Who Plays Recorder and what kind do you use ?

[bobsax]

I went to an eight day seminar on Suzuki Recorder than spent a week at yoga camp practicing recorder instead of yoga :)

I am really enjoying the instrument and how you can take it anywhere and not bother anybody . I have found once you learn the fingerings the pitch is really good . I have the Yamaha 302BII and a White no name . They both have very different sounds but both have good pitch . I also have some cheap-o recorders that are useless .

Any advice on playing the recorder and recorder companies would be appreciated .
--bob

[saxfreak]

A few years ago I started playing recorder when I was laid off and had time on my hands. I was going to sub for someone on "Children of Eden" which has alto and soprano recorder as doubles. I bought a cheap alto and soprano recorder and some beginner method books and taught myself how to play.
It didn't take long to get really hooked on playing recorder. After a while I realized I should find a better recorder teacher than myself, so I took some lessons from a qualified teacher and learned a lot about how to play recorder properly.
The recorder fingerings can get quite complicated, and once they are mastered at some basic level, I found that the top register fingerings on flute were a lot easier (surprise!). Also, cross fingerings are routine on recorder, so they also become easier on flute, clarinet and sax.
One of the best things about recorder is the exposure to early music, which is typically not available to clarinet or sax players (except for transcriptions). Sonatas by Handel and Telemann are wonderful on recorder, and it's really fun to learn them. Also baroque ornamentation - a whole new area to learn about.
One great venue for playing recorders is in church, both as a solo and chamber instrument.
If you want to learn about the instruments and repertoire, there are several places that have websites with a lot of info. I bought several high quality recorders from David Green at Antique Sound Workshop, and found him to be extremely knowledgeable, albeit quite opinionated. He tunes and voices the instruments before he ships, so they are in the best possible playing condition.
Enjoy playing the recorder. It was a passion of mine for several years (although I haven't been playing them much lately).

[Merlin]

I've played recorder with a local recorder society to prep it as a double. The limitation in terms of keywork becomes a challenge that fascinates me. Things that are simple on Boehm system instruments can be devilish to play on recorders.

The use of C and F tonal systems can drive you nuts, until you realize that with those two fingering systems you can play just about any recorder. The bass clef for low recorders may be a hindrance to some, but it's easily learned.

I have a set of Yamaha 32 series plastic instruments, plus an Adler maple soprano and an Aulos sopranino. You can't really go wrong starting out with the Yamaha 32's.

[gary]

I love the, er, Blockflute. ;)

I got interested some years ago and played through a lot of Dutch and Belgian literature. Great instruments.

Bob, Mollenhauer make good recorders as do Moeck. My tenor recorder is a Moeck Rottenberg model in Palisander wood. I've got and played some pretty good ones, and I have taught Blockflute class but I've got to admit that even those little inexpensive Yamaha plastic ones can sound pretty decent.

[Dr G]

How close is the relationship to tin whistles?

I've recently heard some fantastic Celtic music with tin whistles of all sizes and am considering taking that as my next "double".

[Merlin]

Tin whistles have 6 holes; recorders have 8, including the LH thumb and little finger.

TW's overblow; Recorders use a half-hole octave vent with the thumb.

TW's usually play diatonically based music; recorders are capable of relatively facile chromaticism.

[Rackety Sax]

I don't play but I'm interested in the recorder. Lee Collins (http://www.leecollins.com/custom.htm) customizes plastic recorders by inserting a cedar block and revoicing them. Sounds like a nice middle path between a plastic and wood recorder.

The Recorder Home Page (http://www.recorderhomepage.net/) has lots of information including manufacturers and retailers.

[RS]

I have a small stable of recorders. My favorite being a Kung soprano in grenadilla wood. Has very good intonation and response. Recorders are good for tin whistle music and fiddle tunes plus renaissance and baroque. Alot of instrument in a small package (the soprano anyway).

[asaxman]

I agree with the Yamaha posters. For cheap plastic recorders, they are great. Their low notes are excellent! For a great wood recorder, you could pay $500-1,500

[RS]

The Aulos plastic recorders are pretty good too. Better than some wooden recorders I've played.

[asaxman]

The Aulos plastic recorders are pretty good too. Better than some wooden recorders I've played.
I have heard the Aulos recorders are great. I agree- these plastic recorders are MUCH better than many wood ones, costing much more!

[gary]

I've played all of those inexpensive recorders and they're all nice. For anyone interested in getting one, I particularly like the Mollenhauer Prima http://www.mollenhauer.com/Shop/default.html?target=dept_6.html&lang=en-us (Click on one of the links above the text).

Regarding the Tin Whistle (Feadóg) I love Celtic music and also have played them, and been somewhat active as an amatuer. You can get basic cheap ones up to ones like I've got which are wooden outside with brass inside, with removable mouthpieces to change keys.

