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How to Handle Play the Recorder Step by Step

When play the recorder leaves you confused, worried, or unsure what it means, a clear step-by-step approach can help you sort the signal from the stress. This guide explains how to understand the situation, reflect on what matters, choose a practical next step, and know when to ask for trusted support.

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Blow a gentle but steady stream of air into the mouthpiece.

Take a deep breath that engages your core and then exhale through the opening in the mouthpiece without covering any of the finger holes. Keep your air stream soft and gentle, but steady and focused (almost like you’re trying to blow out a birthday candle or blow a piece of dust across the table). Blowing softly with a

Take a deep breath that engages your core and then exhale through the opening in the mouthpiece without covering any of the finger holes.
Keep your air stream soft and gentle, but steady and focused (almost like you’re trying to blow out a birthday candle or blow a piece of dust across the table).
Blowing softly with a
Take a deep breath that engages your core and then exhale through the opening in the mouthpiece without covering any of the finger holes.
Keep your air stream soft and gentle, but steady and focused (almost like you’re trying to blow out a birthday candle or blow a piece of dust across the table).

Tap your tongue against the ridge behind your top teeth while blowing to articulate.

Articulating (also called “tonguing” on wind instruments) is how you start and stop the sound to play notes that are short or separated from the notes around them. On recorder, you start and stop the sound with your tongue:

Articulating (also called “tonguing” on wind instruments) is how you start and stop the sound to play notes that are short or separated from the notes around them.
On recorder, you start and stop the sound with your tongue:
Articulating (also called “tonguing” on wind instruments) is how you start and stop the sound to play notes that are short or separated from the notes around them.
On recorder, you start and stop the sound with your tongue:
Articulating (also called “tonguing” on wind instruments) is how you start and stop the sound to play notes that are short or separated from the notes around them.

Get familiar with a recorder fingering chart

to learn all of the notes. A fingering chart is a visual guide used to represent the notes on a recorder. Some show a diagram of the recorder holes with black, filled-in circles representing the holes you cover and white, open circles showing what’s uncovered. Others may use numbers 0 through 7, with 0 representing the

to learn all of the notes.
A fingering chart is a visual guide used to represent the notes on a recorder.
Some show a diagram of the recorder holes with black, filled-in circles representing the holes you cover and white, open circles showing what’s uncovered.
Others may use numbers 0 through 7, with 0 representing the
to learn all of the notes.

Start by learning the note B.

This is a fairly easy note to play and is the first note a lot of beginners learn. Cover the back hole with your left thumb, then take your left index finger and cover the first, topmost hole on the body, just under the mouthpiece. Use your right thumb to balance the recorder lower down. Blow gently into the mouthpiece

This is a fairly easy note to play and is the first note a lot of beginners learn.
Cover the back hole with your left thumb, then take your left index finger and cover the first, topmost hole on the body, just under the mouthpiece.
Use your right thumb to balance the recorder lower down.
Blow gently into the mouthpiece
This is a fairly easy note to play and is the first note a lot of beginners learn.

Learn the rest of the left hand notes.

The first notes that you will learn to play using only your left hand are B (which you just played), A, G, C’, and D’ (the apostrophes at the top right hand corner of the last notes indicates that they are an octave higher than “low” C and D, which you’ll learn later).

The first notes that you will learn to play using only your left hand are B (which you just played), A, G, C’, and D’ (the apostrophes at the top right hand corner of the last notes indicates that they are an octave higher than “low” C and D, which you’ll learn later).
The first notes that you will learn to play using only your left hand are B (which you just played), A, G, C’, and D’ (the apostrophes at the top right hand corner of the last notes indicates that they are an octave higher than “low” C and D, which you’ll learn later).
The first notes that you will learn to play using only your left hand are B (which you just played), A, G, C’, and D’ (the apostrophes at the top right hand corner of the last notes indicates that they are an octave higher than “low” C and D, which you’ll learn later).
The first notes that you will learn to play using only your left hand are B (which you just played), A, G, C’, and D’ (the apostrophes at the top right hand corner of the last notes indicates that they are an octave higher than “low” C and D, which you’ll learn later).
The first notes that you will learn to play using only your left hand are B (which you just played), A, G, C’, and D’ (the apostrophes at the top right hand corner of the last notes indicates that they are an octave higher than “low” C and D, which you’ll learn later).

Learn the right hand notes.

The next common notes that you will learn to play using your right hand are E, low D, F-sharp (F#), F, and low C. The notes F and low C can be a little tricky for new players as a lot of holes need to be covered at once when playing them.

The next common notes that you will learn to play using your right hand are E, low D, F-sharp (F#), F, and low C.
The notes F and low C can be a little tricky for new players as a lot of holes need to be covered at once when playing them.
The next common notes that you will learn to play using your right hand are E, low D, F-sharp (F#), F, and low C.
The notes F and low C can be a little tricky for new players as a lot of holes need to be covered at once when playing them.
The next common notes that you will learn to play using your right hand are E, low D, F-sharp (F#), F, and low C.

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