A Beginning Guide to Playing the Recorder

Fundamentals: Breathing You have to breathe to play a WIND instrument! Your shoulders and chest stay relaxed as your stomach expands. Breathe in with an O shaped mouth. Breathing exercise: Breathe in for 4, sizzle out for 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 Breathe in for 2, sizzle out for 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 Breathe in for 1, sizzle out for 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24

Fundamentals: Breathing Hold your hand in front of your mouth and blow cold air into your palm Now, blow warm air into your hand. When playing the recorder, you should blow SOFT, WARM AIR! Problem: If you blow too hard, you will squeak. Play softly using soft, warm, slow air.

Fundamentals: The Recorder Mouthpiece Head joint Barrel Tone holes Foot joint

Fundamentals: Holding the recorder Your LEFT hand goes ON TOP! Your fingers should be flat. Use the prints, not the tips. Cover the holes tightly. You should see imprints of the holes on your fingers after you play. Your left thumb covers the back hole. Left index covers the first hole Left middle covers the second hole Left ring covers the third hole No pinky

Fundamentals: Tonguing Say/Play the following in one breath: Tah Tah Tah Tah Your tongue hits the roof of your mouth BEHIND your teeth! Do Not Touch the recorder with your tongue Touch your teeth with your tongue Take more than one breath Stop the air to separate the notes Separate the notes with your throat

Fundamentals: Steady Beat To play together, we have to listen and watch. I will always count you off. The speed I count is the speed I want you to clap/play. Tempo = Speed *Perform Examples *Perform Boom Sha Boom

Fundamentals: Echoes To warm up, we will always breathe and perform echoes. I play first, then you play back. Play the exact same thing. Watch and listen!

The First Note B

Fundamentals: Long Tones How long can you play a B? Take a big breath. The longest B wins!

B

4 B B B B

4 B B B

4 B B B

4 B B

A

“Add a finger for A” A

4 A A A A

4 A A A

4 A A

4 A A A

G

“Three for G” G

4 G G G G

4 G G G

4 G G

4 G

G & A

4 A G G G

4 A G G

4 A A G G

4 A A A G

4 A A G

4 A G G G

G, A & B

4 B A G G

4 B A G

4 B B G G

4 B G G

4 B B B G

4 B B G

4 B A G G

4 B A G

4 B B G G

4 A G G G

4 B A A

4 B A

4 B B A

4 A A G G

4 B A G G

4 B A G

4 B A A G

4 B B B A

4 B B A

4 B A A G

4 B A G

4 B B A G

4 B G G

4 B B A G

4 B B B G