How to Play Hot Crossed Buns on the Recorder

Learning to play the recorder is a great way to generate an interest in music and to introduce someone to an instrument. "Hot Crossed Buns" is one of the simplest songs to master on the recorder, as it has a range of only three notes, B, A, and G.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Study a fingering chart for the recorder. These are included with most recorders when you purchase them.
2. Locate the correct fingering positions for notes B, A and G. These are the only three notes in "Hot Crossed Buns" and they are placed close together. You should master changing position from note to note before moving on to the next step.
3. Obtain a copy of the sheet music for "Hot Crossed Buns." Write the letter name of each note over the staff and indicate which finger you will use to play that note. For example, B is the index finger, A is first two fingers and G is played on all three fingers.
4. Keep a steady beat. Quarter notes get one beat, half notes two, and eighth notes get half a beat. These are all the note values found in the song.
5. Produce a pleasant tone on the recorder using the correct fingering while playing the notes in rhythm. Blow firmly but gently into the mouthpiece. Separate the eighth notes with tonguing.
6. Pull all of these components together and play the song from start to finish. Start with one measure at a time, adding one until you have played all four consecutively. Keep the tempo slow at first and speed up as you build confidence.