hi,

my first post :-)

im wondering what recorders to choose for next year, I think we can get a good deal on yamaha but whats the difference bewteen german and baroque? and is yamaha any better thna other makes like hornby and aulos?

do any tecahers here buy in bulk for the kids or just let them go outa nd buy they're own, im not sure what to advise.

thanks in adavnce

Pleeeeease not German! the fingerings have been compromised to make it "easier" to play F - no forks - but the result is too much compromise in intonation elsewhere. Much as I'd like to be loyal to my other "native country" - German-fingered recorders are not the answer, and simply perpetuate the myth that the recorder is a toy which makes a bit of a tune, but is only ever a stepping stone to other instruments. Baroque fingering is the one all more advanced players use, and granted, only a tiny proportion of kids will ever go on and make more of their recorders, but they should be allowed to start off correctly. (and are more likely to persist if they can make a tuneful noise!)

*rant over*

Yamaha have a good reputation, but others are better placed to advise on this than I am. It is useful to have all the instruments from the same makers, as intonation is easier to get right. If parents can access these easily, it would be OK to let them get them, but my guess is that they might well want to go off and get something really cheap which also turns out to sound nasty. If you can bulk buy and get a good deal on a respected instrument, go for that.

just found your post elsewhere as well - I guess the mods may fuse them at some point.

There are not as many recorders around these days with so called German fingering. They were made originally by a maker who did not know the correct fingering to use and assumed that the ones that he had seen were out of tune when played with whistle-style fingerings rather than forked fingerings. Go for baroque fingerings. I think that it is important to make sure that all players use the same make and model. You will get problems with tuning otherwise. Yamaha recorders are nice and far better than aulos black and whites, although I find the aulos all black model quite good, but the Dolmetsch Nova recorders are very good and I would be inclined to opt for these. A pupil of mine turned up with a Hornby soprano recorder in a sparkly blue a while ago and my heart sank when I saw it but on playing it was suprisingly good. If you have really young children to teach these coloured ones might be fun for them.

What's your budget? The Mollenhauer Swing is absolutely delightful if you can run to it (probably not much more than the Yamaha). If you want to go down the Yamaha road, I'd recommend going for, ahem, an unnamed brand which appears to be from the same source.

Liz

I buy Nova descants direct from Dolmetsch in bulk at a considerable discount for my Year 2/Year 3 students in school. Dolmetsch offered me the best deal for a bulk buy and it is vital all the children have the same make to avoid tuning problems. Yamaha would be my next choice - very sound instruments - but I had to go with the cheaper option as the majority of my students in school are on very limited financial means.

I really like the Yamaha 302 series descants - all my pupils have those till they move on to a good-quality wooden instrument.

I wouldn't let the children/parents go out and buy their own if I were you - you'll end up with an awful hotch-potch of instruments, a lot of which will be those ghastly toy recorders - out of tune and with that dreadful unfocussed tone! It's probably easiest to buy suitable recorders in yourself and then sell them on - that's what I do, and then the parents get them a bit cheaper too, because I get them at a discount.

Agree - definitely get the same make and model - and baroque fingering!

Liz

thanks for all the brilliant replies! I'm giong to check out the nova ones now but it'll probably be the yamaha tho if they're slightly cheaper. I know you can get coloured yamaha which might be fun for the kids while maintaining the tone throughout.

i'll also def stick with the baroque ones.

the unbranded might be interesting if they're the same instrumnet.

i've found the standard yamaha baroque and in multi coulours for £4.99, how much discount do you expect if your buying about 20-30?

thanks, you've all been a great help!! :-)

Personally I wouldn't get the coloured ones - the quality isn't so good (though they're not too bad) and IMO having the coloured instruments just encourages the myth that recorders aren't a 'proper' instrument, becuse it makes them look like toys

I like the yellow bag Aulos as they sound great together.

and i would expect 10% discount

Personally I love the colours for little 'GAB' pupils but at key stage 2 they go to Aulos.

Funny you should say that - the "unbranded" version coloured ones seem to me to be identical to the yrs-24b, in fact I can't find any difference apart from the colour.

Isn't there a health and safety issue with school recorders - increased risk of meningitis or peanut allergic child playing one that has previously been played by peanut butter sandwich eater etc.

I would either tell the parents what to get, or buy them with a 10% discount and on sell at the retail price - but the parent still saves because they don't have to go to the music shop.

I would definitely buy in bulk and sell on to the parents. I totally agree with the idea of the children all having the same make as you have a much better chance of them all playing in tune!

Like Bag, I get Dolmetsch Nova recorders as a very good deal (direct from Dolmetsch) and again agree that Yamaha and Aulos would be my next choices.

Btw, Dolmetsch do a very good package of descant, treble, tenor and bass recorders...

Hi,

my first post. :-)

I'm wondering which recorders to choose for next year, I think we can get a good deal on Yamaha but what's the difference between German and baroque? And is Yamaha any better than other makes like Hornby and Aulos?

Do any teachers here buy in bulk for the children or just let them go out and buy their own, I'm not sure what to advise.

Thank you in advance


Smartness - 57

How are you a teacher?

How can you be so rude?

^Troll

Post reported.

And at the same time be a supreme knight?

Beat me to it CE

But I don't use those - they're not anywhere near as good as the 302s. I did say earlier on the thread that it was the 302 series I like, not just any Yamaha recorder!