Recorder Home Page

Technique

Compiled by Nicholas S. Lander

Articulation

"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)
De gläserne Blockflötenspieler, by Nik Tarasov (Germany) . From Windkanal1: 6-9 (1999) [PDF format]
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.

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)
Recorder Fingerings, from Winfried Bauer (Dutch, English, German, Italian, Spanish). This is very comprehensive with fingerings for a variety of different recorders including Mollenhauer's Ganassi, Kynsecker, Harmonic and Modern recorders
Interactive Fingering Chart, from Hampshire Rrecorder Sinfonia (UK)
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)
Recorder Fingering Chart, from Musikhaus Max Hieber (Germany) – 'English' (neo-baroque) fingering.
Recorder Fingering Chart, from Musikhaus Max Hieber (Germany) – 'German' fingering.
Tavola delle posizioni per flauto dolce sistema tedesco, soprano/tenore e contralto [German fingering table for SAT recorders]
Tabela de digitaçöes (flauta contralto), from Helcio Müller (Brasil). Table of fingerings for the alto recorder (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 Thumbrest? compiled by Brian Blood (UK)
Über den Daumen gepeilt, a study of Michala Petri's thumb technique by Julie Pi Hedeboe; from Windkanal 2: 20-21 (2001) [PDF format]

Health Issues

Musicians and Injuries, bibliography and links to many on-line articles
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
Alexander Technique
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)

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)
Recorder Web Academy, teaching materials from Mollenhauer with Nikolaj Tarasov (Germany)
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

Das Vibrato im Blockflötenspiel, by Daniel Brüggen (Netherlands), originally published in Tibia (in German). Also here (Part 1).
Vibrato & Tremolo on the Recorder, a compendium of information on how to produce these effects on the recorder, from Nicholas Lander (Australia)