| To understand what the title of this article means, | | | | there is a fingering for that note. And so the |
| ie On The Recorder, Which Letter Is Each Hole, | | | | recorder will have over two octaves of fingerings |
| then you need to firstly know what a recorder is, | | | | to represent each note name. |
| what is a letter and what fingering is. Then one | | | | So what is the fingering on the recorder? ie which |
| can put them altogether. | | | | letter is each hole? |
| The recorder is a musical instrument made of | | | | When you play any wind instrument the left hand |
| wood or plastic It is basically a hollow tube in two | | | | goes at the top. |
| or three sections with a mouth piece at one end, | | | | A recorder has a thumb hole underneath and 5 |
| an opening at the other end and holes. They | | | | single holes plus 2 double holes on top. The holes |
| come in different sizes ranging from small, high | | | | will be called the following: |
| sounding ones to larger, lower sounding ones. Each | | | | Th = left hand thumb 1 2 3 ( for left hand 2nd |
| recorder is either in the key of C or key of F, | | | | 3rd 4th fingers ) 4 5 ( single holes for right hand |
| which means that the letters for each hole will be | | | | 2nd 3rd fingers ) 6 7 (double holes for right hand |
| different between the two keys. For example the | | | | 4th 5th fingers ) |
| lowest note for recorders in the key of C is C | | | | Lets start with the recorders in the key of C. |
| and the lowest note for recorders in F is F. Both | | | | B: Th 1 |
| are fingered the same. | | | | A: Th 1 2 |
| "Letter" refers to the letters of the alphabet used | | | | G: Th 1 2 3 |
| in music to name notes and is called the musical | | | | E: Th 1 2 3 4 5 |
| alphabet. The musical alphabet consists of the first | | | | C2: Th 2 |
| seven letters of the alphabet, A B C D E F G. | | | | D2: 2 |
| There are other note names related to each of | | | | D1: Th 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
| these seven letters. They are sharp notes( # ) | | | | F#: Th 1 2 3 5 6 |
| and flat notes ( b ). Each musical alphabet letter | | | | C1: Th 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ie all holes covered for a |
| has a sharp and flat note associated with it ie A# | | | | lowest sound on the instrument. |
| B# C# D# E# F# G# Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb. | | | | These are the usual notes people start learning |
| Sharp notes raise a note by a semitone and a flat | | | | with B A G and a variety of BAG pieces and |
| note lowers a note by a semitone. If you can | | | | exercises to help the process of remembering |
| visualise a piano with the white and black keys, | | | | the fingering and reading the notes on sheet |
| then a semitone is the closest key to the right or | | | | music. To produce second octave sounds the left |
| left of the letter; it is the closest interval of sound. | | | | hand thumb covers half a hole. Recorders in the |
| Please be aware that there are sharp notes that | | | | key of F have F1 as the lowest note, with all |
| sound the same as flat notes eg an A# sound is | | | | holes covered; equivalent to C1. So basically |
| the same as a Bb sound. | | | | fingerings are the same for each key but the |
| A complete range of notes in an octave could go | | | | note name changes. |
| like the following two examples. | | | | C D E F G A B first octave in key of C |
| Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G or | | | | F G A Bb C D E first octave in key of F |
| G# A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G | | | | As the learning process continues then more |
| * * * * * * = same note | | | | notes/letters and fingerings are learnt. A finger |
| The musical alphabet repeats itself over and over | | | | chart is available in tutor books as well as |
| again to the range of the musical instrument. The | | | | separate fingerings on pages throughout in the |
| recorder family have a range of around two | | | | step by step learning process. To help you |
| octaves. It can vary depending on recorder type. | | | | remember fingerings you need to play play play |
| A recorder player produces a sound by blowing | | | | with guidance of a teacher, tutor book or both. |
| through the mouthpiece to create a vibration of | | | | With knowledge of what a recorder, letter and |
| air down the recorder and a variation in pitch by | | | | fingering is plus examples of what notes and |
| pressing finger tips or pads down on the holes in | | | | fingerings a beginner meets you are on your way |
| varying configurations called fingering. When a | | | | to playing great tunes. The query of what letter |
| musician wants to play a note or "letter" then | | | | for each hole is beginning to get answered. |