The Recorder

The Recorder

The most basic and elementary of musical instruments is the Recorder. Every aspect of this instrument is simplistic and easy to understand. The fingering is simple, the armature to play it doesn’t require much adjustment, the music is easy to read and play, and the sound is pleasant to the ear. All of these factors make the Recorder one of the best options for beginning instrument players, especially at the elementary level. Learning to play the Recorder sets all the necessary foundations for aspiring instrumental students. Sight reading, proper breathing, and ear training are some examples of good overall skills needed by instrumentalists and taught early by learning the recorder.
Even though the Recorder is noted for its simplicity, learning it is still challenging for someone with little or no musical background. It’s the challenge presented by learning to play that makes the Recorder a top option for teaching beginners. A lot of work actually goes into learning the fingering and notes on recorder, and establishes a habit of practice early on. The process of learning the fingering and notes is a process that will carry over to other more complicated wind instruments and having a good sense of practice already in place will make learning an overall better experience. The Recorder shares a similarity with the Clarinet and Piccolo and one can even argue that the Recorder only works as a prep instrument for woodwind players. However, the basics taught by learning the Recorder carry over to both Brass and Woodwind instruments. One of the most important concepts that can be taught on the recorder is breathing technique. Proper breathing, holding notes, taking proper rests, and playing consistently are important techniques when playing any wind instrument and can be easily taught while learning to play the recorder.
The Recorder is widely noted to be a great tool in the basics, so using it in a classroom is an easy task as far as teaching...