1. 1st year Recorder Program
Recorder Karate
1st year Recorder Program

2. What is recorder karate?
A program that helps us learn recorder in a step by step way
You earn “belts” as you progress through the program
White – Hot Cross buns
Yellow – Gently Sleep
Orange – Merrily We Roll Along
Green – It’s Raining
Purple – Old MacDonald
Blue – When the Saints
Red – Twinkle, Twinkle
Brown – Amazing Grace
Black – Ode to
Joy

3. History Of the Recorder
Whistle type instrument – ancient family of instruments called internal duct flutes
As early as 12th century
3.5 million plastic recorders manufactured each year

4. The Recorder Throughout History
The recorder is the most highly developed member of the ancient family of duct flutes.
Here is the oldest existing picture of one.
It’s from 1315!
There it is…

5. Maybe, I’ll
take the money…
The oldest surviving complete instrument dates from as early as the mid-thirteenth century.
It is worth almost $1,000,000!

6. Guess where it was found???
The second oldest existing recorder is from the 14th century and was found in northern Germany.
Guess where it was found???

7. Ach, du lieber Himmel!
YUP, in a latrine!!!

8. Recorders from long ago produced a tone which was sweet and keen.
In general, it had a small range. The bigger the instrument, the fewer notes it could play.

9. During the fifteenth century, instrument makers began producing choirs of recorders and other instruments in many sizes.
There are many existing examples of recorders of this time.
They sounded bold and rich and the high notes were just as strong as the low notes.

10. Renaissance Recorders

11. During the Baroque age, the recorder became important as a solo instrument.
Makers of recorders were busy trying to improve the recorder. The shape changed and became more tapered. The range got bigger.
Recorders were also members of the orchestra at this time.

12. AND THEN, THEY DISAPPEARED…
WHY, you might ask???

13. BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTED TO PLAY THE FLUTE!
The flute was louder.
The flute had more notes.
The flute ABSOLUTELY TOOK OVER!!!

14. BYE BYE, RECORDER...

15. And then recorders reappeared!
Recorders began to make a come back in the 1890s in Germany.
The German Recorder Movement was started by Peter Harlan. He taught all of his young students the recorder, so that they could learn how to make music.
Factories that made recorders began to flourish.

16. Arnold Dolmetsch, who came to England from France in 1883 to study at the Royal College of Music, loved the sound of recorders.
He bought an old recorder at an auction in 1905 and taught himself to play the recorder.
Maybe he should have bought a razor, too…

17. His son lost the recorder in 1919 on Waterloo station.
Aaawww…
PLEASE, Dad!
His son lost the recorder in 1919 on Waterloo station.
Arnold began making his own recorders!
Do you think he let his son have another one?

18. The recorder’s popularity spread to the United States in the early 1900s.
Instruments were made cheaper and became more readily available to students.
They are used in many classrooms throughout the United States and Europe.

19. Skills learned on Recorder
Fingering skills
Embouchure development (mouth shape)
Breathe support
Articulation skills
Development of the inner ear

20. How to hold the Recorder
Thumb hole in the back and 7 holes down the front
Left hand is ALWAYS at the top closest to the mouth piece
Thumb on back hole, three fingers on first 3 holes
Right hand is on bottom
Thumb is used to balance four fingers on last four holes
Cover wholes completely with whole finger not pads
Recorder warts
Hold at 45o angle
Make sure to sit up straight

21. How to Play the Recorder
Place mouthpiece on lower lip DO NOT BITE
Blow softly – steamy window
Squeaks
blowing too hard
Air leaks around fingers

22. REMEMBER TO: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE ! ! !
Put the LEFT hand on the top
Put all fingers down – FLAT
Cover the thumb hole entirely
Sit up straight and breathe deeply
Remain relaxed
Blow gently and steadily

23. New Things to Learn for White Belt Song

24. 44 Time Signature Half Rest How many beats per measure
quarter notes
2 beats of silence 44

25. Counting 1 2 3 4 44

27. New Thing to Learn for Yellow Belt Song
When you see this symbol, take a breath. Try only to take a breath every 2 measures

31. New Things to learn for the Green Belt Song1
& 2 3 4 44

33. New things to learn for Purple Belt
Dotted half note = 3 beats ( A dot after a note gets half the value of that note and makes it that much longer)

35. New Things to Learn for the Blue Belt song:
A TIE is a curved line which connects notes of the same pitch. Only the first note is played and then it is held for the total value of the connected notes.

37. New things to learn for the Red Belt Song:
Sharps, when placed at the beginning of a line, tell that all of the notes for that note are sharp. This is called a key signature.

39. New things to learn for the Brown Belt Song:
Single eighth note = ½ beat
Dotted quarter note = 1 ½ beats
Fermata placed above a note means that
the note is held a little longer than its
usually count
Time signature – 3 quarter notes
per measure 34