7
votes
What hand-span is required by alto recorder
An alto (treble) recorder is about one and a half (3/2) times the size of soprano (descant).
This means that the 2 spaces (between 3 consecutive holes) on an alto, will be roughly equal to the 3 ...
- 14.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Recorder out of tune by a half tone up
As you've observed, the intonation of a recorder is highly sensitive to the pressure it's played at, i.e. to the dynamics. It should not be understood as a “keyed” instrument where the fingers just ...
- 35.8k
3
votes
What hand-span is required by alto recorder
It’s impossible to answer definitely because you’d need to try an instrument to see for yourself if you can cover the holes. There are decent inexpensive plastic recorders available which would enable ...
- 2,576
2
votes
Is there a system behind recorder fingering charts or do people just memorize them?
The acoustics of woodwind instruments are well studied and it's theoretically possible to calculate the notes and their harmonics for any combination of fingerings. There's a web page that calculates ...
- 22k
2
votes
Recorder out of tune by a half tone up
The recorder has a very limited range of dynamics. If the instrument is very sharp, you are blowing too hard.
- 22k
2
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Alto Recorder First Octave C D E
When the notes in the piece are lower than an F, I play the whole thing on my alto recorder at an octave higher. This usually works well for typical melodies (i.e., Christmas songs), but I'm not brave ...
- 21
2
votes
Accepted
Alto Recorder First Octave C D E
The alto recorder in F is a fifth lower than the soprano in C. As you say, the lowest note is F. If you have a melody to play that goes lower than F, you can't play it in the same octave as your low ...
- 6,560
1
vote
What hand-span is required by alto recorder
The American Recorder Society (ARS) says:
Some players with smaller hands will find starting on the alto difficult. ... However, there are models available from ARS Business Members to help players ...
- 95k
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