How to Play the Recorder

How to Play the Recorder

Recorder Basics

Recorder Basics

Recorder Tonguing

Recorder Tonguing

How to Play "Hot Cross Buns" on the Recorder

How to Play "Hot Cross Buns" on the Recorder

How to Play "Merrily We Roll Along" on the Recorder

How to Play "Merrily We Roll Along" on the Recorder

How to Play "When the Saints Go Marching In" on the Recorder

How to Play "When the Saints Go Marching In" on the Recorder

How to Play the C Major Scale on the Recorder

How to Play the C Major Scale on the Recorder

How to Play the Recorder

How to Play the Recorder

How to Play Songs on the Recorder

How to Play Songs on the Recorder

Recorder Songs - Reading Music

Recorder Songs - Reading Music

Recorder Songs - D Major Scale and Triad

Recorder Songs - D Major Scale and Triad

Recorder Songs - Learn Tue Tue

Recorder Songs - Learn Tue Tue

Recorder Songs - Learn Joe Magarac

Recorder Songs - Learn Joe Magarac

How to Play the Recorder

How to Play the Recorder

Playing the Recorder - Choosing an Instrument

Playing the Recorder - Choosing an Instrument

Playing the Recorder - The Foundation - Breathing, Support, and Posture

Playing the Recorder - The Foundation - Breathing, Support, and Posture

Playing the Recorder - Tone Production

Playing the Recorder - Tone Production

Playing the Recorder - Articulation

Playing the Recorder - Articulation

How to Play the Harmonica

How to Play the Harmonica

How to Play the Recorder

How to Play the Recorder

View more ...

Michelle Williams

Flute & Recorder Instructor, Foxes Music Company

www.foxesmusic.com  

703-533-7393

Michelle is a local music teacher in the Falls Church area, joining the Foxes Music Faculty four years ago. She is also an active musician in the Washington D.C. area and internationally, performing in various ensembles and as a soloist. She is currently a member of the HOTS Jazz Orchestra, the Columbia Flute Choir, and forms one half of a local Flute and Guitar Duo, as well as one third of a Flute, Violin, and Cello Trio. Her playing has taken her as far as Israel and Mexico, where she has entertained as a soloist, and to France and Northern New Zealand performing with the HOTS Jazz Orchestra. Locally, Michell has performed for the Victorian Historical Society in Falls Church, at business meetings and conventions. Ms. Williams graduated from the Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Science degree in Arts Management where her applied major was in Flute. She has been teaching since 1992 and she is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, the National Flute Association, and the Washington Flute Society.

Recorder Basics

Professional recorder player and teacher Michelle Williams demonstrates recorder basics.

Print

Transcripts

Michelle Williams: Hi I am Michelle Williams and we are at Foxes Music Company today and I am going to teach you how to play the recorder and today we are going to start with the basics of the recorder. I am going to teach you about how to hold the recorder, how to play it and about breathing. So when you are pulling the recorder take your left hand and the thumb goes on this hole right underneath the recorder and your first finger goes on the first hole. So if you forget fingers, you are not going to count the thumb, they are one two three and four. So the thumb on the hole underneath, first finger, second on the second hole and third finger. The pinky on the left hand doesn't cover any holes. The right hand pinky goes on the last hole at the very bottom and then your fourth finger, the ring finger the next hole up and third finger next hole and then index finger on this next hole up. Now when you have all those holes covered, that we will see -- look at that at another time. As far as holding the recorder you are going to just put the tip of the recorder in between your lips. There is no need to bite it just put it in between your lips. Then you just take a nice deep breath and when you breath, breath from your diaphragm, so that you feel your stomach muscles pushing out and your lungs will fill with air just relax your shoulders because shoulders do not need to be going -- not like that but just nice deep breath coming from the diaphragm and I am just going to play an A, hold it. Your elbows are going to be relaxed and they don't need to plain out and then not too tight like that. But just nice and relaxed. You don't want it to be down like this or too far up but just hold the recorder just diagonal. Okay that is it for the recorder basics now we will go on to tonguing and playing notes on the recorder.

How to Play the Recorder

How to Play the Recorder

Playing the Recorder - Choosing an Instrument

Playing the Recorder - Choosing an Instrument

Playing the Recorder - The Foundation - Breathing, Support, and Posture

Playing the Recorder - The Foundation - Breathing, Support, and Posture

Playing the Recorder - Tone Production

Playing the Recorder - Tone Production

Playing the Recorder - Articulation

Playing the Recorder - Articulation

How to Play Songs on the Recorder

How to Play Songs on the Recorder

Recorder Songs - Reading Music

Recorder Songs - Reading Music

Recorder Songs - D Major Scale and Triad

Recorder Songs - D Major Scale and Triad

Recorder Songs - Learn Tue Tue

Recorder Songs - Learn Tue Tue

Recorder Songs - Learn Joe Magarac

Recorder Songs - Learn Joe Magarac