My DAD has just been trying to justify his belief that a recorder is not a proper instrument!! He seems to be under the impression that it's lack of levers and keys (like a flute) and its limited range makes it somehow easier and less worthwhile. I've spent about 20 mins trying to explain that, if anything that makes it HARDER to play!

Going by the lack of levers and keys, by that argument all the stringed instruments are also not instruments!! Try throwing a recorder concerto at him and say 'play that then!'

Next time anyone says that to me, I'm going to ask them to define a 'proper instrument' and a 'not proper instrument'. And they're not allowed to use example instruments in their definitions (i.e. they can't say 'a not proper instrument is a recorder') It'd be interesting to refute their definitions and/or show how by their definition of a 'proper instrument', they include all sorts of things they hadn't thought of ('box, broom handle and bit of string' instrument, for example, might be defined as proper, whereas a triangle might not).

It was this week's, but yes it was the '5 minutes longer one'. It mentioned the ukulele story.

That must've been the five minutes they cut.

Send me an email/PM if you want to know what was said.

This has crept round, hasn't it? A week to go...

I wonder what I'll end up leaving with...

A radically reduced wallet?

I'm wondering the same thing (about what I'll leave with, not what barry-clari will leave with [though I'm sure that will be interesting too] )

Had a hideously expensive car service last week - it wiped out not only all of my 'car' savings but also all-but-£15 of my 'learning' savings (for OU, music-lessons-when-I-find-at-teacher, etc). So I really don't have much money to spend.
I was briefly considering not going at all (train fare, entry fee, food/drink money all have to be found [even if I brought a packed lunch and a bottle of water, a chocolate brownie or something will seduce me and so I will need to budget for that!!]), but then I decided I could come and not just spend too much - at least I had the money to pay for my car service, even if it was semi-ear-marked for another purpose - and there's no reason not to have a day out and enjoy myself. And the credit card is there if I really do see something fabulous - and it has plenty of space on it, because I didn't have to use it to pay for the car service as I had that money

Besides, I still cut the token out of the Early Music Shop newsletter for £10 off if you spend over £100 at their stall. It's on our pinboard where vouchers live, my husband gave it a confused look and just grinned at me!! He was very pleased with me for making the decision to still go without needing to be persuaded by him that just because of the car last week it doesn't mean I can't go

Looking forward to it now (well, plus next week only having four days to work, excellent!!)

I can't make it any more Hope you all have a good day, and I look forward to reading all about it afterwards.

I seem to have bought a Bass Recorder

Someone's going to have to stop me bidding on ebay

What are you like?? He he

Oops...

Hope the girls enjoy the new acquisition!

Only one of them plays Bass the other won't be interested...

she's only got it as she plays Bass all the time in Senior Recorder Ensemble and the Beige plastic one sticks out a mile lol.

Whilst we are on the subject Grades 6 to 7 is it a big jump?

I popped into the early music shop today, killing time, it was fascinating I have never seen such a variety of Recorders...I even saw a Garkelin...it aint alf tiny...innit

OK not that I'm panicking or anything (OK, yes I am)...

Friday for the early music festival...when/where/etc?
I think I can be there (ONRC) at about 11.30. That's including lots of time for changing between train/underground/DLR/walking to ONRC, so I could be earlier than that, but that's not a problem.

I know earlier it was said we'd meet at the 'main entrance', is that going to be obvious? I've been to ONRC before so I should be able to find my way to The Painted Hall which it sounds is like where much of it is going on...
I know katyjay mentioned going to the Philip Thorby recital, I'd like to go to that too. Although that's at noon - so I'll be easy to recognise, I'll be the person standing outside the chapel stuffing sandwiches (I'm really not good when I'm hungry, and I find doing lunch much later than noon very hard, probably even more so when I'm stressing over being in London on my own-ish!)

Sorry to be flapping when it's only Tuesday, I just like to have all my plans firmly worked out well in advance. I've got my leaflet, I've got my A-Z incorporating tube map, I've got my train timetable, I've got my estimated tube/DLR journey times, I've got my map of ONRC...

I might be able to go on Friday as well

I won't know until Thurs night, so will try to confirm then. Please keep posting meeting details - I'd recognise Katyjay but it's a big place......just please please keep me away from the racketts.

Thanks for the timely reminder, Maizie

OK. From what I remember of last time, the entrance is signposted from all over the site. So when you arrive at the ORNC, follow the signs to the reception. Failing that, my recollection is that the entrance to the exhibition was the usual way into the Painted Hall, so follow those signs which are DEFINITELY there. The reception is a corridor and table job, and that's where I plan to be at 11.30, and will hang on there for a while.

If you get there at around 11.30 am you will see a noisy person with a ponytail, spectacles and a big grin - Me . I do bear a passing resemblance to my profile photo, so have a look at that for a clue. I may well have my mother-in-law with me too. She will be the one having the vapours every time I ask the price of an instrument, regardless of whether I plan to buy it or not

In the event that I'm not there - phone or text me. If you don't have my mobile number, PM me and I'll supply it.

Similarly I bear a passing resemblance to my profile photo, though I'd call that particular photo somewhat flattering (hey, that's why it's the one I post places, because I actually like it).

I did figure that it'd be fairly impossible to miss the entrance, so I shall now take some deep breaths and stop worrying and stop double-double-double checking just in case there are suddenly some new engineering works on the train line

Oh, and having used Maizie as my name for over 13 years now, I do reply to it in real life, so if you think you see me do feel free to ask if I'm Maizie and I won't have to stop and think On the other hand, if you shouted out my real name, you'd get about fifteen million people turning round to answer you...

I'm definitely not coming. :-(
Only time my teacher could fit me in for an organ lesson this week is late that morning. With festival and exams looming, I couldn't turn down the chance to have a lesson.

Probably for the best though, as I can't afford to buy anything and ought to spend the time practicing and daren't risk getting stranded in London that day.

The rest of you can cheer me up when you get back from it, by telling me how much money I saved by NOT buying a wooden treble.

T.

Anyone else going on the Sunday? I'll be there with about half-a-dozen young pupils - though I plan, as usual (because it is enclosed and safe there), to let them wander around together while I spend ages at the Recorder Music Mail stand!

Last year Maizie, the entrance was fairly obvious. I'm hoping to arrive at about 11-11:30ish. If you want to exchange mobile numbers, just in case katyjay or I aren't there, drop me a PM.



Hope you're able to come CJB, would be good to meet you.

My profile picture isn't of me (), but there are plenty of places on the forum where you can find a pic of me - I think there's a picture of me off one of the links in the Woodford concert thread...

I saw Barry's name as the last contibuter but in a bit of a hurry read KJ's post. I started wondering when I got to the bit about the Pony tail

Sorry guys not meant to be a hijack

He didn't have on one Saturday! Maybe hair extensions...

Back on topic: I hope you have a great time, guys and gals. I'm very, very frustrated I can't join you, but c'est la vie.

Thanks for the good wishes andante. My shopping list is ready...

Mine was ready. It was very short. Like "maybe a recorder stand, possibly a garklein on the grounds that it lets me buy an instrument but relatively cheaply compared to a tenor, anything silly like mini-recorder earrings or suchlike, and possibly a little bit of music".

I'm thinking I might throw it out of the window of the train while I'm in transit...

hmmm shopping list......maybe a Nova Bass, almost certainly a pile of trio and quartet music, maybe just maybe one of the dream descants (my current descants don't seem right for Van Eyke)

Looking more and more likely I'll be there I'll aim to meet you at about 11:30 I don't have a photo on my profile - I'll just have to rely on Katyjay remembering what I look like. I might have my other 1/2 with me, he'll be the one looking as if he has been dragged along on a only slightly believable promise of 'we could go and see the Harrison Clocks at the Observatory when we have seen everything'

yippeeeeee I'm able to go

Other 1/2 has realised that seeing the Harrison clocks won't happen so is probably not coming.....but has offered to assist with the overdraft when I return (insert smiley indicating "my hero" here)

Hopefully I'll make it for 11:30 though as the earliest train I can get that keeps the ticket price below £25 doesn't get in until 11:07 I don't have much train delay contingency time in there!

I'm all overexcited now

Excellent!

See you tomorrow

I've had a very busy week. In spades...

So to have a nice relaxing day looking at/playing/listening to musical instruments sounds rather good...

See you all tomorrow!

I've just got up and there's a note on the kitchen counter saying I'd better check the DLR from Bank because it looks like I'll have to go out to Stratford and then go round that way.

So here I am, dilligently searching the net, and I can find no problems on the DLR, and no evidence of any problems having happened and been resolved so far this morning on the DLR. Still, my husband'll be at work in a few mins and I can phone him and tell him off for scaring me. I have everything all planned for this morning and he goes and does that...

See you later (those who log in before leaving)

There are, as far as I can see, no delays on the DLR at the moment Maizie. Nothing I can see on the web, or mentioned on local radio.

See you later!

Thanks barry, I couldn't see anything either. I've spoken to him now and he said that on the 6.30 London travel news it had the DLR out between Bank and Shadwell but now it's working.

Right, I'd better get a rattle on to get that 10am train now...

Have fun everyone - especially if you are going to the Philip Thorby concert!

W

Anyone back yet?? Did you have fun?

...and what did you buy?

W

I'm back!

It was a very enjoyable day. Crossed one thing off my shopping list, I now have a wooden Mollenhauer Canta descant!

The Philip Thorby recital was excellent. My word, he has an awful lot of dexterity playing the recorder!

Thank you to katyjay, CJB and Maizie for making it so enjoyable. And thank you kj for listening to me trying out the descants.

I'll leave everyone else to say what they bought. Hope those of you going tomorrow and Sunday enjoy themselves as much as we did.

Congratulations on your new purchase, Barry. You resisted buying a bass, then.

I'm glad the day was successful.

Sounds like it was all good then!!

For now... it still lurks conspicuously on the musical shopping list though...

You can try ours next weekend. If we have it by then lol.

thank you!

I managed NOT to buy a recorder

Although I found one I quite fancied. But it was a bit above my budget

. It was a very nice recorder.

But you did walk away with a goodly pile of sheet music, which looked rather good...

Morning folks

As others have said it was a great day - the concert was a fantastic way to start, and the 2 small boys in the pew in front of us were a great advert for small kids. I met one of them later in the day clutching a plastic descant saying how much he loved it

After trying quite a few I settled on the Dream descant of my choice - had a quick go on the van Eycke when I got in, the articulation is so much more satisfying. I didn't manage to get the Nova bass I wanted, they are having supply problems and sold the only one they had the previous day. I have one on order though and it should arrive in mid-Jan, should be a great way to counter the new year blues.

Katyjay should be commended for her self control re that bass - gorgeous is too weak a description. I would have got it myself but it would have massively exceeded my overdraft limit.

Maizie got the bargain of the day. I'm sure she'll tell you all once she's come back to earth

Thanks guys for a great day - hope those going today or tomorrow enjoy themselves as much as we did. Watch this space for the forum 'recorder day' it is sure to happen sooner rather than later.

Hello again.

I've just come back from the shop and bought (or rather, had bought for me) two recorders, a Yamaha treble (much nicer sound than the Aulos ones they had) and a Kent tenor. Now, I know that Kent isn't a famous manufacturer, but it sounded the same as the Aulos one they had and it was half the price!

I've started playing the treble with my "Treble Recorder from the Beginning" book that I bought at the same time. I really like the sound it makes.

As for the tenor, I'm not allowed it until my birthday (in 10 days time), but when I was in the shop, it felt like quite a stretch in the right hand. Is that normal? Will it get better as I play it more? Will my hands get used to it?

And apparently I'm joining a recorder ensemble on Saturday . It currently only has 3 members, so that'll be really nice. It'll be great to play with other people.

Yay! I'm really excited and looking forward to many a happy year of recorder playing ahead of me . Kindest regards,
CP

Hello,

Can anyone help me by describing or discussing the very top descant or alto recorder notes including finger placement. I am trying to develop a recorder section/site web page charts(not for profit), but I understand there are variations of these top notes between makes of recorder.

I also would like to offer a metronome, which at present has beats of 10-300 bpm. with optional on and offable minipulses at 0-12 pulses per mainbeat as a download. I wonder if anyone can suggest any improvement in respect of recorder use. One suggestion is to allow 16 or 8 loadable measures for drawing out rythms, but this could seem overcomplicated for some. I would appreciate any thoughts on this.

Kind regards.

I found this site useful: here - not only does it give the various fingerings, but also a few odd ones peculiar to particular makes and models.

That's how I finally discovered how on earth to get a top G in tune on my recorder - there hadn't been a fingering chart when I bought it, and in any case I'd not have consulted it, assuming it would be the same as all the other Moeck baroque fingerings..... .
Makes it interesting practising pieces with top Gs in - I have to remember which treble I'm playing at the time...

CJB, I'm envious. Have been wanting an earlier model to play van Eyck for some time now....and one of those would also be good for the Castello I'm playing now.

Now that's just sowing ideas in my mind CJB...

Seriously though, it'd be a nice thing to do sometime. I've got a few things on the boil at the moment event wise, but it's possible that if the venue for the single reed day is nice, we may be able to use it for a possible recorder day - but I'd rather others direct the group(s).

Was good to meet you CJB - I must take you up sometime on the offer to do the Poulenc duet.

I'm going there a bit later - I want one of the sub-contra-octo-mega-basses that come with a free van but looking at my budget this month I think I might just manage a garklein ! l then I'm going to the Foulds' Requiem at the RAH I know, but it will be an interesting contrast !

I've been back down on earth a while, but only just got round to sitting down in front of the computer!

I was playing with tenors pretty much everywhere we stopped. I was playing with one at the Dolmetsch stand which I was sure was an academy boxwood one - which on the website is currently unavailable (boxwood is currently only available in the next range up).
Anyway, when I had it confirmed that it was indeed an Academy boxwood, I pointed out that it was thus not on the price list (because it has a blank space with a note of not currently available).

So I was offered it for the price of the pearwood model

Seeing as it hadn't left my hand from the moment I'd first picked it up that just kind of sealed it as being mine

I resisted all temptation and didn't take it to SRP yesterday, otherwise I'd've just broken it straight away. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to keep myself to the playing in times, but I'll just have to get the kitchen timer and make sure of it. Its too lovely for words.

Even better, it won't make it on to this month's credit card statement so I don't have to even think about how to pay for it until late December. And then I remembered that each December I get £200 extra in my pay, so I think that's clearly all lined up nicely and my first aid 'gratuity'* goes towards getting me the lovley recorder.

* Our company are very very strict in pointing out that those of us who volunteer to be first aiders do not get paid for it; but we do get a modest compensation to thank us for our commitment to the company

We went to the Early Music Show yesterday, still rather exhausted today.

Main purchase was a rosewood handmade Stansby treble from Dolmetsch for my daughter. Brian Blood gave us a very nice discount. Daughter is delighted, but it has now been put away until Christmas as it's her 'big' present.

Also bought lots of music, played very many instruments of all types, and other daughter has a new penny whistle.

A lovely venue, we hadn't been since it's been there, much nicer than the old place. Wish it wasn't right the other side of London, though!