Lesson 3: High C and D — The Second Octave Begins

• Play C5 and D5 with a clean sound.
• Play F and G (on your alto staff) with a clean sound.
• Move down from D5 to G4 and back without losing tone.
• Move down from G to C on your alto staff and back without losing tone.

The recorder's two registers are two different instruments that happen to share a body.

High C and D sit just above the B you already know. They are surprisingly easy fingerings — C5 needs only one front finger, and D5 needs none at all. The challenge is air support, not finger placement.

F and G (on your alto staff) sit just above the E you already know. They are surprisingly easy fingerings — F needs only one front finger, and G needs none at all. The challenge is air support, not finger placement.

C5

F

Thumb hole fully covered; on the front, only the second finger covered. The first finger lifts off — this is the “forked C” that gives the note its slightly nasal colour.

Thumb hole fully covered; on the front, only the second finger covered. The first finger lifts off — this is the “forked F” (soprano’s “forked C”) that gives the note its slightly nasal colour.

D5

G

Now the thumb comes off entirely — the back of the recorder is open — and on the front only the second finger stays down. Whisper the air; D5 likes it gentle.

Now the thumb comes off entirely — the back of the recorder is open — and on the front only the second finger stays down. Whisper the air; G (on your alto staff) likes it gentle.

Now play these

Two challenges with the notes you have:

Hot Cross Buns, transposed

Lesson 2’s song starting on D5 instead of B4 (D C B / D C B / B B B B C C C C / D C B).

Lesson 2’s song starting on G instead of E on your alto staff (G F E / G F E / E E E E F F F F / G F E).

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Keep practising it at the original pitch.

When the five-note arch above is even from top to bottom, with no D5 cracking, move on to Lesson 4.

D5 squawking? See troubleshooting.