I'm a professional musician and I play all sorts of wind instruments from saxophone to bagpipes. I really enjoy improvising on my recorder along with the choir for mass and have been doing it for many years, and thus thought I knew everything I needed to know. Your channel is quite informative and showed me many things I did NOT know. Thank you! Worth mentioning is that #9 is prevalent among clarinet and sax players who pick up a recorder since biting is part of their normal embouchure. I'm guilty of this one!
@@CKayh It's more a mental thing than anything else. But it opens up your throat a lot. Much like voice placement for singers, you visualize the air passing though- like, imagine you are warming something that is at the end of your instrument. Even just thinking it, I can feel my throat open.
My fix for leaky fingers: I get them to press their fingers into the holes for a moment and then inspect them to see which one doesn't have the imprint of a complete circle on it.
Hi Sarah, I’ve been enjoying your lessons so much. My plan for today was to write all the fingerings for the alto recorder into a list I could refer to easily. Unfortunately I lost your description on the sceeen and haven’t been able to find it again. Can you help me to find it please. Sarah D.
that could lead to excessive tension, and a stronger grip that would be needed. a better solution its to let go off all the tension, to the point of the flute almost fall to the ground, then work on the fingers one at the time. i like to use pedal points from the low pitched Eb (all the holes uncovered) all the way down, that contrast between no fingers and all the fingers really helps the note accuracy
@@arthursouza420 Well, if the student continued to play with that grip what you say would be true. But to do that briefly with a class of eight year olds is much quicker and easier to direct than what you describe - which would suit a private student or older class much better. A brief squeeze doesn't need to lead to a permanently impaired grip. It will just point out to them which finger is the culprit when they can't get the right note.
Take care, Sarah. Here in Japan, Facebook for the recorder players(I think it's for Japanese player or the ones who speaks Japanese) has opened, and you and your You Tube is introduced. Many fans of yours are here in Japan!
Watching your videos I realize that I never learned to play the recorder properly as a child. That is probably why I decided to quit. Frustrated about it, always out of breath it was always a struggle and I did not want to struggle any more. Right now I have decided to buy a recorder and start again! (At age 62!!) thank you so much for your lovely, fun and informative videos!! 😘
As I've only had my recorder since yesterday, I'm hoping to avoid bad habits by watching these videos. I practiced for an hour this morning to your beginner tutorial. First goal, develop a constant good tone. Possibly, I'll be able to move to the next step in a month or so. Wish me luck on my attempts to play "Skye Boat Song".
@Daniel Gable: Re. "develop a constant good tone"; that point was impressed on me when I first started learning the baritone horn. My tutor pointed out that, if I created a good, musical tone, even if I was only playing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star', it would sound very pleasant to listen to. If, in contrast, the sound I made was 'Blerrgghh!', then even if my sight reading, speed, fingering, articulation and dynamics were all spot on, WHATEVER I played would sound horrible! FWIW, I think your 'first goal' is absolutely correct. And her'e luck to you, Daniel!
Regarding tonal constancy: yes, yes, yes! That is the reason I quit violin as a youngster -- because my teacher (yes, teacher) told me I was "close enough" and to keep going whilst I grimaced and hated the ugly and irregular sounds I was producing. After years of training in other instruments (including recorder, guitar and piano, each of which contributed to obtaining that exquisite constancy), I have returned to strings (vioal da gamba and cello) to enjoy that longed for sound. Go for it and happy playing!!!
Can I just say that these videos are helping me stay mentally afloat in this quarantine season? Thank you Sarah, for your great teaching method, your quirky humor, and just a great channel. My commitment for these next two weeks is to work on my instrument for at least 10 minutes a day following your videos and some music theory (with kids around it's a whole different ball game... or orchestra? :D). Let's see how far I get!!!
Also maybe don't eat while playing. I was at a class by a national level trumpet player, who thought he was finished as a player, until he washed out all that chocolate bar residue out of his trumpet.
I just started playing in order to stop smoking. I need help with not sounding off while in public. Help. ruclips.net/video/YDSVgWvgMxE/видео.html. Thank you.
Very useful, thank you for these tips. I retired my trumpet after high school and decided six years later to fill the musical hole in my heart. Hoping recorder is what I need! Recorders seem like a beautiful and somewhat misunderstood family of instruments. Your videos have been helpful in getting started, like having a personal online tutor!
