left and each one is played as it reaches the green line, while the box on the left shows the valves. Use Speed to slow down – 50% is a good start.
Wait mode
With wait mode on, the music stops at each note until you press the matching note button, the note’s letter on the computer keyboard (A–G), or Space once you have played it. It counts right and wrong presses. Without Listen the page cannot hear you, so it is honest practice for reading and fingering, and your teacher or your ears check the sound.
Kids’ mode
Kids’ mode makes the buttons bigger and switches color notes on (C red, D orange, E yellow, F green, G teal, A blue, B purple). The note names are always shown too, so color is never the only clue. The setting is shared with the other Classfern Music pages.
Bass clef, treble clef, BB♭ and E♭
US schools, orchestras and wind bands use the tuba in bass clef at concert pitch: the note you read is the note the piano plays. Most school tubas are in BB♭; the E♭ tuba has different fingerings for the same note, so choose yours in Instrument and clef. Some parts (for example in brass bands) are in the treble clef, with exactly the same written valves as the trumpet: E♭ tuba parts are written an octave and a major 6th higher than they sound, and BB♭ parts two octaves and a whole step higher. The chart and the play-along show the written note with the concert (piano) note beside it.
Valves
Valve 1 is the one under your first finger. On a BB♭ tuba, B♭, F and the B♭ above are all “open” (no valves), and your lips and air choose between them – the lower the note, the looser your lips and the slower and warmer the air. The chart is for three valves. Many tubas have a 4th valve, which gives other (often better in tune) fingerings for the low notes, such as 4 in place of 1 + 3 – your teacher will show you.
Valve chart
Notes in gray are outside the beginner range.
| Written note | Valves |
|---|---|
| E1 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| F1 | 1 + 3 |
| F♯1/G♭1 | 2 + 3 |
| G1 | 1 + 2 |
| A♭1/G♯1 | 1 |
| A1 | 2 |
| B♭1/A♯1 | open |
| B1 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| C2 | 1 + 3 |
| C♯2/D♭2 | 2 + 3 |
| D2 | 1 + 2 |
| E♭2/D♯2 | 1 |
| E2 | 2 |
| F2 | open |
| F♯2/G♭2 | 2 + 3 |
| G2 | 1 + 2 |
| A♭2/G♯2 | 1 |
| A2 | 2 |
| B♭2/A♯2 | open |
| B2 | 1 + 2 |
| C3 | 1 |
| C♯3/D♭3 | 2 |
| D3 | open |
| E♭3/D♯3 | 1 |
| E3 | 2 |
| F3 | open |
| F♯3/G♭3 | 2 + 3 |
| G3 | 1 + 2 |
| A♭3/G♯3 | 1 |
| A3 | 2 |
| B♭3/A♯3 | open |
| Written note | Valves |
|---|---|
| A1 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| B♭1/A♯1 | 1 + 3 |
| B1 | 2 + 3 |
| C2 | 1 + 2 |
| C♯2/D♭2 | 1 |
| D2 | 2 |
| E♭2/D♯2 | open |
| E2 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| F2 | 1 + 3 |
| F♯2/G♭2 | 2 + 3 |
| G2 | 1 + 2 |
| A♭2/G♯2 | 1 |
| A2 | 2 |
| B♭2/A♯2 | open |
| B2 | 2 + 3 |
| C3 | 1 + 2 |
| C♯3/D♭3 | 1 |
| D3 | 2 |
| E♭3/D♯3 | open |
| E3 | 1 + 2 |
| F3 | 1 |
| F♯3/G♭3 | 2 |
| G3 | open |
| A♭3/G♯3 | 1 |
| A3 | 2 |
| B♭3/A♯3 | open |
| B3 | 2 + 3 |
| C4 | 1 + 2 |
| C♯4/D♭4 | 1 |
| D4 | 2 |
| E♭4/D♯4 | open |
| Written note | Sounds (concert) | Valves |
|---|---|---|
