In flute ensemble, I often hide my recorder behind my music stand, to lower the volume of mid-range and higher notes, and sit back to let the notes sing louder. For low notes I shield the bell with my knees (not so close as to lower the pitch) to play more softly, as well as with breath control. And I hold the recorder vertically with the bell pointing toward the audience to let the low notes carry louder. My colleagues at the college tell me that these do seem to work. These work with the recorders I play in ensembles: Soprano and Tenor. It works with the alto, but I don't play it that often. My basset is quiet enough without doing anything, so I have only experimented with ways to make it louder.
" If you find yourself playing out of tune due to dynamics please seek immediate help from the music teacher closest to you" - it is recommendable to stay away from nearby bandmates, as out of tuneitis, is contagious, and one could tune to your out of tune playing by accident Fantastic video, and very helpful. I, too, have pondered about playing dynamics well, and you have produced a solution
Rory Bruce - I actually think that it's okay to play a little bit out of tune for the dynamics (as long as not in a band of course) - actually most instruments sound out of tune if played very soft or very loud - when tuning my ukulele if I hit the string too softly it tells me it's flat. I think there was a long standing argument about this between Frans Bruggen and the purists - was this the Bruggen Bulge controversy perhaps - let me know if you know anything about it?
You are such an Inspiration! I started before one year watching your videos first paying with soprano then alto and now tenor recorder. I love this instrument. I play and practice every day. Thank you! :)
A wealth of ideas, Sarah! I am inspired to try more. Here is a "trick" I found to exaggerate dynamics on the recorder. I try to start with the thought of what I am trying to achieve, and then while playing, I imagine the phrase sounding louder or softer. Sometimes it just happens. I was never sure what I was doing differently, but after viewing your video, I think it's a combination of three things: changing the breath stream, playing longer and shorter notes, and hovering my fingers over open holes a little closer or further from the instrument.
This is excellent! Especially the section on adjusting intonation. As a clarinetist/saxophonist, adjusting pitch on the recorder has always been a big challenge for me. Thanks for producing these great videos!
The use of sound color and articulation for dynamics (or the suggestion there of) works beautifully on the recorder. The recorder is just really good at that, especially with the use of articulation. As you said, with articulation you can make the recorder speak eloquently; yes the recorder the recorder excels at that. However, adding or leaking a finger to alter the pitch when doing dynamics, not so much . My teacher taught me to do this and I always hates how it sounded, even when if my intonation was perfect. I even hated it when my teacher used it in recitals. I heard this finger alteration dynamics technique used by other professional in recitals, and to my ears the sound quality is bad, and it ruins the expressiveness of the music rather that adding to it. Of course it can be done, but I've never heard done beautifully. And Sarah, I am NOT criticizing the video itself at all. It was great as always! I've just never been a fan of the use of that particular technique.
Hi Sarah, would you be able to do a video on the VOICE FLUTE? I'm really intrigued by this instrument, and would love to know more about it's history, repertoire, range, whether you consider it to be a large alto or a small tenor and options for buying an instrument. Congratulations on 30,000+ subscribers!
I encountered this problem today. I was playing some music and thought _oh, I'll play this part softly as an echo!_ and then quickly realized that just means it sounds flat. Thanks for these suggestions, I am going to try them!
Good presentation, but I suspect the hot versus cold air thing is a typical Woodwind myth. Would you not agree that it has more to do with the position of the tongue and the shape of the oral cavity? The air comes out of your throat at the same temperature and velocity is the only thing that can change that temperature. Given the same volume of air through the same opening for the same time, you have the same temperature. Try it. In this video you demonstrate warm air with a wide open mouth and cold air with pursed lips. Try reversing. Impossible? Of course. In recorder and clarinet the opening is the same throughout performance. But throat and tongue can be altered. What does it have to do with hot vs cold? Would it not be more accurate to describe it as open versus closed?
Subtitulos *o*. Waooooo sigue así Sarah , sigo tus vídeos desde hace tiempo y como verás soy de habla hispana y ahora se me facilita enterderlos mejor !!!
I just found out you were in Denmark 2 days ago. And I missed it 😭 from looking at your concert calendar it doesn't seem like you come by here very often 😭
Personalmente creo que lo mejor es reconocer y aceptar las limitaciones de nuestro instrumento sabiendo que al menos en español, este se llama flauta DULCE y en consecuencia debemos interpretarla como tal.
