Lesson 4: Low C, Low D, Low E — Both Hands at Work
- Engage the right hand for the first time and produce a clean low E, D, and C.
- Engage the right hand for the first time and produce a clean low A, G, and F on your alto staff.
- Play a complete folk song spanning the full lower octave.
- Lesson 3 — upper-octave C and D.
- Right hand engaged for the first time.
- Right-hand fingerings.
- Low E, D, and C.
- Full lower-octave melodies.
The low notes don't take more breath. They take less, and steadier.
The right hand joins in, stacking below the left. Three new low notes, but every leaky hole below the played note will refuse to speak — coverage matters more than ever.
E4
A (low)
Thumb, three left fingers (as for G), plus the first two right-hand fingers. Five holes covered on the front. The right hand goes on top of the lower joint; place the index and middle finger like keys.
Thumb, three left fingers (as for C on your alto staff), plus the first two right-hand fingers. Five holes covered on the front. The right hand goes on top of the lower joint; place the index and middle finger like keys.
D4
G (low)
Add the right ring finger to the E fingering. Six holes covered.
Add the right ring finger to the A fingering. Six holes covered.
C4
F (low)
Add the right little finger. All seven holes covered — the lowest note on the soprano recorder. C4 is the most demanding note for hand coverage; one leak and it will not speak.
Add the right little finger. All seven holes covered — the lowest note on the alto recorder. F is the most demanding note for hand coverage; one leak and it will not speak.
Walk down from G4 into the low register. Steady, slow, very gentle air.
Walk down from C (on your alto staff) into the low register. Steady, slow, very gentle air.
The C major scale, bottom to top, with no chromatic notes. Two breaths.
The F major scale (alto's home key) on your alto staff, bottom to top. Two breaths.
Now play these
The library opens up. Each of these uses notes from low D up to high D — everything you now know.
- Au Clair de la Lune
- An eighteenth-century French air. A perfect study in steady air across the register.
- Lightly Row
- A German folk tune. Lots of step motion, almost no leaps — ideal for new low notes.
- Old MacDonald
- The animal-noise verses can be skipped on the first read — the tune is what matters.
- Go Tell Aunt Rhody
- A slow Appalachian air. Best song in the library for practising legato low notes.
When low C speaks cleanly three times in a row, and you can play any one song above end-to-end, move on to Lesson 5.
When your lowest F speaks cleanly three times in a row, and you can play any one song above end-to-end, move on to Lesson 5.
Low notes refusing to speak? Almost always a leak. See troubleshooting.