This was really useful!!! I always thought that the recorder was a dumb instrument when I was young, since in music class no one (not even the teacher really) could play it well, and it was super high pitched. I had NO idea until I watched your videos that it was actually a soprano recorder we were using, and that even then it could sound good if you knew what you were doing. So for the last few weeks I've been practicing the recorder and it's coming along pretty well!! Annoyingly I can't yet not bite with my teeth on it though, because I'm a tenor saxophone player and have braces. But I've been playing on this recorder for YEARS biting down on it and there's not even a scratch. This is one resilient little bugger :O Also this entire time I've been half-covering holes to play flats and sharps i DiDN'T KNOW THERE WERE OTHER WAYS TO PLAY THEM AAH ;_;
Thank you very much for your videos. For contributing a little, as a thank you, I add a link to the errors ... 0:58 - 1. Wonky recorder 1:49 - 2. Leaky fingers 2:47 - 3. Bad posture 3:56 - 4. New note, new breath? 5:36 - 5. Not blowing enough 6:34 - 6. Leaky nose 7:32 - 7. Banana notes 8:34 - 8. Tongue twisters 9:46 - 9. Biting! 10:29 - 10. Sloppy wet recorders
I know this is such an old video but I have to tell you, I am enchanted by your personality. I have randomly stumbled upon this video and it made me realize how much I loved playing a recorder as a kid, I could play things by ear and more than anything, it was bringing me SO MUCH JOY. Pure joy. It felt so good. But I was a goth kid so I settled on an electric guitar and ended up hating it which made me give up on playing music. I just thought I'm bad at music and should give up. You made me realize my mind was in the wrong place. I chose something 'cool' and 'show offish' instead of choosing something that brought me joy. To some extent I didn't even know that a recorder was a legit instrument... I wish someone like you were around back then. Also, I am awkward and queer(bisexual man) and weird like you (please don't take this the wrong way, I mean that as a compliment, haha.), also from a small village near a small town in Poland so I just vibe with your videos so much, you feel like such a similar soul. I am trying to learn how to play a bass guitar currently but after watching your videos I decided to also purchase a recorder (maybe a bass! I just love bass sounds... bass makes me so happy) and start learning how to play. I want to thank you for inspiring me. You are so amazing, I truly am enchanted by your energy, it made me realize so much and inspire me to change my life for the better... I know, super cheesy. But it's true.
Wow, your tips on a "steady stream of air" reminds me of what I learned in voice class as a teenager! My first teacher was very classically-oriented so this was a big deal for her. Thank you! I'm loving this rediscovery of music on the recorder---and, as a Soprano II/Alto singer, it's great to have access to range that isn't so easily accessible via my vocal register!!
Thank you Sarah. I took up the recorder again in April 2020, after decades gap and only very little learning as a child, thanks to recorders my mum bought back then that I retrieved from her house after she died. I have been accumulating tunes I already know and love figuring out the notes. I can give pleasure to friends on the doorstep or down the telephone, sometimes with amazing reactions from listeners. I found your fab instructive videos via something else and I have learnt so much, especially how to articulate with the tongue rather than separating notes by stopping the breath. Along with the well paced and informative instruction, you have a delightful manner that really engaged me. It's very gracious of you to put these videos out free. I can see your passion for this amazing instrument, cutting through the prejudices about it being a 'toy'. It's a great thing to do during this pandemic, for so many reason. We need more home-made music, now we can't go to concerts! Thank you thank you.
I'm a new music teacher who actually never learned recorder in my education (but I was a clarinet player, so that goes a long way!) who has been using your videos this week to start practicing now before I have to teach the instrument next year. Thank you for putting these together for your viewers! So much help! (also as a clarinet player I'm so glad you mentioned not biting the mouthpiece--that's what you're SUPPOSED to do on a clarinet lol. It didn't feel right on a recorder so I was only using my lips...but it still felt Wrong. Thanks for confirming!)
I had my mom buy a plastic recorder (despite me being a pianist) so when I got it I was wondering what a certain little stick was for. No. 10 really helped me realise the obvious ^_^
OMG! I am a self-taught recorder player and have been trying to find a teacher near me in the USA. I have had no luck, so have just soldier on the best I can with a few tips from other self-taught (but more musically proficient) players. This have been SOOOO helpful! I just discovered you (Nov. 26, 2017). I can't WAIT to see how many of these I can fix. I am guilty of most of them, I think. I do clean my recorders (plastic and wood) as best I can, but not well enough, I am sure. I no longer bite my recorder (as I got better, I stopped biting). Leaking fingers, unsteady airflow, I know are problems. I will be more aware of my posture from now on, so some of those problems will go away. I am really looking forward to watching more of your videos and I am now subscribed!
