This music instrument has so much history, and was used by classical composers like Mozart and many others. In fact, in the renaissance, the recorder was a very prominent instrument.
So let’s forget about all those kids in music school that make dreadful squeaky noises on soprano recorders, and simply realise that this instrument is in fact incredibly versatile and beautiful in the hands of a good player.
These are my top 3 favorite things about this great instrument:
1. Fully Chromatic with Good Range
I love many different types of flutes, but the recorder has a great advantage compared to most others, as it is fully chromatic, meaning you can play every single note in any key. So you don’t have to worry if there are modulations, key changes etc. in the track, you will be able to play them all on your recorder. On top of that you have access to over 2 full octaves in range in this instrument.
2. Incredibly Versatile with a Big Family
I am not sure if there is another family of instruments that give you as many options for range as the recorder family. The standard soprano recorder is sadly the only one 99% of people ever tried playing. There are so many more, like alto, tenor, bass, contra bass and even lower. On top of that you can get other versions of the recorder, like the renaissance recorder for example, which has a different tonal character.
3. Open Holes for More Expression
I started playing Irish tin whistles, and fell in love with the sound and feeling of open hole wind instruments. The reason is that open holes give you access to more expression, like bends, slides, shading, finger vibrato etc. And as a bonus, no keys or mechanics makes the instrument very easy to maintain and keep in perfect condition.
The Sound in Action
Let’s listen to the recorder in action, so you can hear it’s soulful and expressive character.