Limited dynamics are one of the main reasons recorder was superseded by flute. Same with harpsichord being superseded by piano. Earlier music didn't need that much dynamics, it was mostly about ornamentations. I prefer it that way. It's simpler and nicer to listen to.
gnolex - I like both - the later Romantic music needs a lot of dynamic range and I find it very enjoyable to listen to. I find the harpsichord gets a bit annoying after a while - could be its lack of dynamics - however, I do not have the same reaction to the recorder - I could listen to Vivaldi recorder concertos all day - and I do when I'm writing - lol!!
8:50 This moment reminds me of a well-known paradox en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritone_paradox There the question was about pitch. Here the same about dynamics.
I need help please. I have a baroque duets for fun treble recorder book. Above the staff, I have been able to identify what a + means I believe it’s a trill. I do not understand what a number five and is zigzag sign above a note means. I tried to find it online and was unsuccessful. Any help would be appreciated.
Great video, Sarah! I'm working on applying all four techniques to 'suggest' dynamics. By the way, what make of recorder are you playing on this video. I love the sound.
Σ三❚三三三◕◕◕三◕◕◕三◕三∃.•*¨*•♪♫ I like playing recorder in an empty room, as it echoes beautifully off the walls. That's my sorta "chamber" music. I think what the walls are made of, too, makes some difference--like whether it is brick or plasterboard. A tiled bathroom can be quite resonant. Some outdoor locations echo more than others. Recorder music can float across a stream very nicely. I think it might bounce off the water. Not sure, as I'm no physicist, either! lol
Given that it's such a complicated skill, do you think it was really fair of an ABRSM examiner to criticise my preliminary grade pupil for not making enough of the dynamics? I did try your second method with her, but evidently that was too subtle!
So with a pupil on a low grade, I wonder whether the technique of turning the recorder to the side might be a better signal to an examiner that dynamics are being observed? You can hardly expect such a pupil to exhibit a large range of alterrnative fingerings!
All of the timings have their own appeal. The only one I don’t really like is late and soft. It sounds like you’re preparing to play a grand finale and then you’re like nah, just kidding 😁
Well, obviously it depends in the place after all, I play in my city Symphonic Orchestra and in a Marching Band, both have very big sounds were the dynamics for the flutes are almost unnoticable, because playing extremely low is almost as if I were not playing, but playing in a small area or with some close friends (woodwinds mostly), the dynamics show off in a very drastic way. Trying the same thing with the recorder just ends with very out of tune notes, the flute also bends pitch because of airstream velocity but not as much.
I’ve played the flute for 14 years and I disagree tbh - whilst flutes obviously don’t have the best dynamic contrast, as you don’t have to compensate for tuning, you can put a lot more air through the flute making it much louder and also change the air pressure
Anyone understand why ripples are so bad at changing dynamics while being pitch stable? Why is it easier with a reed? I used to play the organ and there is zero spontaneous dynamic expression on that instrument. You either pretend (shorter notes - louder because the gaps present an illusion of stronger articulation) or set up another manual in advance with quieter stops to get terraced dynamics. Ah yes, and there was something called the swell as well, but I can't for the life of me remember how it worked - possibly a knee operated lever which opened some sort of screen over the pipes? I think recorder players are better off than that!
Thanks Sarah for taking recorder playing to a whole new level
You’re welcome ❤️
In flute ensemble, I often hide my recorder behind my music stand, to lower the volume of mid-range and higher notes, and sit back to let the notes sing louder. For low notes I shield the bell with my knees (not so close as to lower the pitch) to play more softly, as well as with breath control. And I hold the recorder vertically with the bell pointing toward the audience to let the low notes carry louder. My colleagues at the college tell me that these do seem to work. These work with the recorders I play in ensembles: Soprano and Tenor. It works with the alto, but I don't play it that often. My basset is quiet enough without doing anything, so I have only experimented with ways to make it louder.
" If you find yourself playing out of tune due to dynamics please seek immediate help from the music teacher closest to you"
- it is recommendable to stay away from nearby bandmates, as out of tuneitis, is contagious, and one could tune to your out of tune playing by accident
Fantastic video, and very helpful. I, too, have pondered about playing dynamics well, and you have produced a solution
Rory Bruce - I actually think that it's okay to play a little bit out of tune for the dynamics (as long as not in a band of course) - actually most instruments sound out of tune if played very soft or very loud - when tuning my ukulele if I hit the string too softly it tells me it's flat. I think there was a long standing argument about this between Frans Bruggen and the purists - was this the Bruggen Bulge controversy perhaps - let me know if you know anything about it?
