Dulcian fingerings

A standardized dulcian fingering system does not exist, that is the bad news.  The good news is that with a few exceptions the fingerings for the first two octaves of the dulcian follow a general pattern that can be used on instruments from most makers.

In the table given here, I have tried to put the most common fingerings first, and then give alternatives that sometimes can improve the sound quality and/or the pitch.  For the highest notes, I have simply put fingerings that work for me, or that have been reported as working well by other people.  Don't expect that the highest notes from this table can be played on every instrument, by all players, with all reeds.  The fingering and availability of the highest notes depends heavily on both the player, the reed, the instrument and the bocal.

For the only(?) surviving original fingering chart for dulcians, see the information on Daniel Speer.


 Fingerings for dulcians with two keys

Bass Tenor F-Alto G-Alto Soprano Finger positions
g#' eb"       - 2 3 - - 6 7 - - -
          / 2 3 - - - (7) - - -
g' d"       1 - 3 4 5 - 7 - - -
          / 2 3 4 - - (7) - - (10)
          / 2 3 - 5 6 7 - - -
f#' c#"       - - 3 - - 6 - - - -
          / 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -
          / 2 3 4 5 - 7 - - -
f' c" f" g"   1 - - 4 5 6 - - - (10)
          1 - - 4 5 - - - - (10)
           - 2 - - - (6) 7 8 - (10)
e' b' e" f#"   1 - 3 4 5 6 - - - (10)
           1 - 3 4 5 - - - - (10)
          1 - 3 - 5 6 7 - - (10)
          1 - - - - (6) 7 8 - (10)
          1 2 - 4 5 - - - - (10)
eb' b' eb" f"   1 2 - 4 5 6 - - - (10)
          1 - 3 - - (6) 7 8 - (10)
d' a' d" e" a" 1 2 - - - - - - - (10)
          1 2 - - - (6) 7 8 - -
          1 2 - - 5 6 7 8 - -
c#' g#' c#" eb" g#" 1 2 - 4 - - - - - -
          1 2 - 4 - (6) 7 8 - -
          1 2 - 4 5 - 7 8 - -
          1 2 - 4 - - 7 8 9 -
c' g' c" d" g" 1 2 3 - - - - - - (10)
          1 2 3 - - - 7 8 - -
b f#' b' c#" f#" 1 2 3 - 5 - - - - -
          1 2 3 - 5 6 - - - 10
          1 2 3 4 - - 7 8 - -
          1 2 3 4 5 - 7 8 - -
bb f' bb' c" f" 1 2 3 4 - - - - - (10)
          1 2 3 4 - 6 - - - -
a e' a' b' e" 1 2 3 4 5 - - (8) - (10)
g# eb' g#' bb' eb" 1 2 3 4 5 / - - - -
          1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 9 10
          1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 9 -
          1 2 3 4 5 - 7 - - -
          1 2 3 4 5 - 7 8 9 10
g d' g' a' d" / 2 3 4 5 6 - - - -
f# c#' f#' g#' c#" - 2 3 4 5 6 7 - - -
          1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 (9) -
          1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 - 10
f c' f' g' c" - 2 - - (5) (6) - - - -
          - - - - - - - - - -
          - - - 4 5 6 - - - -
e b e' f#' b' 1 - - - - - - - - -
          1 - - - - 6 - - 9 -
eb bb eb' f' bb' 1 - 3 - - - - - - -
          1 - 3 - (5) (6) - - - -
d a d' e' a' 1 2 - - - - - - - (10)
          1 2 - - - 6 - - 9 -
c# g# c#' eb' g#' 1 2 - 4 - - - - - -
          1 2 - 4 - - 7 - - -
          1 2 - 4 - - 7 8 9 -
c g c' d' g' 1 2 3 - - - - - - -
          1 2 3 - - - 7 8 - -
          1 2 3 - - 6 - - 9 -
B f# b c#' f#' 1 2 3 4 - - 7 8 (9) -
          1 2 3 - 5 - - - - -
          1 2 3 4 - - (7) 8 9 -
          1 2 3 - 5 - - 8 9 (10)
          1 2 3 - 5 6 - 8 9 (10)
Bb f bb c' f' 1 2 3 4 - - - - - -
          1 2 3 4 - 6 - - - -
A e a b e' 1 2 3 4 5 - - (8) - (10)
G# eb g# bb eb' 1 2 3 4 5 / - - - -
          1 2 3 4 5 - 7 - - -
          1 2 3 4 5 - - 8 - -
          1 2 3 4 5 - - 8 9 10
G d g a d' 1 2 3 4 5 6 - - - -
F# c# f# g# c#' 1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 - -
          1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 - 10
F c f g c' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - - -
          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - - /
E B e f# b 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 - -
Eb Bb eb f bb 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 / -
          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 - 10
D A d e a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -
C# G# c# eb g# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 /
C G c d g 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 

Notes:
  • 1..10 Indicate closed holes.
  • - Indicates an open hole.
  • / Indicates a partially closed hole.
  • (n) Indicates an optionally closed hole.
  • Holes 1..3 are for the left hand fingers, 4..6 for the right hand. Key 7 is for the right hand little finger. Key 8 and hole 9 are for the right hand thumb. Hole 10 is for the left hand thumb. This all for right handed fingering.
  • Dulcians exist where position 8 is a hole, and position 9 is a key.


 Fingerings for dulcians without keys

G-Alto Soprano Finger positions
f"   1 2 - 4 5 6 - - - -
    1 - 3 - - (6) 7 8 - -
e" a" 1 2 - - - - - - - (10)
eb" g#" 1 2 - 4 - - - - - -
    1 2 3 - - 6 7 - - -
d" g" 1 2 3 - - - - - - -
    1 2 3 - - - 7 8 - -
c#" f#" 1 2 3 - 5 - - - - -
    1 2 3 4 - - 7 8 - -
c" f" 1 2 3 4 - 6 - - - -
b' e" 1 2 3 4 5 - - - - -
bb' eb" 1 2 3 4 5 - 7 - - -
a' d" / 2 3 4 5 6 - - - -
g#' c#" - 2 3 4 5 6 7 - - -
g' c" - 2 - - - 6 7 - - -
    - - - - - - - - - -
f#' b' 1 - - - - - - - - -
f' bb' 1 - 3 - - - - - - -
e' a' 1 2 - - - - - - - -
eb' g#' 1 2 - 4 - - - - - -
d' g' 1 2 3 - - - - - - -
c#' f#' 1 2 3 - 5 - - - - -
    1 2 3 4 - - 7 8 - -
c' f' 1 2 3 4 - - - - - -
    1 2 3 4 - 6 - - - -
b e' 1 2 3 4 5 - - - - -
bb eb' 1 2 3 4 5 - 7 - - -
a d' 1 2 3 4 5 6 - - - -
g# c#' 1 2 3 4 5 6 - 8 - -
g c' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - - -
f# b 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 / - -
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - 9 -
f bb 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 - -
e a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -
eb g# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 /
d g 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 

Notes:
  • 1..10 Indicate closed holes.
  • - Indicates an open hole.
  • / Indicates a partially closed hole.
  • (n) Indicates an optionally closed hole.
  • Holes 1..3 are for the left hand fingers, 4..7 for the right hand. Hole 8 is for the right hand thumb, hole 9 for the left hand little finger and hole 10 for the left hand thumb. This all for right handed fingering.


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© Copyright 1998-2004 by Hans Mons.
Last updated on 31 July 2004