MHHH WOW.. YOUR REALLY GOOD IN THIS🌼WELL THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR PLAYING AN ANGEL RECORDER...SO I WOULD LYK TO THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME ALL THESE THINGS ... ITS REALLY HELPED ME .... AND MY 2021 WISH IS TO MEET YOU SO THAT YOU CAN TEACH ME HOW TO PLAY THIS INSTRUMENT,CAUSE I REALLY WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL LIKE YOU ONE DAY ,ACTUALLY YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL🌜🌸🌛
The hardest thing to do when you're playing the recorder is "blowing enough". Man, I don't have this much breath!! But thank you so much for the tips. They"ll help me a lot!
Great video, wow i do lots of these and this just shows there is so much to the recorder i wish if people at my school saw this video and this channel they would all stop bullying me for playing the recorder (dont worry i shut them up in the end) i once had an arguement which instrument had more to it a bass guitar or a recorder and yes i won dw
Hoi! Het is erg leuk, om naar jou videos te kijken! Ik oefen nu meer met de Block Fluit en jou Videos zijn een grote Hulp! Jij bent echt een sympathiek mens!
i love to play the recorder since i was in the school and i keep playing with no much develop of my technic but with you im going ahead. now i refall inlove with this instrument and im falling in love of you !!!!!!!!
Tip 4 / 8 reminded me of surprising my flute instructor. She said my tonguing was a bit soft and I needed to make firmer stops. To which I replied "tonguing?" I had been using diaphragm, but it passed as tonguing. Oops? 😅
Great video, hilarious and really helpful! I just discovered this week that I breathe out through my nose while playing haha. And yes I do feel like I'm drowning so I'm heading straight over to your Breathing warm up video lol.
this video brought back some memories of school I remember always getting into massive trouble, just because I didn't put the instrument together straight, it didn't help not being able to see either
Sarah, I'm a man who has been playing guitar for many many years, I've had this recorder a couple of years and lately, been dying to learn how to play it WELL, to Record accompaniment for my guitar playing and singing!.. Some of the Greatest Classic Rock songs I love to play had flute parts in them so I'm trying to become adept at the recorder!.. THANK you, SO much, for your Tips, I LOVE your British accent, and I think you're EXTREMELY cute!
It is good to point out the difference between a new breath every note and the tonguing for the staccato, some people may mix that information when learning.
I’m watching loads of your videos since I have a band concert approaching where my director gave me a recorder solo unexpectedly. The part is pretty simple and straight to the point, but I know something is gonna go bad, maybe I’d lose my recorder, forget it. Or maybe even just play a Bb instead of B#
Question from a beginner -- if you are supposed to maintain a constant amount of air throughout the note, then how do you make it grow softer (diminuendo)? Thanks for the videos; I love them.
Great and entertaining video, thanks ! I had to replay the "breazing in and out" illustration, was so funny :) My little girl is interested in learning so these pieces of advise are quite useful. Greetings from France
I learned the soprano and alto recorders (and most of these 10 pointers) from my parents; they were into Renaissance/Baroque music (not Renaissance Fairs, lol) and, simultaneously with piano and music theory, it was part of my earliest musical education... I'm so glad I had the exposure, because all of that made learning the transverse flute (and later, the bagpipe) A LOT easier.... I have recently returned to the recorder, and it's like riding a bike, except for the bad (recorder) habit that I acquired from years of practice-chanter, ie "resting the end of the instrument on the table".
A mistake all my students do is having their hands the wrong way around. So i put little pieces of washitape on the side of the holes to memorize from which side the finger is coming. Within one week, everyone had it right:-)
Maya Adler well I am a professional with the hands the „wrong way around“ if you look back in history both was possible. Of course best way is to lorn left hand up. But everything is possible
Thank you! I teach recorder to little kids, before they are old enough to start on the flute, but it is not my main instrument, so this is very very helpful! ☺️☺️☺️
Thanks for making the video in spite of your cold! I've added Italian subtitles, hope they will be useful! P.S. what did you say at 5:17? That was the only spot I couldn' get right.
Absolutamente, nada se compara aos timbres das recorders: sopranino, soprano, alto e tenor fabricadas em madeira. O brilho e intensidade sonora é perfeito!
When you say the recorder should be pushed together in mistake 1, I have read that pulling it apart is so you can tune it accurately when playing with other instruments. Using a chromatic tuner, you can pitch the recorder perfectly by adjusting the gap.
Adjusting it on purpose for tuning purposes is not the same as not properly assembling your recorder in error. . She was addressing those who don't have it assembled properly in error.
Hi Sarah, thank you very much for a very enjoyable and informative series! Could you please do video guiding us on difficult trill fingurings? Thank you again!
I'm guilty of almost everything, especially 9. When I first started out, I would bite. There's still teeth marks. :( Anyway, I don't anymore. Thank goodness.