Celtic music has a similarity to jazz in that it is improvised to an extent. The analogy is probably more akin to Baroque ornamentation, but for jazz/pop improvisors playing whistle is a good workout for both the fingers and and the mind. It is melodic improvisation and there are characteristic ornamentations that one must learn and use at will. So you're "flying from the seat of your pants" and yet conforming to certain ornamental conventions; quite a challenge and a lot of fun. If you're in a bar and they start cranking up jiggs and reels, the energy can pull you along for hours. The original "good-tyme musik".

[Bootman]

What Tape or hard disk?

Seriously though, fifes play with a little more stability and have the same type of sound. The Fife's and Irish flutes by Mark Hoza out of Coff's Harbour Australia are definitely worth checking out!

[kymarto]

Guys,

One thing to be aware of with recorders is the fact that there are two fingering systems, Baroque and German. It only matters in the right hand, but the differences can drive you nuts as F and F# are reversed. IIRC the German system also doesn't have the double holes for the C# and D#. All in all if you are serious I believe the Baroque is the better system.

Toby

[stefank]

My favourites are my Moeck sopranino (rosewood & ivory) and Moeck descant (ebony & ivory), both of which date from the 1970s. Having said that there seem to be quite quite a few cheap plastic models out there these days that play quite nicely, and a cheap plastic recorder is usually far preferable to a cheap wooden one.

Stefan

[Sam_C]

Tin whistles have 6 holes; recorders have 8, including the LH thumb and little finger.

TW's overblow; Recorders use a half-hole octave vent with the thumb.

TW's usually play diatonically based music; recorders are capable of relatively facile chromaticism.

It's true that tin whistles usually play diatonic music, but by half-covering the next open tonehole you can flatten the note you are playing by a semitone. It's simpler than all of the recorder cross-fingerings, but you need a good ear. You can also cross-finger, but it's not as effective.

[AlleyKatz]

My favorite recorder is a plain Moeck soprano in maple that I got years ago in Bruges. In the years between high school and now, I played first whistle and then recorder.

The movie "Titanic" sparked a huge surge of interest in whistle, particularly Low D whistles. Because of the limited chromatic ability of whistles, they come in several keys, the most common being high D, which plays along well with most fiddle tunes.

As far as GAS goes, whistlers have WhOA or "Whistle Obsessive Acquistion" syndrome.

You can get a basic whistle for under $10, get a basic whistle "tweaked" for $15-35 and handcrafted whistles go for $50 and up.

They have their own site on the web called "Chiff and Fipple."

http://www.chiffandfipple.com/

I have a nice whistle in my collection that was turned out of cocobolo by Mahan Woodwinds. http://www.tinwhistler.com/store/index.htm

[RootyTootoot]

Saunders Recorders in the UK has quite a lot of info/review material on the different makes available on their website and it's not just a rehash of the manufacturers' publicity, as i recall. I play a zamra treble which i suppose might be a "cheap wooden" instument(!!) To me it seems like it plays nicely in tune with a pretty tone. But I'm no expert. The plastic instruments i've tried always seems a bit harsh or edgy. Mind you, that could sound pretty cool with some amplification. Whisper it, but recorders can really, really rock.. Ok I'm going to take cover now in case there are some saxomachomen reading this..

[Livia]

I play a soprano and alto recorder from Moeck.
But I play only in the recorder orchestra of the church.

[OctaveKey]

I just started playing, so I may be inexperienced, but I have an Aura Zamra soprano recorder. As far as I can tell, the intonation is accurate, it is easy to play, and it has a good tone in my opinion! Baroque fingered. It cost around $60.

[CooolJazzz]

I had an alto recorder a long time ago. I never took it seriously at all and don't even remember what brand it was. After watching this video however, I sort of wish I had taken the recorder more seriously when I had one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pZm7guGapc

[choochoo]

How close is the relationship to tin whistles?

I've recently heard some fantastic Celtic music with tin whistles of all sizes and am considering taking that as my next "double".
If you can play a tin whistle, try a bansuri flute. they're set up with the same fingering with the exception that Indian music uses the Lydian scale.
some bansuri's have seven holes. if your just starting out on the bansuri, one in the key of c is good to start with until your fingers get stretched out.

[Michael Ward]

I have 2 soprano Moecks in maple and blackwood
sopranino Moeck in hardwood
Kung bass recorder in pear

I don't play them as much as I would like to. I like the bass best.

I also play whistles and I have 2 Abel blackwoods ( high D , low G)
Kerry Pro low D
Goldie Overton low C

I play them a lot mostly for relaxation from Irish music books

I also have 2 Harjedalspipan ( both in A one a drone) ( Swedish folk fipple flutes)

[tomsch]

I played a few years with our local recorder society. Was playing a Fehr IV soprano in grenadilla. Very full, clean tone but somewhat expensive at almost $600 at the time. Ended up selling it for more than I paid and went back to playing my set of Yamaha 32s. The tenor model plays circles around many >$1K instruments.

