Trill Fingering Substitutions

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Using Trill Fingering Substitutions (or trill fingerings for trills) for Woodwind Players

Who

This technique benefits woodwind players, including flutists, clarinetists, oboists, and bassoonists, from middle school to professional levels, performing in band, orchestral, or solo settings. Trill fingering substitutions are especially useful for students tackling challenging passages in school ensembles.

What

The challenge is navigating rapid note changes, awkward fingerings, or complex trills in woodwind repertoire. Standard fingerings can be cumbersome, leading to sluggish transitions or pitch instability. Trill fingering substitutions—alternate fingerings designed for speed—simplify these passages, enhancing technical fluency and intonation.

Why

Standard fingerings prioritize tone and intonation but often involve complex finger movements, such as multiple finger lifts or pinky/thumb shifts, which slow down trills or rapid passages. For example, Flute Bb-to-C or clarinet A-to-B trills (with standard fingering) involve awkward transitions that require exact timing between both hands. These limitations, noted in resources like The Art of Saxophone Playing, cause hand tension and pitch inconsistencies, especially in virtuosic or chromatic sections, making trill fingerings essential for smoother execution.

Where

Trill fingerings are applied via:

  • Alternate Key Combinations: Using instrument-specific trill keys or side keys (e.g., right-hand trill keys on flute, side keys on clarinet).
  • Embouchure and Air Support: Adjusting to maintain tone quality, as trill fingerings may slightly alter pitch or timbre.

When

A perfect example is the 2nd and 3rd clarinet parts in Henry Fillmore’s “Americans We”. The A-B-A fingering would be very tricky for most high school players, but the measure before tells of the need for an A-to-B trill fingering. Use trill fingerings in:

  • Rapid Trills: In passages like Bb-to-C on flute or A-to-B on clarinet, common in Baroque or Classical repertoire.
  • Chromatic Passages: In keys like Gb major, where frequent pinky shifts (e.g., clarinet) disrupt flow.
  • Technical Runs: In fast scales or arpeggios, such as in Holst’s First Suite in Eb, requiring quick transitions.
  • Ensemble Settings: In band or orchestral pieces where precise intonation and speed are critical for blend.

Figure 1. Saxophone C-D trill fingering.

David Holsinger’s “Prelude and Rondo” A” actually offers a couple of trill key substitution opportunities for saxophone. In this excerpt (pictured left), the Alto sax is in A minor (no sharps or flats), and the tenor sax is in D minor (Bb in key signature).

The alto can benefit from using the top trill fingering in Figure 1, since the Player is going from B to C, back to B.

The tenor sax can use the bottom trill fingering in Figure 1, as the player is going from D down to C, back to D. I played this with a high school group, and that served our needs perfectly.

How

To master trill fingering substitutions:

  1. Consult Fingering Charts: Study instrument-specific charts (e.g., Taffanel and Gaubert for flute, Jeanjean for clarinet) to identify trill fingerings for problematic passages.
  2. Test Intonation: Use a tuner to ensure trill fingerings align with A=440 Hz, adjusting embouchure for pitch stability.
  3. Practice Contextually: Integrate trill fingerings into scales, etudes, or repertoire, like a clarinet E-to-F# trill in a Mozart concerto.
  4. Balance Tone and Speed: Reserve trill fingerings for virtuosic sections, using standard fingerings for lyrical passages to prioritize tone.
  5. Maintain Instruments: Ensure keys and pads (especially trill or auxiliary keys) are in good condition for precise execution.
  6. Focus on Specific Transitions: Practice trills like Bb-to-C (flute, using thumb Bb and right-hand trill keys) or A-to-B (clarinet, using side keys) to build fluency.
  7. Monitor Hand Tension: Use trill fingerings to reduce strain, particularly in passages with frequent pinky or thumb movements.

Conclusion

Trill fingering substitutions are a game-changer for flutists, clarinetists, oboists, and bassoonists, simplifying rapid trills, chromatic passages, and technical runs. By reducing finger movement and stabilizing intonation, they enhance performance in demanding repertoire. Directors who teach these fingerings through charts, contextual practice, and instrument maintenance empower woodwind players to achieve technical precision and musical clarity, elevating solo and ensemble performances.

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