Recorder Fun

Laelia

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So it's a long shot wherever I go but... Recorder players?

Started when I was four, got insanely good, got sick of the classical music worlds' disdain for pop, dropped out of college so on the bright side I have time to play recorder four hours a day now? :')
 
I used to have sopranino, soprano, alto, & tenor recorders - used to enjoy playing them, but moved on to clarinet for more volume, actually I really liked the sound. ;)

Since retiring, I took up uke, then I went back to my harmonicas, & now I am back to my flutes, well at least, I'm trying to (re)find my embouchure. :)

I found Chiff & Fipple, for my flute forum, & got tempted into trying (tin) whistles, now I have several of them. :rolleyes:

Learning to play instruments has become my retirement hobby, & I'm attempting to learn to read notation too. :cool:
 
I play alto in a baroque period consort. There's a small group of us on this forum--see recent thread on plant-based recorders for a who's who of UU recorder players.
 
So it's a long shot wherever I go but... Recorder players?

Started when I was four, got insanely good, got sick of the classical music worlds' disdain for pop, dropped out of college so on the bright side I have time to play recorder four hours a day now? :')

As others have pointed out there are folk on here who also play the recorder. Initially I was surprised at that but once you start to think about it the instruments have similar attractions (low cost, easy to transport, initially simple(ish) to play) so they will appeal to the same people. If you have the time and skill to enjoy both then that’s good.

The distain of the classical music world for other stuff seems widespread and common to me, there’s not much you can do about it except (privately) laugh at their silliness. By way of example a classical guitarist on here had some distain from proper musicians when she decided to give the Uke a go.

Sometimes we do need room to breath and ‘find ourselves’ so dropping out of College is understandable, might I respectfully suggest that you have some structured time out in say the form of a gap year and then return to complete your degree? Some time working (earning), and perhaps travelling too, could be very helpful to you. ‘Year in Industry’ Students typically do very well for themselves - that’s my experience both as a parent and in the workplace - and gain enormously from their time away. It might not be possible for you to join that scheme this year but perhaps you can do something similar via your own private arrangements - some time in any virtually any workplace will, overall, be good for you. Good luck.
 
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As others have pointed out there are folk on here who also play the recorder. Initially I was surprised at that but once you start to think about it the instruments have similar attractions (low cost, easy to transport, initially simple(ish) to play) so they will appeal to the same people. If you have the time and skill to enjoy both then that’s good.

The distain of the classical music world for other stuff seems widespread and common to me, there’s not much you can do about it except (privately) laugh at their silliness. By way of example a classical guitarist on here had some distain from proper musicians when she decided to give the Uke a go.

Sometimes we do need room to breath and ‘find ourselves’ so dropping out of College is understandable, might I respectfully suggest that you have some structured time out in say the form of a gap year and then return to complete your degree? Some time working (earning), and perhaps travelling too, could be very helpful to you. ‘Year in Industry’ Students typically do very well for themselves - that’s my experience both as a parent and in the workplace - and gain enormously from their time away. It might not be possible for you to join that scheme this year but perhaps you can do something similar via your own private arrangements - some time in any virtually any workplace will, overall, be good for you. Good luck.

Bless your for your concern darling :D but I have followed a path set out for me that suits me much better, without any of the pressure of pesky performances!

I'm so glad to see the recorder community thriving, toot on!
 
Funny thing is, the classical world often shows disdain for early music, too. Not to mention people who like pop but hate classical! There's just no pleasing some folks. The only rational response is for us to play whatever music we like :)

I learned recorder to accompany renaissance dances. Sometimes I pretend my recorder is a tin whistle so I can sit in on sessions -- but Irish trad people hate recorders (here we go again) so I had to learn a whole new style of playing and mostly I just don't bother.

The few times I've tried modern blues and jazz styling, I couldn't manage it. So many years I spent learning to play clear tones... and now I'm supposed to slur and bend the notes!? I'm not motivated to put in the time to get good at this, but I am very impressed with players who do.

Nowadays I don't play recorder often. That plant-based recorder thread sure caught my attention, but for the amount of time I spend playing, my Yamaha plastic Rottenburgh soprano and alto are good enough (I like them a whole lot, actually). When I play it's mostly Bach, Susato, Negri, Praetorius... them guys. Christmas carols in season. The occasional ren faire gig. Tootling out a Paul Simon melody never captured my fancy (but I love me some St. Matthew Passion chorales!)

So... what kind of music do you play on recorder?
 
Recorders are fun instruments. It is a challenge to play in tune because of the strong influence on pitch with the air volume put into etc.
I just got myself a Yamaha soprano recorder that I use to play songs. Same songs I sing and play with ukulele.

And have also an old alto Aulos recorder, that is in my opinion a bit hard to play over longer time because I don't have long fingers. Both are good quality plastic recorders, so not top end wooden ones I would not know/bother to take care of.

Besides songs I have also an old Flauto Dolce recorder method (finnish) book from 1966. It is for an F alto recorder. I used to play from it also with my traverse normal flute, that I don't play it anymore, because I find that among other things erconomically hard. I am 60 year old. If only they were F pitched, something like between standard and piccolo ;)

I have been thinking and played from it beginning tunes both with the alto and then with the new soprano both not transposed (well soprano is played on octave higher) and then transposed a fifth above using alto recorder fingerings. As I go further of course only alto fingerings are possible at higher notes, except maybe transposing an octave lower. Interesting challenges.
 
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I love baroque music and the recorder. I have plastic altos and a tenor. I hope to begin recorder lessons after Christmas! (been trying to do it on my own, but not too motivated without guidance on my tone, etc).

I'll noodle around with Christmas carols on uke and recorder soon!
 
So it's a long shot wherever I go but... Recorder players?

Started when I was four, got insanely good, got sick of the classical music worlds' disdain for pop, dropped out of college so on the bright side I have time to play recorder four hours a day now? :')

I was more of a Early Music person than a Classical Music person... so that's probably more disdain proof. :) I started out trying to learn on my own but eventually ended up with private lessons from a profession recorder teacher (the recorder instructor at the NEC Early Music Program.) Eventually I got married and my wife got a job with weird hours so I could practice any more so that ended that...

Just play what you want.

-- Gary
 
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