just started treble recorder + using Abracadabra recorder 7. I don't know how to do notes with sharps or flats yet and I don't really know what to do. I can only play really simple tunes! Shall I start grade 1 music or do I need to learn more notes first??? If i need to learn more notes first, which books are good for beginners?

Take a look at this link: http://www.dolmetsch.com/method.htm

hey ya jade!

i used to play the treble recorder and i'm thinking about starting it again. if you think you need to learn more notes, get The New Recorder Tutor Book Thre by Stephen F Goodyear. Some of the pieces i think might be around grade 1/2 standard. there are also some challenges in there and diagrams to help you learn more notes. see what you think of it.

Have you played descant (soprano, USA) recorder as well, cause if so, you can work out many of the fingerings through that, eg G and C same fingering , G# C# also same.

From what I remember, many of the tunes in the abrcadabra books are quite simple, but then, I only ever used the one for descant recorder, but anyway, keep working through it, because they gradually introduce new notes and playing all the tunes helps improve fluency, which is one of my main problems (as I hardly ever practise).

I don't know much about the recorder grade levels, but I remember that the abracadabra flute book went roughly up to Grade 3, I don't know if theres any consistancy though.

If anyone expertish is out there, could they let me know the best way to hit the top notes on treble, as mine tend to be very whistly. I have no problem with descant, so I think it's my blowing technique with the larger mouth piece or maybe hole coverage seeing as I have such small hands. does anyone know which holes I'm most likely to be missing?

Tamsin- it might be worth checking that your recorder will play top notes easily (especially if it is a used wooden one, but others are sometimes fussy too). Just find someone who can play top notes well on different instruments and ask them to try your recorder. There is no point struggling if your instrument has a problem.

To improve your playing of top notes experiment with how hard you are blowing/tounging, how much of the thumb hole you have covered and try slurring from the note below.

Good luck,

Try "Enjoy the Recorder" Books 1 and 2 for Treble Recorder by Brian Bonsor, published by Schott. (Make sure you specify treble as there are descant books as well). These are designed for older children and adult beginners. This will take you up to 4 sharps and 4 flats. After that you should be reasonably competent to carry on yourself. The Dolmetsch website is brilliant - it includes on-line lessons and an excellent theory section, working up from basic to vary advanced (useful for any musician, not just recorder players.

Also look at the Society of Recorder Players' website - Society of Recorder Players for lots of general information, recorder sales, courses, and details of where your nearest branch is for when you are able to play rather more than you can now.

You don't say what age you are, but Benslow Music Trust at Hitchin Benslow Music Trust do a course called "Learn to Play the Recorder in a Weekend" from September 17-19 2004. The Trust caters for adults, but they will accept young people if accompanied by an adult. They also do a weekend for beginners who are slightly more advanced.

Good luck with improving your playing - there's plenty going on in the recorder world and a lot of fun to be had once you are competent enough to play with other people.

Thanks for all your replies!

Suepea- I'm 14 so I don't think I'd be able to go to Benslow Music Trust course.

Tamsin- I can play descant recorder, and I see what you mean when you say that G on the descant recorder is the same as C on the treble. I'm not sure if it would help with other notes though- it's a bit confusing playing the descant and treble at the moment!

hi im glad to hear you have started. all the fingerings are very similar to descant but just for different notes as tamsin said.
I love the recorder and have just taken my grade 8 exam this morning. its a great instrument and more people should take it to a higher standard!
byee! happy playing!

How long did it take you to get to grade 8? That must be really hard!

well ive been playin since i woz bout 3 wen i started to teach myself and hav had 4 years of good lessons. i hav had distinctions in grade 4 up to 7 so am hoping for a good result this time!

keep playing and its not hard but if u doubt ur determination then u will struggle

It's funny, I don't have a problem going from descant to treble, but what really confuses me is going from descant to flute! Thats the main reason why I stopped playing the recorder as much, because it was cusing havoc with my scales. (Recorder c, on flute sounds really awful- its a trill shortcut for D to E and the E is really off)

Oh, and I've been having an experiment with my top notes on both descant and treble, and it seems both are becoming kinda tricky, so I guess comes back to lack of practise!

Let us know what result you get for your grade 8 'recorderzrule' .