Thank you so much Sarah - I am a pro flute player and was a bit stuck about how to teach dynamics to my recorder pupils. REALLY helpful.
You are such an Inspiration! I started before one year watching your videos first paying with soprano then alto and now tenor recorder. I love this instrument. I play and practice every day. Thank you! :)
Yesss so happy to hear that!
A wealth of ideas, Sarah! I am inspired to try more. Here is a "trick" I found to exaggerate dynamics on the recorder. I try to start with the thought of what I am trying to achieve, and then while playing, I imagine the phrase sounding louder or softer. Sometimes it just happens. I was never sure what I was doing differently, but after viewing your video, I think it's a combination of three things: changing the breath stream, playing longer and shorter notes, and hovering my fingers over open holes a little closer or further from the instrument.
Very dynamic indeed! Thanks Sarah - so many great tips to try.
This is excellent! Especially the section on adjusting intonation. As a clarinetist/saxophonist, adjusting pitch on the recorder has always been a big challenge for me. Thanks for producing these great videos!
The use of sound color and articulation for dynamics (or the suggestion there of) works beautifully on the recorder. The recorder is just really good at that, especially with the use of articulation. As you said, with articulation you can make the recorder speak eloquently; yes the recorder the recorder excels at that. However, adding or leaking a finger to alter the pitch when doing dynamics, not so much . My teacher taught me to do this and I always hates how it sounded, even when if my intonation was perfect. I even hated it when my teacher used it in recitals. I heard this finger alteration dynamics technique used by other professional in recitals, and to my ears the sound quality is bad, and it ruins the expressiveness of the music rather that adding to it. Of course it can be done, but I've never heard done beautifully. And Sarah, I am NOT criticizing the video itself at all. It was great as always! I've just never been a fan of the use of that particular technique.
Hi Sarah, would you be able to do a video on the VOICE FLUTE? I'm really intrigued by this instrument, and would love to know more about it's history, repertoire, range, whether you consider it to be a large alto or a small tenor and options for buying an instrument. Congratulations on 30,000+ subscribers!
Zero dislikes! This is how good your chnnel is! Thank you, I like these videos so much!
As always, Sarah, a very instructive video. Thank you and congratulations: 30 000 subscribers!!
Fantastic video,thanks Sarah
1:36 When someone says recorders are a children instrument
Really useful and brought across in a clear but non patronising way! Love your vids! Thank you! ☺☺☺
O_O
I'm in shock what good player able to do with a recorder
I love your videos! They help me so much since I’m a beginner at this.
Wow that’s quite advanced stuff.
I encountered this problem today. I was playing some music and thought _oh, I'll play this part softly as an echo!_ and then quickly realized that just means it sounds flat. Thanks for these suggestions, I am going to try them!
As always, terrific video and excellent tips! Thanks Ms. Jeffrey. Harry
Could you make a video about the different bore sizes and shapes and their effect on the recorder sound ?
Good presentation, but I suspect the hot versus cold air thing is a typical Woodwind myth. Would you not agree that it has more to do with the position of the tongue and the shape of the oral cavity? The air comes out of your throat at the same temperature and velocity is the only thing that can change that temperature. Given the same volume of air through the same opening for the same time, you have the same temperature. Try it. In this video you demonstrate warm air with a wide open mouth and cold air with pursed lips. Try reversing. Impossible? Of course. In recorder and clarinet the opening is the same throughout performance. But throat and tongue can be altered. What does it have to do with hot vs cold? Would it not be more accurate to describe it as open versus closed?
6:42 what piece is that????
Subtitulos *o*. Waooooo sigue así Sarah , sigo tus vídeos desde hace tiempo y como verás soy de habla hispana y ahora se me facilita enterderlos mejor !!!
I just found out you were in Denmark 2 days ago. And I missed it 😭 from looking at your concert calendar it doesn't seem like you come by here very often 😭
Wonderful! Is this easier on the "modern" recorders with piano keys?
Very much so!
You are a recorder genius, I love your videos
Personalmente creo que lo mejor es reconocer y aceptar las limitaciones de nuestro instrumento sabiendo que al menos en español, este se llama flauta DULCE y en consecuencia debemos interpretarla como tal.
Timing corresponds to aggression / assertiveness. Loudness also correlates with that, but that doesn't imply that timing and loudness correlate....
