Making your first sound

Whisper, don’t blow. The recorder rewards restraint and punishes force.

A clear recorder tone takes very little air. The instrument is not a wind instrument in the brassy sense — it is a fipple flute, and most beginner trouble comes from blowing too hard. Imagine you are trying to keep a candle flame flickering without putting it out.

Tongue placement

Every note begins with the tongue, not the breath. Say the syllable too: your tongue taps the roof of your mouth just behind the upper teeth, then releases. This produces a clean attack on each note.

Avoid starting notes with hoo or any breathy attack — the result is a fuzzy, indefinite sound. The tongue does the work; the breath supplies it.

The first exercise, without the recorder

1. Take a relaxed breath. Don’t over-fill your lungs.
2. Say too gently, feeling your tongue touch the roof of your mouth.
3. Repeat, evenly spaced: too — too — too — too.

The first exercise, with the recorder

1. Cover all the front holes except for practice; ignore the thumb hole for now.
2. Place the mouthpiece gently between your lips. Don’t bite.
3. Play one long, steady tone with whisper air.
4. Listen. The tone should be clear — not squeaky and not breathy.

Troubleshooting

• Squeaky. Less air. Always.
• Breathy or weak. A little more air, and check that the holes are fully covered.
• No sound at all. Make sure the windway isn’t blocked, and check that you are actually blowing.

Next: Lesson 1 — B and A.