How to Play an LMI Soprano Recorder
Recorders are one of the easiest instruments available to introduce children to music. LMI soprano recorders are low-cost quality recorders suitable for classroom situations, both because they can be purchased cheaply and because the quality of the instruments is exceptional for the cost. The LMI soprano recorder is a two-piece recorder in the key of C that works like any soprano recorder. The fingerings and notes are identical, which allows you to use any soprano recorder available to teach students to play their LMI recorders.
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Instructions
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Learn to read a recorder fingering chart. The fingering chart for a soprano recorder is the same chart for the tenor and great bass recorder. Your LMI soprano recorder will have seven holes, with the two farthest away from the mouthpiece being two smaller holes side by side. There is also a thumb hole located on the back of the recorder. A fingering chart shows a simple representation of these holes. Dark holes indicate the holes should be covered, white holes indicate the holes should be played open, and a combination of the colors means you'll half cover the holes.
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Hold your recorder with your left hand placed above the right hand. Cover the holes necessary to make the C note written on the line below the music staff. Use this initial note to practice sounding the notes on your soprano clearly. Cover all of the holes, including the thumb hole, to make the first C note. Play the C by ensuring all of the holes are fully covered and blowing gently into the mouthpiece. This should produce an even tone with no squeaking.
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Play the next note, a D, by removing your finger from the farthest set of small holes from the mouthpiece. Play the next note, an E, by removing your finger from the next small set of holes. These are the first three notes of the C major scale. Practice playing these notes one after the other until you can play them smoothly.
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Practice the rest of the notes in a C major scale. Keep your fingering chart handy until you have the notes memorized on your recorder. Try using a chart that shows the notes as they appear on the music staff as well as on the recorder. This will help you with reading music for the soprano recorder.
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Play simple songs written for the soprano recorder. LMI has its own line of books that feature simple recorder music, but any melody line in the range of your soprano recorder will do. You can find recorder music online at no charge (see resources). Playing music helps your sight-reading skills and your playing technique, and it keeps music fun.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Recorder image by Ellanorah from Fotolia.com
