i now have three instruments in hand....and i want to "add" another one on the list.... is it better to play the harp or treble recorder..... is it hard to pick up....

As long as you don't mistake one for the other!!!

I'd infintely sooner play harp. It may be harder to pick up but then, condensation doesn't dribble out of the end. Oh, you need 7 feet if you want to play Ravellian harp music.!!!!
Gorgeous instrument, harp.

R

i sort of know the basic stuff of harp...as one of my friends plays it...anyway.... what's the difference between a treble recorder and a "normal", plastic made recorder..

Treble is the size - you can get both plastic and wood ones.

Makes a nicer sound than the descant imho.

Maggie

Treble recorder has lots of baroque and modern music, is more solo or consort or concerto soloist oriented.

Harp is (what sort of harp? orchestral assumed) BIG (what car do you have?) but covers lots of musical eras (especially piano arrangements) and IS used in the orchestra (quite a bit anyway).

Just some thoughts. Listen to some Michaela Petri (maybe spelt something like this) playing recorder concerti on CD (Vivaldi etc). Fantastic - even on sopranino recorder (= smaller than descant).

Fourth instrument!!

Harp is my main instrument (pedal and lever), but I also have a collection of recorders including a couple of good wooden ones. To my mind if you are going to put the expense into buying a harp it is really worth putting a lot of time into it too and learning to play it well, decent plastic recorders are so much cheaper you can buy one anyway and then decide if you like it! Harp is a lovely and special instrument to play, but I like recorder as it can travel everywhere with me and I can play the plastic ones in the rain or otherwise abuse them.

it seems that the treble recorder is better.... i used to play with the one with a "B" written at the back of it.....

The B on the back of recorders is actually an indication of which fingering system to use- B for Baroque is the more common in my experience and the same things as E for English fingering (the alternative is German fingering).

Fascinating - so there are three different fingering systems, or just two?

And do you just see B and E or also G ( or would it be D for Deutsch?)

Two- B and E are the same thing. I have only ever seen G and not D- but the recorders with German fingering I have seen were not made in Germany.

Ha-ha! Thanks for the info.

I'll sound as if I've known that for years.......

QUOTE (liebe_klavier @ Dec 13 2004, 02:39 PM)

it seems that the treble recorder is better.... i used to play with the one with a "B" written at the back of it.....

treble will enable you to progress further... descant only goes up to about grade 3 exams wise, at least with AB, and has less nice music for it. Treble has a nicer, mellower sound.

QUOTE (DomRUK @ Dec 14 2004, 12:18 PM)

Fascinating - so there are three different fingering systems, or just two?

If you want to play a complete range of two octaves + a note, perfectly in tune in different keys and temperaments, with dynamics, there are as many fingering systems as there are instruments

QUOTE (Rhapsodin @ Dec 13 2004, 12:57 PM)

I'd infintely sooner play harp. It may be harder to pick up but then, condensation doesn't dribble out of the end. Oh, you need 7 feet if you want to play Ravellian harp music.!!!! Gorgeous instrument, harp. R

ha ha!

There's such a huge difference between the two instruments in terms of both cost and convenience. It really depends on what your criteria are.

Any chance of learning both?!?!



Amber
x

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Dec 29 2004, 11:07 PM)

QUOTE (liebe_klavier @ Dec 13 2004, 02:39 PM) it seems that the treble recorder is better.... i used to play with the one with a "B" written at the back of it..... treble will enable you to progress further... descant only goes up to about grade 3 exams wise, at least with AB, and has less nice music for it. Treble has a nicer, mellower sound.

I agree that the treble has a nice mellow sound. But a correction here - you can play descant recorder to grade 5 (AB) and in the higher grades 6-8 for treble, you may play one of your pieces on descant or tenor. It is good to be able to play any of the recorders, although often people say their favourite is the treble.

d'oh... OK, yeah... I just knew it didn't go as far. yep, I'm aware you can play the other recorders in the higher grades... but you can do them without the others, whereas you can't progress "all the way" with just descant I believe sorry for getting my facts muddled!