Recorder, an Easy First Musical Instrument

Recorders

During my few decades of teaching flute and recorder, I always recommended that very young children, from around the age of five, begin by playing the recorder. As a wind instrument, recorder is a very good first choice, however this holds good, not only for small children, but also for beginners of any age group.

I stumbled across this invaluable realization when I was convalescing from a spinal injury in my early flute training days. An injury in the cervical vertebrae of my neck prevented me from holding my flute comfortably for many months on end and as I was eager to continue my training, I began to experiment with the recorder.

This lead me to a whole new level of appreciation for this often neglected, but very accessible instrument. It did not take long to recognize the recorders great potential in assisting beginner players to take that first step across the threshold and into the world of music and it is not at all surprising that the humble recorder is so widely to be found amid the instruments of choice for beginner musicians. However, the recorder is also a lovely instrument in its own right.

There are a number of very good reasons why the recorder can greatly assist flute/wind players, quite aside from its merits as a stand alone musical instrument.

1. It cost a very modest sum! And for many parents with tight budgets, that is a very alluring inducement. Why spend hundreds on an instrument only to later find that your child would prefer to play something else or nothing at all...!

2. There is no specialized embouchure required in order to produce a sound. One can just blow and the notes come. As a first wind instrument this is a very big advantage.

3. The recorder is a very light instrument and casuses no strain for little hands and fingers.

4. They also can take a lot of rough and tumble and do not break easily. A huge advantage when it comes to child learning.

5. There are also a wide range of recorder sizes, so something to fit almost everyone, from treble to base.

6. This wide range of sizes and tones means that it is easy to form a group or ensemble for play along lessons.

7. There is as well, a very wide range of music available for the recorder, from ancient to modern styles.

8. If you find you really enjoy playing this instrument it is possible to take playing it to a whole new level. So there is also a future for the keen recorder player and an interesting and varied repertoire.

9. In terms of learning general musical theory and the reading of music, the recorder is a great tool.

Recorder Family

A descant recorder places no strain on young, and as yet, still forming, hands and arms, it is easy to hold and easy to get a tone and the budding musician can launch straight into sound making without too much difficulty. The basic fingering is, for the most part, easy and straight forward.

There are really a host of good reasons why the recorder is such a valuable addition to the early musical training of any wind instrumentalist.

I personally will continue to play my recorder for as long as i possibly can and can not encourage others enough, when it comes to 'discovering' this most versatile of instruments.