Recorder Playing Tips/Tricks

Hi everyone!
   As you're practicing your recorder at home (especially 3rd graders who only received their recorders last week and have had no instruction from me on how to play it)... here are some tips to keep in mind:

  1-  The recorder needs a very small amount of air.  Blow half as hard as you think you need to. You should always be playing it softly, never hard enough to get a "squeaky" sound.

  2-  Cover each hole tightly with your fingers.  If a little bit of air sneaks out, your recorder will squeak or sound wrong.

  3-  If your recorder is making squeaks or high pitched sounds, it is either you blowing too hard or not covering the holes tightly.  Check both and see if it sounds better.

 
Practicing:
When you start a new song, do these things in this order-

          *Clap rhythms first
          *Say notes out loud (write down any notes you're struggling with)
          *Say notes while doing fingering (you're playing the song without blowing)
          *Play song by blowing


Good luck!  I'll be posting lots of video lessons and play-alongs!  Miss everyone!