Well, I don't think it is that serious, really. There is no reason to articulate with your vocal cords when playing the recorder, but if you whistle, then your tongue is otherwise engaged, and you have to articulate with the vocal chords if you want to articulate at all. I have, logged between four and five thousand hours of whistling with this technique, and my voice is still OK, for singing as well as for talking.
I’m in a recorder ensemble and I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve had to tilt my head weirdly the whole time because I was late for rehearsal and didn’t have the time to put my recorder together properly lol
AULOS tenor recorder found in the garbage ( WTH ????? ) teeth marks on the mouth piece, solved it with the heat of a lighter. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, I'm learning a lot from your videos !!!
I love your videos, Sarah. I recently de-dusted my recorder and gave it a go and your videos are helping me a ton. I bought the daily lesson and the first of the modern recorder technique book of van Hauwe and work my way through them. So I have a question concerning a problem I always have: how to avoid that the recorder gets wet during playing…. What am I doing wrong here? Love from Belgium
I've got a new recorder and lm an absolute beginer . But the recorder l bought has a bumpy voice. Anyway l love the way to teach. I think you'll be a really good music teacher.😊👍👍
Definitely guilty of biting my recorder. I guess I'm lucky I only ever had the $5 recorder I got from the school when I was in 4th grade; it's not like I'm ruining a _good_ instrument. Now that I'm looking into getting decent recorders (and a range, I'd like more than just the soprano), I have been trying to unlearn my biting habit over the last few weeks. On that note, thank you so much for making this channel! It is so nice having a _solid_ resource for an instrument that I loved as a kid but everyone around me wanted me to move on to "real" instruments!
*AT CHOOLS THEY DON'T TEACH 90% OF THAT* At least at mine they didn't. Nothing about posture/articulation/cleaning... Only sometimes a friendly reminder about leaky fingers. And because of biting (my biggest sin, I'm so sorry for having doing it) my old recorder had it's wood scraped at the top (I have a new recorder now and I don't do that anymore). I was holding it so hard I didn't have to hold it in my hands ;-;
I'm a professional musician and I play all sorts of wind instruments from saxophone to bagpipes. I really enjoy improvising on my recorder along with the choir for mass and have been doing it for many years, and thus thought I knew everything I needed to know. Your channel is quite informative and showed me many things I did NOT know. Thank you! Worth mentioning is that #9 is prevalent among clarinet and sax players who pick up a recorder since biting is part of their normal embouchure. I'm guilty of this one!
Tip I give all wind instrument players: don't blow INTO your instrument- blow THROUGH it. So simple, so much difference!
Laura Klaassen Minnick how do i exactly do that?
@@CKayh It's more a mental thing than anything else. But it opens up your throat a lot. Much like voice placement for singers, you visualize the air passing though- like, imagine you are warming something that is at the end of your instrument. Even just thinking it, I can feel my throat open.
Haha
So true 😂
How ?
@@Liutgard Thank you so much for this! Visualisation is so valuable in so many things.
Another good reason to use a sock is that you always have lots of single socks after the other was eaten by the tumble dryer.
If your socks match, you would normally only have one extra sock at most.
@Stephanie Ellison really?
@Stephanie Ellison _Aslan needs socks in Narnia!_
Bruh
? How is that even possible?!?
My fix for leaky fingers: I get them to press their fingers into the holes for a moment and then inspect them to see which one doesn't have the imprint of a complete circle on it.
Hi Sarah, I’ve been enjoying your lessons so much. My plan for today was to write all the fingerings for the alto recorder into a list I could refer to easily. Unfortunately I lost your description on the sceeen and haven’t been able to find it again. Can you help me to find it please. Sarah D.
ruclips.net/video/YMYDsWAy2C0/видео.html
that could lead to excessive tension, and a stronger grip that would be needed. a better solution its to let go off all the tension, to the point of the flute almost fall to the ground, then work on the fingers one at the time. i like to use pedal points from the low pitched Eb (all the holes uncovered) all the way down, that contrast between no fingers and all the fingers really helps the note accuracy
@@arthursouza420 Well, if the student continued to play with that grip what you say would be true. But to do that briefly with a class of eight year olds is much quicker and easier to direct than what you describe - which would suit a private student or older class much better. A brief squeeze doesn't need to lead to a permanently impaired grip. It will just point out to them which finger is the culprit when they can't get the right note.
Take care, Sarah.
Here in Japan, Facebook for the recorder players(I think it's for Japanese player or the ones who speaks Japanese) has opened, and you and your You Tube is introduced. Many fans of yours are here in Japan!
