I am setting up a new recorder group at my children's primary school and have been advised that to get the best ensemble sound the children should have the same model of recorder. I was going to ask the parents to purchase an Aulos descant only because that is what I have!! I have done a little research online - is the 205 the one to purchase? The children are aged between 7 and 11.

Many thanks!

Don't go for Aulos.

Aulos plastic recorders are longer, heavier and thicker than the other mainstream brands, with wider spaced and larger finger holes. This doesn't matter for adults, but does for kids as it means getting good notes is a lot harder than with other models.

Not only that, but the long mouthpiece of the Aulos tends to encourage the kids to put far too much of it into their mouths.

Much better to go for a Yamaha YRS 24 or Dolmetsch Nova. Or any of the coloured plastic Yamahas which are perfectly good instruments and fun for the kids to play.

ps You'll get far more inconsistencies in the sound coming from poor tonguing or over/underblowing among your group than you ever would from having different models of recorder. So make sure you know what technique you're teaching and stick to it from the word go.

I don't have any experience with the newer Aulos recorders (mine are all a couple of decades or so in age).

My preference would be for the Yamaha descants. The coloured ones are surprisingly good, but quite soft toned (could be an advantage ), the 24 is a nice recorder. The Dolmetsch Novas are good but I find the upper part of their range a little dissapointing though that's possibly just dissapointment after how nice I found the tenor and bass.

My choice would be Yamaha 302B though they are not so readily available. The 24 should be fine for group teaching as well, but I prefer the brown ones, not coloured. Dolmetsch tend to be reliable as well.

I echo the advice to have everyone playing the same recorder, whichever you go for.

I'd agree with the Yamaha. In one of my recorder groups I had a child playing a recorder that I'm guessing came from a toy shop or somewhere similar... no maker's name, bright green, and very out of tune with the others. I wasn't too unhappy when she came in one week with a new Yamaha as she'd broken the other one!

For the price the Dolmetsch Nova is rather good. If you contact Dolmetsch they have schemes for school I think, I know they offer to an exchange program, where you can send your old recorder for a discount on a new Nova.

Thank you so much everyone for your advice! Quite surprised as my local music shop told me they only stocked the Aulos recorders, so I took it that they were the best. I've taken on board all the comments and will look at the other 2 makes mentioned - the Yamaha 24 looks promising though!

I would choose a Mollenhaur Swing recorder. They are really good instruments and very good value. The transparent ones look horrid though. I think that a supplier would do a good deal on a bulk order.

I was going to mention the Swing but thought I'd leave it to the experts to advise. Mine's transparent so there. Mind you I only got it 'cos I can't afford a Marigaux plexiglass oboe.

I do think it makes a nice sound but I've never been terribly keen on the pointy mouthpiece (see katyjay's post too) and I prefer a (more expensive) Zen-on Stanesby which I have.