How many types of recorders are there

Take a good, deep breath through the mouth. Using your lips, form a seal around the opening of the recorder at the top. Keeping an open throat think of yawning , blow the air through the recorder. Be careful not to blow too hard or you will produce a loud squeak! This refers to the use of a "too" sound to begin each note.

Proper practice is essential for the success of any musician. Check with your teacher for personalized practice time recommendations. Use of practice charts and logs is encouraged, especially for beginners. Skip to main content Skip to footer. Student Resources An Introduction to the Recorder. An Introduction to the Recorder. Tools for Success. Practice Log. Types of Recorders and a Brief History of the Instrument. Types of Recorders.

This is the recorder family from smallest highest pitch to largest lowest pitch :. Sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor and bass recorders. A Brief History of the Recorder:. Assembling, Holding the Recorder and Correct Posture. Correct posture is key when playing any instrument: Sit or stand straight and tall.

Do not allow your elbows to rest against the side. On an alto or bass, that same fingering will play D. When you know the real note that you are playing, everyone can read off the same score, and this is useful for playing with mixed groups of recorders and other historic instruments, or with singers and keyboard players.

Plastic recorders have come a long way since Dolmetsch produced the first molded recorders in Bakelite. Around , the three major manufacturers of plastic recorders realized there was a market for well-made high end recorders and hired prominent recorder makers to design plastic models based on 18th century originals: the Aulos Haka, Yamaha Rottenburgh and Zen-On Bressan.

Each has slightly different characteristics, and the model you choose will be largely a matter of what you like in sound and response. The Yamaha Rottenburgh has a clear sound which is ideal for ensemble playing. What music should I buy to get started learning the recorder? These are all well-regarded method books for beginners. What do I look for when I buy a recorder in wood?

We recommend that you play on a quality plastic recorder rather than on a poorly made wood recorder. Some recorders, particularly older ones, were mass-produced with little attention to tuning or response.

You will be better served by playing a well-designed plastic recorder. Ready to take the leap into wood? Here are some ideas for choosing a recorder in wood. XLI, No. You can also find out if there is an ARS chapter nearby. Chapters welcome beginners we all started out that way! Some chapters have special programs to help beginners develop skills and confidence. The Directory also lists recorder teachers , including those who teach online. If you live where you can take even a few lessons from a recorder teacher, you might consider doing that to get off on the right foot, which is much easier than breaking bad habits later.

Many teachers offer lessons via Zoom, making geographic location no problem. American Recorder magazine is a terrific resource for recorder players. It is mailed to members four times each year. If in doubt, this is the option to go for! German fingering was originally designed for younger players. Quite often, if you are coming back to the recorder after years of not playing, this is a fingering system you may be familiar with. Renaissance fingering broadly covers a whole range of different fingerings - usually ending up with whatever works!

Renaissance recorders have wide-bores and single holes, but nowadays these often have standard Baroque fingering for ease of playing. When starting the recorder, you want to get a standard pitch recorder. This allows you to play with a piano, other instruments and play in recorder consorts! This means that a "Baroque A" is one semitone lower than a standard or modern pitched A! As the name suggests it works really well for French Baroque music, giving a warm, sonorous quality!

Price can sometimes answer this question immediately. On the whole, plastic recorders are much cheaper than wooden ones!

To give you an idea here are some starting prices:. The main difference between plastic and wooden instruments is the sound. Wooden recorders have such a rich, colourful tone quality compared to plastic recorders. This is particularly noticeable in higher pitched recorders - sopraninos, sopranos and altos! Wooden recorders are much more rewarding to play as they allow you to play with more expression.

You can get more dynamics and colour from a wooden recorder. There is more resistance in wooden recorders, and often they are easier to play than plastic ones, especially on the lowest notes. Plastic recorders tend to "block up" very quickly with moisture. This gives the tenor recorder a functional range of C4-C6. It is exactly one octave lower than the soprano and can be played with the exact same fingerings.

The tenor recorder typically adds a key to help reach the lowest holes which are beyond the reach of most fingers. Tenor recorders come in around The Aulos tenor recorder is one I played on a lot in undergrad when I played in pick-up recorder consorts with other music-teachers-in-training.

The bass recorder is the lowest of the standard 5 types of recorders. This recorder is based on F3 and plays one octave lower than the alto recorder. This gives the bass recorder a functional range of F3-F5.

The bass recorder is around 35 inches long. This recorder uses a few keys to help your fingers reach all the holes. Some bass recorders have a bend in the neck to help you play the instrument in a comfortable position. Bass recorders are common in recorder consorts although not often seen in elementary music programs.

There are other uncommon types of recorders out there in advanced recorder groups. These recorders are rarely seen and have very specific uses. Traditionally, recorders were made of wood. Wood recorders are still considered the professional level of recorders even today.