How to Play a Musical Recorder
Musical recorders are simple instruments and they are inexpensive as well. This makes them popular instruments for teaching children musical fundamentals in grade school. The basic knowledge needed to play the recorder is easily learned. It only takes a few minutes to learn where your fingers go and how to blow into the recorder. Then the task is to practice, practice, practice. A skilled player is able to employ more sophisticated techniques to produce a wider range of notes and sound options.
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Instructions
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Purchase a recorder. There are plastic recorder and wooden recorders. A good plastic recorder only costs between $3 and $4. Wooden recorders are more expensive.
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Assemble the recorder. Recorders typically have three parts: the head joint, the main body and the foot joint. Use a gentle twisting action to join the parts together so as not to damage them.The top part is the head joint that contains the hole to blow through. Assemble the head joint to the main body, which is the piece that has the holes. Next connect the foot joint. The foot joint has the last hole. The hole should be slightly angled.
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Practice the proper technique for blowing into the recorder. Place the mouthpiece between your lips and balance the recorder with the fingers of your left hand with the thumb on the bottom of the recorder. As you blow into the recorder whisper the word "too." This technique is called tonguing and is used to play all the notes on the recorder. It allows the notes to be steady and consistent.
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Play musical notes with the left hand. The left hand plays five notes; B, A, G, C and D. Cover the bottom hole with your thumb the hole nearest the mouthpiece with your index finger. Blow into mouthpiece while whispering "too." This note is B. Keep the thumb and index finger in place and cover the second hole with the middle finger to play A. Add the ring finger to make G. Play C by lifting the index and ring fingers while keeping the thumb and middle finger in place. Remove the thumb from the bottom hole to play D. Practice playing all five notes in various patterns.
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Concentrate on the right hand. The right hand plays three notes: E, D, F#. Use the thumb on the right hand only to support the recorder. Keep all the left hand fingering in place and cover the next two holes with the right index and middle fingers to play E. Add the ring finger to play D. Finally, play F# by removing the right index finger and leaving all the other fingers in place.
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Build a repertoire. Once you know the proper blowing technique and the notes on the recorder, begin learning tunes. "Mary Had a Little Lamb" is played using only the fingers of the left hand. The notes are B A G A B B B, A A A, B D D, B A G A B B B, A A A B A G. "Twinkle, Twinkle. Little Star" uses the left and the right hand. The notes are D D A A B B A G G F# F# E E D.
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