Free · Interactive · Printable
Flute Fingering Chart
Tap a note to see exactly which keys to press, and hear how it should sound. Switch to the full chart for every note from low C to high C.
Review in progress: these fingerings are being checked against method books and a teacher. Spot something that looks wrong? Report a problem.
B4
First octave (octave 4) · 493.9 Hz
Left thumb and left index finger only. Keep the other fingers curved and ready.
B3 needs a flute with a B footjoint.
Keys to press
- Left thumb key (B)
- Left index finger (1)
Alternate fingerings
How to read the chart
The flute on the chart shows the keys you can see on a real Boehm-system flute, from the headjoint at the top to the footjoint at the bottom. Filled blue keys are pressed; outlined keys stay up. The numbers are your fingers: 1 is the index finger, 2 the middle finger and 3 the ring finger, with the left hand above the right. The small tabs on the sides are keys for your thumbs and pinkies.
The staff next to the diagram shows where the note is written. Flute music is written in treble clef, and the flute sounds at the pitch written, so the sound you hear when you tap Play is the sound you are aiming for.
Open-hole and closed-hole flutes
Most school flutes are closed-hole ("plateau"). Open-hole flutes have holes in five of the keys, and your fingertips cover them. The standard fingerings on this chart are the same for both. Switch the option to see the open-hole drawing.
One fingering, two octaves
A flute has no octave key. Most notes in the second octave use exactly the same fingering as the note an octave below. D5 is fingered like D4, and the difference is your air: blow a little faster, aim the air slightly higher and bring your lips a touch forward. This is called overblowing. If a second-octave note comes out as the lower note, add more air speed, not more finger pressure.
Common beginner mistakes
- Gripping too hard. Keys need a light touch. Keep your fingers curved and relaxed.
- Forgetting the thumb. The left thumb sits on the thumb key for most of the first octave, but not for C and C♯ in the second octave.
- Blowing harder for loud, not for high. High notes need faster, narrower air, not more volume.
- Raising the shoulders. Keep your posture tall and your arms loose; tension makes notes crack.
- Skipping the long tones. A minute of steady notes at the start of practice makes every fingering easier.
Songs to play with the first notes
These tunes only use the notes in the beginner view: