Hi

Can anyone advise on a good starter book for recorder? I've been tootling around with it with my son over the summer holidays, but we could do with a good beginner book. Any recommendations?

He's actually turning out to be quite good, so I think he may end up needing lessons at some point, but we're happy playing together at the moment.

Thanks for your help,
Hannah

(Usual resident of piano, strings and teachers!!!)

Not sure if they have one, but look for " A New Tune A Day for Recorder "

I've used it for clarinet and now using it for flute - It's really helpful!

I'd go for the Sarah Watts books. Razzmajazz is excellent, as is the Red Hot Recorder Tutor. The backing CDs are brilliant, or there are piano parts you can play along with him.

Avoid like the plague "Sing, Clap and Play the Recorder" - the consensus view from all the kids I've inherited that were using it is that it's BORING. And some of the things it suggests are basically not a good idea musically or technically.

John Pitts's series "Recorder From The Beginning" is somewhere in the middle. Solid and worthy but not very exciting.

John Pitts is good musically but the technical descriptions are not to my liking (eg say Tu, tut for stacatto etc.). Brian Davey's first book is good if these are still in print, as is Goodyear's. I second Sarah Watts books.

Agree with all that. 'Play Time' is also showing its age now, in my opinion.

Sarah Watts would be a very good option