Watching your videos I realize that I never learned to play the recorder properly as a child. That is probably why I decided to quit. Frustrated about it, always out of breath it was always a struggle and I did not want to struggle any more. Right now I have decided to buy a recorder and start again! (At age 62!!) thank you so much for your lovely, fun and informative videos!! 😘
As I've only had my recorder since yesterday, I'm hoping to avoid bad habits by watching these videos. I practiced for an hour this morning to your beginner tutorial. First goal, develop a constant good tone. Possibly, I'll be able to move to the next step in a month or so. Wish me luck on my attempts to play "Skye Boat Song".
@Daniel Gable: Re. "develop a constant good tone"; that point was impressed on me when I first started learning the baritone horn. My tutor pointed out that, if I created a good, musical tone, even if I was only playing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star', it would sound very pleasant to listen to. If, in contrast, the sound I made was 'Blerrgghh!', then even if my sight reading, speed, fingering, articulation and dynamics were all spot on, WHATEVER I played would sound horrible!
FWIW, I think your 'first goal' is absolutely correct. And her'e luck to you, Daniel!
Regarding tonal constancy: yes, yes, yes!
That is the reason I quit violin as a youngster -- because my teacher (yes, teacher) told me I was "close enough" and to keep going whilst I grimaced and hated the ugly and irregular sounds I was producing.
After years of training in other instruments (including recorder, guitar and piano, each of which contributed to obtaining that exquisite constancy), I have returned to strings (vioal da gamba and cello) to enjoy that longed for sound.
Go for it and happy playing!!!
Can I just say that these videos are helping me stay mentally afloat in this quarantine season? Thank you Sarah, for your great teaching method, your quirky humor, and just a great channel. My commitment for these next two weeks is to work on my instrument for at least 10 minutes a day following your videos and some music theory (with kids around it's a whole different ball game... or orchestra? :D). Let's see how far I get!!!
Miriam Ngombe I hope you’re still going strong! If not, it’s time to get back to it! :)
Agreed!
This video brings my memory back when I played recorders in my teenage.
Also maybe don't eat while playing. I was at a class by a national level trumpet player, who thought he was finished as a player, until he washed out all that chocolate bar residue out of his trumpet.
Jerry Kitich hahaha!
Jerry Kitich gross lol
Delicious
I just started playing in order to stop smoking. I need help with not sounding off while in public. Help. ruclips.net/video/YDSVgWvgMxE/видео.html. Thank you.
Oh, he was finished! Any trumpet player eating and playing...finished!
Very useful, thank you for these tips. I retired my trumpet after high school and decided six years later to fill the musical hole in my heart. Hoping recorder is what I need! Recorders seem like a beautiful and somewhat misunderstood family of instruments.
Your videos have been helpful in getting started, like having a personal online tutor!
Luke Hebert cool B)
This was really useful!!! I always thought that the recorder was a dumb instrument when I was young, since in music class no one (not even the teacher really) could play it well, and it was super high pitched. I had NO idea until I watched your videos that it was actually a soprano recorder we were using, and that even then it could sound good if you knew what you were doing. So for the last few weeks I've been practicing the recorder and it's coming along pretty well!! Annoyingly I can't yet not bite with my teeth on it though, because I'm a tenor saxophone player and have braces. But I've been playing on this recorder for YEARS biting down on it and there's not even a scratch. This is one resilient little bugger :O
Also this entire time I've been half-covering holes to play flats and sharps i DiDN'T KNOW THERE WERE OTHER WAYS TO PLAY THEM AAH ;_;
haaa yay welcome to the recorder world!
I presume this revelation about half notes means that, in addition to listening to Sarah, you located and downloaded a fingering chart? LOL?!?
I just took my recorder apart because she mentioned cleaning it... I will never take so long to clean it ever again. It was disgusting.
Wow, this lesson solved all of my problems with the tenor recorder. Thanks Sarah.
Thank you very much for your videos. For contributing a little, as a thank you, I add a link to the errors ...
0:58 - 1. Wonky recorder
1:49 - 2. Leaky fingers
2:47 - 3. Bad posture
3:56 - 4. New note, new breath?
5:36 - 5. Not blowing enough
6:34 - 6. Leaky nose
7:32 - 7. Banana notes
8:34 - 8. Tongue twisters
9:46 - 9. Biting!
10:29 - 10. Sloppy wet recorders
I know this is such an old video but I have to tell you, I am enchanted by your personality. I have randomly stumbled upon this video and it made me realize how much I loved playing a recorder as a kid, I could play things by ear and more than anything, it was bringing me SO MUCH JOY. Pure joy. It felt so good. But I was a goth kid so I settled on an electric guitar and ended up hating it which made me give up on playing music. I just thought I'm bad at music and should give up. You made me realize my mind was in the wrong place. I chose something 'cool' and 'show offish' instead of choosing something that brought me joy. To some extent I didn't even know that a recorder was a legit instrument... I wish someone like you were around back then. Also, I am awkward and queer(bisexual man) and weird like you (please don't take this the wrong way, I mean that as a compliment, haha.), also from a small village near a small town in Poland so I just vibe with your videos so much, you feel like such a similar soul. I am trying to learn how to play a bass guitar currently but after watching your videos I decided to also purchase a recorder (maybe a bass! I just love bass sounds... bass makes me so happy) and start learning how to play. I want to thank you for inspiring me. You are so amazing, I truly am enchanted by your energy, it made me realize so much and inspire me to change my life for the better... I know, super cheesy. But it's true.
