![]() ![]() From the very first day, the recorder is a source of positive musical experiences. By creating jumping sounds or playing “in slow motion,” I not only expose my students to the entire range of recorder sounds, but also teach students how to respond physically and expressively to musical cues. Once my students can stop with me, I change my sound. As the kindergarteners realize that we are now playing a “game,” they begin to giggle. This generally causes my students to also stop. I match the tempo of their feet, and then suddenly I stop playing and freeze. As they walk in, awed by my shelves bursting with instruments, they follow me while I play my recorder. My students first experience the recorder on the very first day of kindergarten music. Before they pick up their instrument for the first time, their mind, hands, fingers, tongue, and air support need to be in place. In truth, a students’ journey must begin far before they even touch a recorder. One can begin on A and high C, B-A-G, or even E-D-C. There are many different methods of beginning a student’s journey on the recorder. I went back to the drawing board and, after four years of tweaking, I developed the following strategy to help my students have the best beginning Where to Begin? Due to budget cuts, my schedule changed to a six-day rotation, and I found my students and myself struggling with the recorder. While the first few classes were not the best-sounding classes, soon my students were able to play independently and well. When I began teaching recorder, I saw my students every other day. I found that the recorder was a tool of great pedagogical power, a tool that could teach my students how to improvise, read, and compose a melody. Then, I began my Orff Schulwerk journey and found the recorder, and the rest is history. I grew up as a clarinetist, but developed jaw problems and had to quit woodwinds forever – or so I thought. The very first time I picked up a recorder, I fell deeply in love with this sweet instrument. So, develop your patience.Get your students making music the first day they play! The better you get the more enjoyable music tends to get. Once you’ve adopted good playing habits, adapting to more complex melodies gets easier. No one can say exactly how long it will take for your muscle memory to take over, where for some, it only takes a few repeats, and for others, it takes many more.įocus on one thing at a time and go at your own pace. After all, music is generally learned through repetition, and muscle memory plays a big role in your success. Master these songs, and you should be able to pick up many others. Recordings can be great assessment and correction tools if used sparingly and with sensitivity, though.Įasy Songs To Play On The Recorder, Final Thoughts Only for fun, not for heavy criticism and “here’s what you’re doing wrong” blame games. Use your tongue to produce the notes on your instrument. Controlled breath tends to produce a better result, though. The temptation, of course, is to blow as hard and as fast one possibly can into the mouthpiece. You can usually tell by looking at the mark / indentations on the finger whether you’re using proper technique. Use “flat fingers” to cover the holes.Ready position is where the recorder mouthpiece is resting on the chin. Work on the rest, ready, and play positions.If possible, find a consistent time to practice each day. It may seem obvious, but practice is important, and consistency makes a difference. Here are a few tips and guidelines for better recorder playing. Fundamentals always translate well to more advanced playing. Because developing good habits and techniques leads to more success over the long haul. Then, the best thing you can focus on is the basics. Interested in becoming a better recorder player? 7 Tips For Practicing & Playing The Recorder As A Beginner ![]() The eighth notes are easier than they look, though, because they come in batches of three. It starts slower, picks up a bit of speed, then lands somewhere in between. ![]() That said, through the ages, people have added many verses of their own, and their addendums range from the humorous and fun to the absurd and juvenile. ![]() The song is in 6/8 time and is only eight bars long. The lyrics were first published in 1852 but its exact origins aren’t known.īing Crosby used it in one of his medleys on 101 Gang Songs and sang it in concert as well. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is a popular English nursery rhyme / children’s song. ![]()
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