Recorder Home Page

Technique

Compiled by Nicholas S. Lander

Articulation

Orme, A. (2002). Combining southern Indian technique with Western Music. Cinnamon Sticks 3(1): 14-18.
Ranum, P. (1992). A fresh look at French wind articulations. American Recorder 33(4): 9-16, 39.
"veddy", 'tu' and 'ru', an important article by on the pronunciation of French articulation syllables by Patricia Ranum (USA)
Some further thoughts about (and images of) the vowels in French tonguing syllables, by Patricia Ranum (USA)
Tarasov, N. (1999). De gläserne Blockflötenspieler. Windkanal 1: 6-9.
Técnica de articulación según La Fontegara de Silvestro Ganassi, Venecia 1535, traducció dels aspectes més interessant referents a l'articulació corresponents al tractat més antic per a flauta de bec feta per Romà Escalas, translated into Catalan by Joan Vives (Spain)
Reiss, S. (2006). Articulation: the inside story. American Recorder 46(1): 12-22.
Tarr, E. & Dickey,B. (2007). Bläserartikulation in der Alten Musik. Eine kommentierte Quellensammlung. Reihe Pratica Musicale 8, Amadeus Verlag, Winterthur.

Bass recorders

On Playing The Bass Recorder, by Brian Blood (UK)

Composing for the recorder

A composer's guide to the recorder, from Benjamin Thorn (Australia)

Extended Techniques

De electronische blokfluit - Een interview met Michael Barker [About the electronic recorder] (in Dutch), by Dirkjan Horringa (Netherlands), reprinted from Huismuziek (July 1991)
Técnicas contemporâneas para flauta doce, from Helcio Müller (Brasil). Contemporary recorder technique (in Portuguese)
Het spelen van hedendaagse blokfluitmuziek [About playing contemporary recorder music], by Dinnie Goedhart (Netherlands)
Leçons de Respiration Circulaire, general article on circular breathing by Heddy Boubaker, not especially for the recorder, but with useful references (in French)

Fingering

Fingering the recorder, detailed instructions for fingering the recorder, including notes in the third octave, trill fingerings, flattement, etc., from Nicholas Lander (Australia). A Russian translation of this article is available here.
Über den Daumen gepeilt, a study of Michala Petri's thumb technique by Julie Pi Hedeboe; from Windkanal 2: 20-21 (2001
Recorder fingerings, from Winfried Bauer (Dutch, English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Hungarian, and Greek ). This is very comprehensive with fingerings for a variety of different recorders including Mollenhauer's Ganassi, Kynsecker, Harmonic and Modern recorders, as well as standard German/English/Ganassi/Renaissance fingerings, trill fingerings, piano/forte fingerings, historic fingerings, and fingerings for modern recorder music. This site is also available as a text-only version for blind and visually impaired people.
Fingering charts, from Mollenhauer (Germany) [PDF format]
Interactive recorder fingering chart, from Hampshire Recorder Sinfonia (UK)
Recorder fingering chart, from the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra (USA)
Recorder trill fingering chart, from the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra (USA)
Dedilhado para flauta doce, table of fingerings (in Portuguese)
Woodwind fingering guide, a compilation of fingerings for many different instruments, including recorder, from Tim Reichard (USA)
Recorder trills, turned trills, and turns, from Richard Hureau (USA)
Recorder digits, a Windows 95/98/NT program that displays standard and alternate fingerings for alto, soprano/tenor, and bass recorders, from Richard Hureau (USA)
Recorder thumbrests compiled by Brian Blood (UK)
Historikus ujjrendek, historical fingering charts from Ganassi, Virgiliano, Jambe de Fer, Mersenne, Blankenburgh, Bismantova, Freillon-Poncein, Hotteterre & Stanesby (text in Hungarian)
Blaise Hall (2011). Silent practice, a new approach to finger technique on the recorder. Book 1. Triple time. Publisher unknown.

Health Issues

Musicians and Injuries, bibliography and links to many on-line articles; from University of Nebraska's Engineering Electronics Shop
Contact dermatitis and other skin conditions in instrumental musicians, by Thilo Gambichler, Stefanie Boms, & Marcus Freitag, from BMC Dermatology 4(1): 3 (2004).
The Musician's Survival Manual by Richard Norris, MD
Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique, from Alexander Technique Nebraska and Toronto, and Life Bridge Coaching
Musicians' Health, from Chiropractic Performing Arts Association; devoted to the understanding and the explanation of musician's injuries, along with guidelines regarding injury prevention, optimizing musical performance, and for achieving an optimum state of health
Musicians and Injuries, from Paul Marxhausen (USA), prevention and treatment of repetitive stress injuries; links to stretches, warning signs, books, videos, chat rooms, recommended doctors, etc.

Intonation

Intonation im Ensemblespiel Praktische Übungen mit Blockflöten [Control of intonation in ensemble-playing], from Gisela Rothe (in German)
- Teil 1, from Windkanal 2: 24-29 (2001)
- Teil 2., from Windkanal 3: 22-28 (2001)
Afinación de intervalos puros, un artículos sobre los sonidos resultantes de utilidad para los flautistas de pico [on difference tones produced by recorders], by Bábara Sela Andrés (Spain)

Methods

Suzuki Method Recorder School™ (USA), information about this successful method, about studios and teachers, and about workshops and Summer institutes providing student classes and teacher training
Adult Recorder Methods and Studies, an annotated list by David Green
Learn To Play the Dolmetsch Way, online method for soprano & alto recorder, from Brian Blood (UK)
Online Music Lessons, Learn to play the recorder, tin-whistle, fluteophone, native American flute and more from Ray Hogan (USA)
How to Play the Recorder, an h2g2 Guide from BBCi (UK)

Overview

The Recorder Instrument of Torture or Instrument of Music? Technique, an overview of recorder technique aimed at identifying those aspects with which children and amateurs may experience difficulty, from Nicholas Lander (Australia)

Vibrato & Tremolo

Vibrato & Tremolo on the Recorder, a compendium of information on how to produce these effects on the recorder, from Nicholas Lander (Australia)
Das Vibrato im Blockflötenspiel, by Daniel Brüggen (Netherlands), originally published in Tibia 21(1): 23-27 & 21(2): 116-123 (1996)
- Part 1
- Part 2