They showed us this in music class
Are you still playing?
Cool
Wow
That's nice, but very vague... Who are "they", who was "us", and where was did you go for "music class"?
Wow, your tips on a "steady stream of air" reminds me of what I learned in voice class as a teenager! My first teacher was very classically-oriented so this was a big deal for her.
Thank you! I'm loving this rediscovery of music on the recorder---and, as a Soprano II/Alto singer, it's great to have access to range that isn't so easily accessible via my vocal register!!
Thank you Sarah. I took up the recorder again in April 2020, after decades gap and only very little learning as a child, thanks to recorders my mum bought back then that I retrieved from her house after she died. I have been accumulating tunes I already know and love figuring out the notes. I can give pleasure to friends on the doorstep or down the telephone, sometimes with amazing reactions from listeners. I found your fab instructive videos via something else and I have learnt so much, especially how to articulate with the tongue rather than separating notes by stopping the breath. Along with the well paced and informative instruction, you have a delightful manner that really engaged me. It's very gracious of you to put these videos out free. I can see your passion for this amazing instrument, cutting through the prejudices about it being a 'toy'. It's a great thing to do during this pandemic, for so many reason. We need more home-made music, now we can't go to concerts! Thank you thank you.
Great video! I've shared with my students in my Music for Children Class.
I'm a celtic harp player and new to recorders (felt in love with the alto and tenor ones). Thanks for the tips, it's very helpful! :)
I love this I even learned a new song
I can't tell you how much I love your station! I'm passing this along to all my general music students.
Thank you so much. Your videos are a fabulous tool. I share them with my recorder classes. The students love learning from you!
Wow! For a beginner, like me, this video was filled with loads of tips and encouragement to learn to play the recorder in the right manner.
I'm a new music teacher who actually never learned recorder in my education (but I was a clarinet player, so that goes a long way!) who has been using your videos this week to start practicing now before I have to teach the instrument next year. Thank you for putting these together for your viewers! So much help!
(also as a clarinet player I'm so glad you mentioned not biting the mouthpiece--that's what you're SUPPOSED to do on a clarinet lol. It didn't feel right on a recorder so I was only using my lips...but it still felt Wrong. Thanks for confirming!)
You're welcome! ❤️
I had my mom buy a plastic recorder (despite me being a pianist) so when I got it I was wondering what a certain little stick was for. No. 10 really helped me realise the obvious ^_^
OMG! I am a self-taught recorder player and have been trying to find a teacher near me in the USA. I have had no luck, so have just soldier on the best I can with a few tips from other self-taught (but more musically proficient) players. This have been SOOOO helpful! I just discovered you (Nov. 26, 2017). I can't WAIT to see how many of these I can fix. I am guilty of most of them, I think. I do clean my recorders (plastic and wood) as best I can, but not well enough, I am sure. I no longer bite my recorder (as I got better, I stopped biting). Leaking fingers, unsteady airflow, I know are problems. I will be more aware of my posture from now on, so some of those problems will go away. I am really looking forward to watching more of your videos and I am now subscribed!
I'm self-taught as well in the USA. I feel like there is hardly anyone in our country who plays the recorder.
Where are you guys from? I'm near Omaha
@@Fretfeeler
Where is Ohama
@@meukunsarangbe2238 Nebraska, USA
@@Fretfeeler
Oooook
Thank you so much for this video! I started just playing recorder and I want to know all the mistakes before it’s too late 😂
Thank you so much for your tips, I have an Grade 1 exam coming up and your tips will come in handy!
Cece Unicorn Hope you did well!
Thank you for the tips, very supporting. ;)
MHHH WOW.. YOUR REALLY GOOD IN THIS🌼WELL THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR PLAYING AN ANGEL RECORDER...SO I WOULD LYK TO THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME ALL THESE THINGS ... ITS REALLY HELPED ME .... AND MY 2021 WISH IS TO MEET YOU SO THAT YOU CAN TEACH ME HOW TO PLAY THIS INSTRUMENT,CAUSE I REALLY WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL LIKE YOU ONE DAY ,ACTUALLY YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL🌜🌸🌛
The hardest thing to do when you're playing the recorder is "blowing enough". Man, I don't have this much breath!!