[Noteethmarks]

Hi,
I'm taking a shot at this thread to get some information on a recorder, I hope I'm in the right place.
I recently had to chance to buy a Clarion Pearwood Recorder--Alto with Extra Key. The box it came in says H&A Selmer Inc. Elkhart, Indiana.
I have done searches on Ebay and Google and could not find any information about it. Can anyone shed some light on this for me and perhaps some sort of value if any. It is in mint condition.
Thanks
Joe

[Noteethmarks]

I forgot to mention that it says " F alto--made in Germany"

[SveinJo]

That brings me back...

I used to play in a recorder quartet in 1971-1974, and acquired a small collection:

Sopranino: Küng palisander with ivory bec
Soprano: Moeck Rothenburg grenadilla
Alto: Moeck Rothenburg rosewood (yes, it really is - sort of pink)
Tenor: Moeck Rothenburg maple


I have not played them for several years, as they are very incompatible with saxophones. Pity.:(

For you who start out on plastic: The only usable plastic recorder I have ever encountered was made by Dolmetsch - I do no think that they are available anymore.

[RS]

I talked with George Kelischek (maker of recorders and historical instruments) recently about the possibility of making a recorder pitched in Bb (recorders are usually in C and F) and he thinks it's a good idea and will consider it. A Bb recorder will suit those of us who play sop. sax and clarinet and will make playing in flat keys like Bb and Eb much easier making it better for jazz.

[renman43]

I took up recorder several decades ago, and enjoy it thoroughly. I play regularly with a very good amateur "consort" that used to meet weekly for many years, but now we seem to get together once or twice a month. I have at least a dozen or so instruments in all ranges--bass through sopranino--and even a "glarklein" which I seldom if ever play. Good plastic is often the best way to go--especially in high humidity conditions. They're more reliable up high where wet wood tends to get touchy. Yamaha and Aulos are both fine--yamaha tenors are particularly strong for an inherently week instrument. For wood, I use Moecks mostly with the exception of a rosewood Ariel tenor that's almost as strong as the Yamaha. jmho.

[Michael Ward]

Very interesting. I rarely get to play my recorders apart from at home. I play with a band that are influenced by the the " Progressive" groups of the 60's ..Amazing Blondel etc and occasionally play them. Also my new bass a bent neck Kung is quite a funky horn with plenty of volume and sounds nice in a bass flute kind of way.
Check out Gorran Mansoon of Gjallarhorn . He plays an alto and contra bass with effects and pedals...sounds absolutely amazing..really funky sound.

My next recorder after trying loads will be a Rosewood Moeck. I really like the tone I get out of these.

[renman43]

"my new bass a bent neck Kung is quite a funky horn with plenty of volume and sounds nice in a bass flute kind of way."

That sounds like a good deal. I played a friend's maple Moeck bass last night, and it's ok, but like most lower recorders, you can't really push it and generate much volume. Guess I play a lot more bari sax than bass recorder these days, and have the urge to get a bigger sound down low when I'm on recorders.

[Michael Ward]

The Kung is much louder and a better sound than the Moecks but you should check out the PAETZOLD bass and contra basses..this is what Goran plays. They look amazing..not like a recorder at all and have plenty of volume.
This and the Kung are the best basses around. The contra or sub contra Paetzold bugged up would make a great double for bari sax. It's on my ( long) list!

[renman43]

Thanks for the info. I'll check those out--too bad my instrument budget is pretty well maxed out for awhile.

[frankm]

I bought a record out of the "Bargain Bin" (Remember those in the days of albums?) years ago called "A Bird Fancier's Delight" featuring different recorder in various combinations. Up to that point, I thought of recorders as toys...How wrong I was! First of all, I love Baroque music and already played clarinet and a bit of flute, so I went out and bought an alto recorder from a local store...It was an Aulos and it turned out to be one of the better non-wood recorders. I played it for years and then bought the Yamaha a few years ago. I think the plastic yamahas are really nice recorders....Truth be told I'd love to own a custom made wooden recorder from one of the fine makers, but I really have a blast with my Yamahas. I've played them in musicals when required and play them at church on occasion. I keep one handy in a drawer at work....just pull it out and play when you get a chance...no reeds, pads, ect. They are just plain fun.
My latest purchase was a Yamaha alto with the wood grain finish...it really looks like wood even close up! Last time I played in a church, a fellow came up to me and said what a nice sound my recorder had...I thanked him and showed it to him...his comment was "You just can't beat the sound of a wooden recorder! Evidently, Yamaha has at least matched it!