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This is the Conversation Forum for How to Play the Recorder << legato and staccato? Stranger on the shore >> Subject: you've got to change ,baby Posted Mar 19, 2001 by james   Posting 1 a santana song just came on the radio,sounds like a recorder,its probably a flute,it was rusted root doing the cover,just pulled my recorders out of the bottom of my victrola cabinet,ones a hohner,the other a cambridge two with patented vibra-bell,made by trophy music,with no adjustments the hohner is about a half-step lower in tone hmmmmmmmm,ive heard the bigger ones one time being played in a street concert,new age type music,was very impressed with the sound comeing out of these ,and the two girls doing the playing. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Where were you... Posted Mar 31, 2001 by Spacecadette, just muddling through. This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 2 I have to say that your guide entry is one of the most clear descriptions of how to play the recorder I've seen. Wish I'd seen it before I gave my beloved rosewood alto away, several years ago. Unfortunately, I have very small hands, and just couldn't master it. I got really bad cramps in my hands, from trying to hold the holes closed, and I wish I'd had the advice you gave, to start with a plastic soprano first. Still, I gave the recorder to a friend of mine, who still enjoys playing it today. I think I'll look into something a little higher pitched.... SC Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Where were you... Posted Apr 2, 2001 by Gnomon [See A60420098 for details of new sign-in system] This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 3 SC, You should have no problem fitting your hands on a Soprano recorder, but you may find the sound of it a bit shrill. The German company Adler makes a very nice Alto recorder called the Filius which is specially designed for people with small hands. There are too models, one without keys for small hands and one with keys for even smaller hands. These are made in maple wood and have a pleasant tone. But you would be better to start with a plastic soprano. You can get a decent one such as the Yamaha YRS302B for a very reasonable price. Gnomon Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Where were you... Posted Mar 7, 2003 by Researcher 221474 This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 4 Hi, I'm having so much fun! I began with a tonette recently and was delighted to have made melodies. I am a vocalist actually so a melody line is my delight. Now I purchased the plastic Yamaha YRS-24B. It was an adjustment to finger this one correctly and at first I thought I made a serious mistake buying it but that's past now. The octave is a bit high to me as I knew beforehand but for $8 US I can't complain. I would like a tenor or lower if possible but I see the prices jump outside the soprano octave. Any suggestions on that? Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Where were you... Posted Mar 7, 2003 by Gnomon [See A60420098 for details of new sign-in system] This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 5 Hi 221474! The Alto is probably the most flexible of all the recorders and most suited to adult fingers. You can get a good plastic alto for quite a reasonable price. I'd recommend the Yamaha YRA 312B which has a lovely simulated rosewood finish. It costs only £23. For a tenor recorder, the Yamaha YRT 304B is a very good one, but unfortunately it is not available in the simulated rosewood finish, just plain dark brown. It is a bit more expensive at £65, but I think it is worth it. I wouldn't recommend anything bigger than a tenor, because the bigger recorders are more difficult to play and very quiet. They are not really designed to play solo music, but as the bass harmony part in a group of three or four recorders. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Where were you... Posted Nov 29, 2007 by LibbyPython This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 6 (Sorry to bump up an old one!) If your hands are big enough and you have long enough arms, the bass recorder can be very satisfying. After moving down to treble in primary school then tenor, I finally played bass at senior school some of the time and it has a lovely tone. It also has a greater playable range. Unfortunately you do tend to get relegated to the bass line. I think it's an instrument that could do with having some serious music written for it ... maybe one day If you're thinking about buying a bass then you would need to try instruments out to see if it suited you. I have seen two different mouthpiece designs, a funny flat top one (which is what I used to play), or one with a crook on top which I suspect makes it easier to get your right hand down to the bottom notes. A neck band that hooks on to support some of the weight also makes a difference! Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: Where were you... Posted Nov 29, 2007 by Gnomon [See A60420098 for details of new sign-in system] This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 7 I intend to write another entry on "advanced recorder playing" which will deal with the Bass. I'll try and incorporate these commendts. Does the bass really have a bigger range? My one struggles with the high notes. The trouble with the crook is that moisture from your breath condenses inside it and then blocks it up. Conversation list Most of the content on h2g2 is created by h2g2's Researchers, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please click on the relevant button to alert our Moderation Team. Conversation list

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