But thank you so much for the tips. They"ll help me a lot!
You are such a wonderful teacher! So glad I found your channel! ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️🤩🤩🤩🤩
My teacher told me to watch this video and it helps me a lot 💕❤️
This was very helpful to me. Thank you.
thank you for your tips. want to hear more from you soon.
Great video, wow i do lots of these and this just shows there is so much to the recorder i wish if people at my school saw this video and this channel they would all stop bullying me for playing the recorder (dont worry i shut them up in the end) i once had an arguement which instrument had more to it a bass guitar or a recorder and yes i won dw
Hoi! Het is erg leuk, om naar jou videos te kijken! Ik oefen nu meer met de Block Fluit en jou Videos zijn een grote Hulp! Jij bent echt een sympathiek mens!
I play the recorder and this channel really has helped me a lot especially this video
Very useful! Thank you so much for posting.
i love to play the recorder since i was in the school and i keep playing with no much develop of my technic but with you im going ahead.
now i refall inlove with this instrument and im falling in love of you !!!!!!!!
Tip 4 / 8 reminded me of surprising my flute instructor. She said my tonguing was a bit soft and I needed to make firmer stops. To which I replied "tonguing?" I had been using diaphragm, but it passed as tonguing. Oops? 😅
great video! i love your personality!
Beauty and talent - pure pleasure! Thank you for your vids!
Great video, hilarious and really helpful! I just discovered this week that I breathe out through my nose while playing haha. And yes I do feel like I'm drowning so I'm heading straight over to your Breathing warm up video lol.
Great video. Banana note made me laugh 😂 😹 🤣
I learn a lot from you. Your videos are great. Thank you very much indeed!
this video brought back some memories of school I remember always getting into massive trouble, just because I didn't put the instrument together straight, it didn't help not being able to see either
Sarah, I'm a man who has been playing guitar for many many years, I've had this recorder a couple of years and lately, been dying to learn how to play it WELL, to Record accompaniment for my guitar playing and singing!.. Some of the Greatest Classic Rock songs I love to play had flute parts in them so I'm trying to become adept at the recorder!.. THANK you, SO much, for your Tips, I LOVE your British accent, and I think you're EXTREMELY cute!
It is good to point out the difference between a new breath every note and the tonguing for the staccato, some people may mix that information when learning.
You're just wonderful! Amazing!
I’m watching loads of your videos since I have a band concert approaching where my director gave me a recorder solo unexpectedly. The part is pretty simple and straight to the point, but I know something is gonna go bad, maybe I’d lose my recorder, forget it. Or maybe even just play a Bb instead of B#
I am self taught and my first song was amazing grace from your beginner video and here I am again thank you for these videos
you are so awesome! we bought the recorder you've recommended for the beginner kids, and these lessons made things so much easier!!!!
Hope your cold will go away soon, and thanks for all this good advice!
Thank you! This video was super helpful! My recording playing improved massively after watching this!
I am so guilty of most of the problems mentioned :D. The curse of the beginner musician, LOL!
So helpful, thank you !!!!!
Question from a beginner -- if you are supposed to maintain a constant amount of air throughout the note, then how do you make it grow softer (diminuendo)? Thanks for the videos; I love them.
Dynamics aren’t used as much on recorder as other instruments. Sarah did another whole video on dynamics.
Great and entertaining video, thanks ! I had to replay the "breazing in and out" illustration, was so funny :) My little girl is interested in learning so these pieces of advise are quite useful. Greetings from France
Thank you! Good instruction. Hope you feel well now. ;-)
You and your videos are so beautiful! Thanks a lot!
Thank you for videos, I adore watching them ) You are the best )
I learned the soprano and alto recorders (and most of these 10 pointers) from my parents; they were into Renaissance/Baroque music (not Renaissance Fairs, lol) and, simultaneously with piano and music theory, it was part of my earliest musical education... I'm so glad I had the exposure, because all of that made learning the transverse flute (and later, the bagpipe) A LOT easier.... I have recently returned to the recorder, and it's like riding a bike, except for the bad (recorder) habit that I acquired from years of practice-chanter, ie "resting the end of the instrument on the table".
A mistake all my students do is having their hands the wrong way around. So i put little pieces of washitape on the side of the holes to memorize from which side the finger is coming. Within one week, everyone had it right:-)
Maya Adler well I am a professional with the hands the „wrong way around“ if you look back in history both was possible. Of course best way is to lorn left hand up. But everything is possible
Thank you! I teach recorder to little kids, before they are old enough to start on the flute, but it is not my main instrument, so this is very very helpful! ☺️☺️☺️
Thanks for making the video in spite of your cold! I've added Italian subtitles, hope they will be useful!