Limited dynamics are one of the main reasons recorder was superseded by flute. Same with harpsichord being superseded by piano. Earlier music didn't need that much dynamics, it was mostly about ornamentations. I prefer it that way. It's simpler and nicer to listen to.
gnolex - I like both - the later Romantic music needs a lot of dynamic range and I find it very enjoyable to listen to. I find the harpsichord gets a bit annoying after a while - could be its lack of dynamics - however, I do not have the same reaction to the recorder - I could listen to Vivaldi recorder concertos all day - and I do when I'm writing - lol!!
Thanks!!! Very useful!!!
8:50 This moment reminds me of a well-known paradox en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritone_paradox There the question was about pitch. Here the same about dynamics.
It would be really interesting to play the recorder exhaling helium and/or sulfur hexafluoride to listen how it affects the pitch of the instrument.
Have you tried this???
Once with an Euphonium, it sounded really weird...
I need help please. I have a baroque duets for fun treble recorder book. Above the staff, I have been able to identify what a + means I believe it’s a trill. I do not understand what a number five and is zigzag sign above a note means. I tried to find it online and was unsuccessful. Any help would be appreciated.
It is extremly helpful. But what about the dynamics on a modern recorder?
Gracias Sarah por tener subtítulos en español 😅😅😅
30.000 followers!!!! #teamrecorder
5 way: treble notes are high volum than low notes.
Can you make a tutorial on how to avoid squeaks
Great video, Sarah! I'm working on applying all four techniques to 'suggest' dynamics. By the way, what make of recorder are you playing on this video. I love the sound.
Great video dear Sarah.Thk.you.. lots of informațion..God Bless you..
Can the recorder be used for playing all songs?
Yep
Gracias por poner los subtítulos en español❤
Σ三❚三三三◕◕◕三◕◕◕三◕三∃.•*¨*•♪♫
I like playing recorder in an empty room, as it echoes beautifully off the walls. That's my sorta "chamber" music. I think what the walls are made of, too, makes some difference--like whether it is brick or plasterboard. A tiled bathroom can be quite resonant. Some outdoor locations echo more than others. Recorder music can float across a stream very nicely. I think it might bounce off the water. Not sure, as I'm no physicist, either! lol
Is there a Recorder in Bb? So that I can play Rhapsody in Blue?
There IS! It’s called a fourth flute :) Mollenhauer make them now...
is it possible to play all notes on recorder softly?
amazing girl....
Given that it's such a complicated skill, do you think it was really fair of an ABRSM examiner to criticise my preliminary grade pupil for not making enough of the dynamics? I did try your second method with her, but evidently that was too subtle!
I think it was probably unfair, as the examiner was almost certainly not a recorder player, they don’t get it!
So with a pupil on a low grade, I wonder whether the technique of turning the recorder to the side might be a better signal to an examiner that dynamics are being observed? You can hardly expect such a pupil to exhibit a large range of alterrnative fingerings!
All of the timings have their own appeal. The only one I don’t really like is late and soft. It sounds like you’re preparing to play a grand finale and then you’re like nah, just kidding 😁
😂
As a Flutist, I can say the recorder has te same dynamics as the flute, almost none tbh v':
Lex J. - that's interesting because i was wondering how the flute could have better dynamics than a recorder - thanks for that!!
Well, obviously it depends in the place after all, I play in my city Symphonic Orchestra and in a Marching Band, both have very big sounds were the dynamics for the flutes are almost unnoticable, because playing extremely low is almost as if I were not playing, but playing in a small area or with some close friends (woodwinds mostly), the dynamics show off in a very drastic way. Trying the same thing with the recorder just ends with very out of tune notes, the flute also bends pitch because of airstream velocity but not as much.
I’ve played the flute for 14 years and I disagree tbh - whilst flutes obviously don’t have the best dynamic contrast, as you don’t have to compensate for tuning, you can put a lot more air through the flute making it much louder and also change the air pressure
😢
Anyone understand why ripples are so bad at changing dynamics while being pitch stable? Why is it easier with a reed?
I used to play the organ and there is zero spontaneous dynamic expression on that instrument. You either pretend (shorter notes - louder because the gaps present an illusion of stronger articulation) or set up another manual in advance with quieter stops to get terraced dynamics. Ah yes, and there was something called the swell as well, but I can't for the life of me remember how it worked - possibly a knee operated lever which opened some sort of screen over the pipes? I think recorder players are better off than that!
Aargh! Spell checkers! I wrote 'Fipples', not 'Ripples'!
I like color your lips...😘
Too hard. Back to the flute.