The Recorder (Recorder)

Member Name: SepticTank

Product:	Recorder
Date:	11/06/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy first instrument to learn, easy to store, cheap

Disadvantages: The noise can be annoying if it's practiced too often!

I first began to play the recorder when I was about 5 or 6 and I used to find it was an easy instrument to learn. The first thing we were taught was how hard to blow into the mouth piece to get an even sound that wasn't squeaky. At that age, it was easier said than done.

Once we'd all grasped that, we were taught what the notes were, (starting from the top and going down) D, C, B, A, G, F, E, D, C. We were taught to remember this as DC Bag Fed C which strangely seemed to work somehow! We were then taught how to read the notes. The lines are the notes E, G, B, D, F. We were taught to remember these as Every Good Boy Deserves Food, although I'm sure there are many variations on this. The spaces are F, A, C, E which we were taught to remember because it spells 'Face'.

Once we all understood the notes and how to read them, we started learning to play some very basic songs, eventually picking up a few more complicated ones by the time we left Primary School.

The recorderd themselves only cost about £5 for a decent one and the music books cost about the same so it's a pretty cheap hobby really. I'm sure many young children would enjoy learning to play the recorder, even if they go off it and then go back to it a while later. It's an easy instrument to learn and will make them feel proud for being able to play music.

It's easy to store the recorder because it's a fairly small instrument and it could help them to get into music more if they like it anyway. If not, it could provide them with a new hobby which they may really enjoy and it doesnt take an awful lot of time, space or effort.

Summary: A great first instrument for any children