P.S. what did you say at 5:17? That was the only spot I couldn' get right.
She said: "Uhh! Just so much better!"
Very clear and useful explanations! Contrats!
To find the culprit !! Is the first time I listen this word in English.. Thanks Sarah
love your lessons and your English :) I am still learing but I am "old".... it takes some time to get it
Love the video was worth it just for tip #9 ... hahaha the "Don't do it ..." was so heartfelt
Absolutamente, nada se compara aos timbres das recorders: sopranino, soprano, alto e tenor fabricadas em madeira. O brilho e intensidade sonora é perfeito!
I just bought a recorder. I'll be followin these tips.
You rock, as usual, Sarah! ❤️💕🎶🥳🎉
her:moves the pieces in the recorder
me: *grunts* trying to move the pieces in my recorder.
Have you lubricated the joints? :-)
And... you do it again. Great video, awesome channel. Cheers!
Zvika Dror luv da afro
Agreed
This is new to me. Thank you so much for this video!!
When you say the recorder should be pushed together in mistake 1, I have read that pulling it apart is so you can tune it accurately when playing with other instruments. Using a chromatic tuner, you can pitch the recorder perfectly by adjusting the gap.
Adjusting it on purpose for tuning purposes is not the same as not properly assembling your recorder in error. . She was addressing those who don't have it assembled properly in error.
Hi Sarah, thank you very much for a very enjoyable and informative series! Could you please do video guiding us on difficult trill fingurings? Thank you again!
Just got my Alto today. Now the practice.
gossip: I feel I have noticed Lucie Horst biting the flute once :-O
Thank you so much. I needed those tips.
Me: watches the entire video
Also me: quickly grabs my recorder to clean it because i haven't touched it in months
I'm guilty of almost everything, especially 9. When I first started out, I would bite. There's still teeth marks. :(
Anyway, I don't anymore. Thank goodness.
very interesting thanks for the great points! I enjoy your fun delivery, got me laughing all the way!
THANK YOU!! You help me discovered that my bad "hand posture" was the responsible for my "leaky fingers" (sorry for my bad English)
Thank you for the upload. Get well soon. Xx
9:30 would be a lovely inclusion in "Music Lessons Out of Context."
throat articulation ruins your voice'?? scary :-I I did not know that, you saved my voice.
Well, I don't think it is that serious, really. There is no reason to articulate with your vocal cords when playing the recorder, but if you whistle, then your tongue is otherwise engaged, and you have to articulate with the vocal chords if you want to articulate at all. I have, logged between four and five thousand hours of whistling with this technique, and my voice is still OK, for singing as well as for talking.
I’m in a recorder ensemble and I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve had to tilt my head weirdly the whole time because I was late for rehearsal and didn’t have the time to put my recorder together properly lol
Beautiful new alto, Sarah!
AULOS tenor recorder found in the garbage ( WTH ????? ) teeth marks on the mouth piece, solved it with the heat of a lighter.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, I'm learning a lot from your videos !!!
I love your videos, Sarah. I recently de-dusted my recorder and gave it a go and your videos are helping me a ton. I bought the daily lesson and the first of the modern recorder technique book of van Hauwe and work my way through them. So I have a question concerning a problem I always have: how to avoid that the recorder gets wet during playing…. What am I doing wrong here? Love from Belgium
I've got a new recorder and lm an absolute beginer . But the recorder l bought has a bumpy voice. Anyway l love the way to teach. I think you'll be a really good music teacher.😊👍👍
Thanks for telling me about the top 10 mistakes.I do omost all of those
Definitely guilty of biting my recorder. I guess I'm lucky I only ever had the $5 recorder I got from the school when I was in 4th grade; it's not like I'm ruining a _good_ instrument. Now that I'm looking into getting decent recorders (and a range, I'd like more than just the soprano), I have been trying to unlearn my biting habit over the last few weeks. On that note, thank you so much for making this channel! It is so nice having a _solid_ resource for an instrument that I loved as a kid but everyone around me wanted me to move on to "real" instruments!
5 and 7 are some mistakes I make. I'm working on it, I have nearly 1 year playing the recorder! And I Iove it!
I’ll play recorder during COVID.
Already have.
*AT CHOOLS THEY DON'T TEACH 90% OF THAT*
At least at mine they didn't. Nothing about posture/articulation/cleaning... Only sometimes a friendly reminder about leaky fingers. And because of biting (my biggest sin, I'm so sorry for having doing it) my old recorder had it's wood scraped at the top (I have a new recorder now and I don't do that anymore). I was holding it so hard I didn't have to hold it in my hands ;-;
Hi I loved your video :-)