Recorder

ABC’s of recorder playing:
Articulation – Stopping the sound with your tongue

Breathing – supporting the sound from deep down.
Control – finger control, breath control, self control!
Your initial focus with recorder should be tone, accuracy and

articulation. Then add notation reading when those skills are secure.
Scales:
1. Diatonic: An eight-note scale, which begins and ends on the tonic and has a
semi-tone between the third and fourth notes and the seventh and eighth
notes.
2. Pentachord: A five-note scale based on the diatonic scale consisting of only
the first five notes of the scale.
3. Pentatonic: A five-note scale based on the diatonic scale where the fourth
and seventh (fa and ti) are removed (no semi-tones)
do vs. la based pentatonic
a. Do-based: A five note scale based on the diatonic scale (without the
fourth and seventh notes) beginning on the tonic
b. La-based: Based on the diatonic scale (without the fourth and seventh
notes) but beginning on “la” or the sixth note.
1. Question and answer:

a. On recorder – question has 8 beats and cannot end on tonic. Answer
has 7 beats and must end on tonic.
b. Pentatonic lends itself well to Q & A improvisations.
c. Written Q & A: Set out specifics
d. Begin with 4 bar phrase. Bar1 must start on tonic. Bar 2 must end
with a rest and must not end on tonic. Bar 4 must end with tonic on
beat 4.
e. Phrase 3 must be a repeat of either bar 1 or 2.
Trouble shooting:
 Out of tune Pull out the head joint a little to
make the sound flatter. Push it in
to sharpen it. Blowing softer will
flatten the sound. Blowing harder
will sharpen it.
Class sets of same instruments
will increase the likelihood that
they will be in tune.
 Squeaks  On low notes, this usually means
you are either blowing too hard or
your fingers are not covering the
holes completely. Especially
watch that the back thumb hole is
completely covered. On high
notes, it is usually a combination
of air and thumb position. Too
much hole open will produce an
unwanted sound and not enough
breath support will do the same.
Squeazing harder and blowing
harder may resolve this as long as
you don’t over do it. Experiment
until you have a more relaxed and
consistent tone. 
 Fuzzies This may mean the recorder is
clogged. Give the recorder a
quick inhale to draw in cool dry air
or (dangerous with kids) cover the
whistle hole and give the recorder
a quick hard blow to clear it.
 Finger warts/tired arms and Relax. Your body, arm and wrists
wrists. should be comfortable and
relaxed. Your fingers should be
able to cover the holes gently.
Take time before you play to relax
your shoulders, wrists, arms and
fingers. Also, play the recorder
directly in front of you in a natural
position. Don’t rest your arms on
your knees or raise the recorder
up from your chin.
Part II: Reading Notation: Children learn to speak before they learn to read
and write. That philosophy also holds true with the language of music. Playing via
imitation using visual and audio cues happens first. Then notation becomes a
natural extension to the process.
Process:
1. Always begin with the voice
2. Read the rhythm.
3. Sing the melody with the rhythm (ta, ti-ti / Dood, dig-ga)
4. Sing the note names (replace ta’s and ti-ti-s with Solfiege, numbers, letters,
etc.)
5. Play the music
Writing notation: The most difficult part of language learning is writing –

getting sounds and ideas down into written form. It is no different with music
language learning. Writing music is taught alongside reading but the skill is
advanced and expectations should reflect that.
Ways to teach notation:

1. Note number (1 = B or one front hole covered) – excellent starting place for
recorder
a. Move directly to staff from that (see notes from last day)
2. The two line staff
a. Excellent for BAG compositions – good starting place for notation
b. Transfers easily to 5 line staff.
3. The five finger staff

a. Visual representation of the staff
b. Keeps focus forward on the teacher
4. The five line staff
a. Process:
i. Always begin with Stepwise writing (step drawing is a great
visual representation of writing.)
ii. Keep it simple – think direction (up or down)
iii. Teacher plays a short piece – students echo and then write
down what was played.
iv. Notating Rhythm -- a trading game
1. Begin with the beat/pulse and trade for the number of
sounds that you hear
i. Eg. One sound – ta
ii. Two sounds – Ti-ti
iii. Three sounds – Ti-tik-ka or Tik-ka -ti
iv. Four sounds – Tik-ka Tik-ka
A Note about Programmed Music: Sound Start for Recorders (and others)
1. Pros:
a. Develops sight reading skills
b. Accompaniments set and keep the pace
c. Sound good
d. High interest
e. Whole group involvement
f. Develop listening skills
2. Cons:
a. Focus is usually in the dark (overheads)
b. Cannot change the pace/speed of the music
c. Can be “cheesy”
d. Accompaniments are usually computer generated – poorer quality
e. Students listen to the music rather than themselves or each other
f. Individuals can get lost – difficult to troubleshoot.
The answer: Use them with understanding of their limitations and don’t rely wholly
on any one approach.
Articulation:
1. The tongue stops and starts the flow of air. Be careful to watch
that students are not “Who”- in into their recorders.
2. q = Dood
3. ee = Dig-ga
4. Stoccato = doot
5. Slurred notes = Doo-oo
Most pieces written for recorder don’t have articulation written in. I
keep it simple – don’t slur more than two notes at a time.
Blowing – have the students pretend that they are blowing out a
birthday candle – using only enough air to bend the flame without
blowing it out.
There is a limited range dynamically available with the recorder due to air flow
issues. Therefore, variation in sound must come from articulation rather than
dynamics.
The tongue is the articulator for the recorder just as it is with the voice. Articulation
comes with the control of the start and stopping of air.
The three main articulations available to recorder players:
1. Portato - the sound is carried but has a definite beginning and end . We
articulate with “dood”.
2. Legato – sounds are sewn together – We articulate with “doo”.
3. Stocatto – Sound is quick and sharp (pointed, not #) We articulate with

“doot”.
Where we use these can be a negotiation between the music and the musician.
(Often the class and the teacher.)
Two rules of thumb with beginners (ergo, elementary school children):
1. use the legato on two or three notes at a time. Finger transitions are not
quick enough to have clear notes with legato or slurs.
2. Usually a legato is followed by a stoccato.

Assignment:
Choose any song that would be appropriate to play on the recorder (must fall
between the range of high "E" and middle "C"). Write an accompaniment for it for
Orff instruments (BX/CBB, AX/SX. SG/AG).

Recorder

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ABC’s of recorder playing:

Articulation – Stopping the sound with your tongue

Your initial focus with recorder should be tone, accuracy and

1. Question and answer:

Writing notation: The most difficult part of language learning is writing –

Ways to teach notation:

3. The five finger staff

The three main articulations available to recorder players:

2. Legato – sounds are sewn together – We articulate with “doo”.

3. Stocatto – Sound is quick and sharp (pointed, not #) We articulate with

2. Usually a legato is followed by a stoccato.

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