Learn to Play Recorder

Absolute Beginner

Weeks 1-12: Your first notes and simple songs (B-A-G sequence)

11 lessons in this level.

  1. 0. Setup — Posture, Breath, and Your First Sound Before your first note, set up your body and your breath.
  2. 1. Your First Notes - B and A Your first two notes on the recorder — B and A — and a short two-note melody.
  3. 2. Adding G — Your First Real Songs Add G to your B and A, and five real folk songs become playable.
  4. 3. High C and D — The Second Octave Begins Two notes above B: high C and high D.
  5. 4. Low C, Low D, and Low E — Both Hands at Work The right hand joins in.
  6. 5. F and Low E Review — The C Major Scale F4 completes the diatonic first octave.
  7. 6. Reading Notation and Rhythm The staff, note durations, and how to read a melody at sight.
  8. 7. Time Signatures and Simple Songs What 4/4 and 3/4 really mean, and how the meter shapes a melody.
  9. 8. Tonguing and Articulation Tonguing is what separates one note from the next.
  10. 9. Dynamics and Expression The recorder's dynamic range is narrow — but the range that matters is the range you can use musically.
  11. 10. Review and First Performance Three pieces, performed end-to-end, recorded once.