nukeswife Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 My kids ages 9 and 6.5 (7 in Nov) have asked to learn an instrument. They said "flute" but they really mean recorder. We have a few $1 ones from walmart, but I'm wondering if anyone has a suggestion for a beginning instruction book. I used to play the clarinet a long time ago (we're talking 7th-8th grade) and could read music well although I'm a bit rusty so something basic is good. Is there something like "Teaching recorder for dummies" or the like out there. Also would the el cheapo recorders we have be ok or is there another one you suggest instead. Thanks so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Learn to Play the Recorder by Dave Oliver. It comes with a recorder, but I'm sure there are other books out there without the instrument. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllSmiles Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Linda Fay wrote a great blog entry about music instruction. The post title suggests it is about the piano, but she also talks about the recorder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I had to reply to this thread! We started recorder last year. I HIGHLY recommend Penny Gardner's New Nine Note Recorder Method. http://www.pennygardner.com/ We used this and still are. It has been wonderful. Very, very easy to implement and use. Also, if you eventually want to upgrade your recorders... I like the Yamaha ones. Just my preference... Hope this helps! It is an inexpensive and easy instrument to use! My son blossomed learning this skill. Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina in WA Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I taught a recorder class and knew nothing when I was asked to take over the class. I used Penny Gardners New Nine Note Recorder Method. I couldn't speak highly enough about it. It is WONDERFUL! My dd still looks at it and plays music from it. There are enough songs in it to last a year+. And she sells some other neat recorder music books too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Another vote for Penny Gardner's Nine Note Recorder Method -- worked great here with 2 very NON musical boys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 And yet another vote for Penny Gardener's book! I bought it years and years ago at a CM workshop; it has since lay gathering dust - the CD was still shrinkwrapped! We had a coop where we intended to do some recorder teaching, and I ended up with a Yamaha and also some nice wood recorders from Music for Little People (I recommend either of those). More dust gathering. All of a sudden, my youngest (now 7) tells me she wants to learn the recorder. I tell her to play "Hot Cross Buns" (which is what got taught in the coop). She does it and wants more. I go find the Penny Gardener book. Other children get excited, and the next day we're playing duets (well, the easiest two, but still)! Now that they want to do it, I'm thinking we can have a lot of fun with this. They all already play other instruments quite well (none of them are wind instruments, though), but their note reading lags their playing skills - I'm thinking the recorder can also be fun note reading review for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I had to reply to this thread!We started recorder last year. I HIGHLY recommend Penny Gardner's New Nine Note Recorder Method. http://www.pennygardner.com/ We used this and still are. It has been wonderful. Very, very easy to implement and use. Also, if you eventually want to upgrade your recorders... I like the Yamaha ones. Just my preference... Hope this helps! It is an inexpensive and easy instrument to use! My son blossomed learning this skill. Rebecca This was a wonderful way for us to get started. It was easy to branch out to other books from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I'm going to suggest that you buy good recorders. For your sanity! The recorders you have are not going to be in tune. Which means that even if you kids are playing the right note it is going to sound bad:nopity:. A good student recorder costs under $10 and that include a case and cleaning rod. Look for a Yamaha, Canto or Aulos. You are looking for a baroque soprano recorder. If you get a German it will have different fingerings. Try to buy the same kind for all your kids. This will help insure the instruments are in tune with each other. I would also suggest a neck strap and some sort of music stand. It is almost impossible to play an instrument with your neck down trying to read off a table. You can either get a free standing music stand or a stand that sits on a desk. These are the tips that kept my insanity teaching recorder when I use to be a public school music teacher;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yslek Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Here are a couple of websites that may prove useful: Courtly Music Unlimited: http://www.courtlymusicunlimited.com/ They have a section devoted to children's methods, as well as a wide range of instruments. (I think these are the folks I bought some high quality plastic recorders from. The nice plastic recorders from Aulos and Yamaha are better quality than cheap wooden ones.) Antique Sound Workshop: http://www.aswltd.com/ They are geared more toward adult players, but they do sell children's methods, too. Almost completely devoted to recorders, this site offers a wealth of information. I bought my one really nice recorder from them, and they were really helpful with any questions I had. Also, when my recorder arrived and I noticed a flaw in the wood, my exchange for a different instrument was pretty hassle-free. :) Have fun! Kelsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 Thanks to all. I'll check out those sites. Tabrett thanks for the tips on which recorder to get. I think I'll be ok without a music stand just because I have a chalkboard with a holder on it that would be at just the right level, but I'll keep it in mind just in case the chalkboard doesn't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 In my other post on this thread I posted several recorders that I thought were good, but I couldn't remember the one I liked best and I just remembered what it was. The Angel Halo! They changed the name from the last time I bought one. I think this is the best student recorder. It is the one I ordered for my students when I taught public school. It has a really nice sound. The Nine Note Recorder method looks really good. The book being a music stand is really ingenious. I would suggest getting the midi files. My students loved playing along with music. The Angel Halo Recorder is also the recorder suggested by Penny Gardner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 They have finally figured out how to make good plastic ones! Still, teach your kids to clean them every time they play, as that will be essential when they switch to wood later on. I really like the Trapp Family recorder books. They are black and white and kind of quaint, but very very thorough. They teach good technique from the start and have the students playing lovely music very quickly. Make sure that you buy soprano recorders and buy the recorder books that are for C-instruments. Soprano and tenor recorders have the C-instrument fingering. Sopranino, alto, and bass recorders have the F-instrument fingering which takes a different book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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