| F♯3/G♭3 | A1 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| G3 | B♭1/A♯1 | 1 + 3 |
| A♭3/G♯3 | B1 | 2 + 3 |
| A3 | C2 | 1 + 2 |
| B♭3/A♯3 | C♯2/D♭2 | 1 |
| B3 | D2 | 2 |
| C4 | E♭2/D♯2 | open |
| C♯4/D♭4 | E2 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| D4 | F2 | 1 + 3 |
| E♭4/D♯4 | F♯2/G♭2 | 2 + 3 |
| E4 | G2 | 1 + 2 |
| F4 | A♭2/G♯2 | 1 |
| F♯4/G♭4 | A2 | 2 |
| G4 | B♭2/A♯2 | open |
| A♭4/G♯4 | B2 | 2 + 3 |
| A4 | C3 | 1 + 2 |
| B♭4/A♯4 | C♯3/D♭3 | 1 |
| B4 | D3 | 2 |
| C5 | E♭3/D♯3 | open |
| C♯5/D♭5 | E3 | 1 + 2 |
| D5 | F3 | 1 |
| E♭5/D♯5 | F♯3/G♭3 | 2 |
| E5 | G3 | open |
| F5 | A♭3/G♯3 | 1 |
| F♯5/G♭5 | A3 | 2 |
| G5 | B♭3/A♯3 | open |
| A♭5/G♯5 | B3 | 2 + 3 |
| A5 | C4 | 1 + 2 |
| B♭5/A♯5 | C♯4/D♭4 | 1 |
| B5 | D4 | 2 |
| C6 | E♭4/D♯4 | open |
| Written note | Sounds (concert) | Valves |
|---|---|---|
| F♯3/G♭3 | E1 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| G3 | F1 | 1 + 3 |
| A♭3/G♯3 | F♯1/G♭1 | 2 + 3 |
| A3 | G1 | 1 + 2 |
| B♭3/A♯3 | A♭1/G♯1 | 1 |
| B3 | A1 | 2 |
| C4 | B♭1/A♯1 | open |
| C♯4/D♭4 | B1 | 1 + 2 + 3 |
| D4 | C2 | 1 + 3 |
| E♭4/D♯4 | C♯2/D♭2 | 2 + 3 |
| E4 | D2 | 1 + 2 |
| F4 | E♭2/D♯2 | 1 |
| F♯4/G♭4 | E2 | 2 |
| G4 | F2 | open |
| A♭4/G♯4 | F♯2/G♭2 | 2 + 3 |
| A4 | G2 | 1 + 2 |
| B♭4/A♯4 | A♭2/G♯2 | 1 |
| B4 | A2 | 2 |
| C5 | B♭2/A♯2 | open |
| C♯5/D♭5 | B2 | 1 + 2 |
| D5 | C3 | 1 |
| E♭5/D♯5 | C♯3/D♭3 | 2 |
| E5 | D3 | open |
| F5 | E♭3/D♯3 | 1 |
| F♯5/G♭5 | E3 | 2 |
| G5 | F3 | open |
| A♭5/G♯5 | F♯3/G♭3 | 2 + 3 |
| A5 | G3 | 1 + 2 |
| B♭5/A♯5 | A♭3/G♯3 | 1 |
| B5 | A3 | 2 |
| C6 | B♭3/A♯3 | open |
Good to know
The charts are Classfern’s own, written from the standard published charts; there are often other fingerings for the same note, and your teacher may prefer one of them. Library pieces were converted by computer, and only the melody line is shown. The sounds are a guide to the pitch, not a recording of a real instrument. Where the music comes from.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the notes different from the piano?
Brass instruments in B♭, E♭ and F read transposed parts: the written note is not the note the piano calls it. Choose your instrument and clef, and the chart and the play-along show the written note with the concert (piano) note beside it, and play the sound you should hear.
Does it use the microphone?
Only if you press Listen in the play-along: then the microphone is used on this device to hear which notes you play, and nothing is recorded, saved or sent. The chart, the lessons and wait mode never use it.
How are the lessons graded?
Every step says how it is assessed. Questions about valves and notes are graded by Classfern. Playing steps are self-assessed (you check them off when you have done them), the playing check is judged by a teacher or parent with a simple rubric, and recordings and practice diaries are evidence kept at home – Classfern only keeps a list. Results stay on this device.
Why are some tunes missing?
The search only shows tunes whose melody fits this instrument, or fits after moving it by an octave. The library also has only out-of-copyright music, so modern songs are not in it.
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