Know your recorder
A soprano recorder has a mouthpiece (where you blow), a sharp-edged window, seven finger holes on the front and one thumb hole at the back. Blowing sends a thin sheet of air over the window edge. This makes the air inside the tube vibrate, and you hear a note.
The pitch (how high or low) depends on the length of the air column: from the window to the first open hole. Covering a hole makes the column longer, so the note is lower. Lifting a finger makes the column shorter, so the note is higher.
Holding, breath and tonguing
- Hold: stand or sit tall. The left hand is on top (thumb behind, fingers on the first three holes), the right hand is lower. Use the soft pads of the fingers, not the tips, so the holes are sealed. A small leak makes a squeak.
- Breath: breathe in low, into your tummy, not up in your chest. Blow as if warming your hands: gentle, warm, steady air.
- Tonguing: start each note by saying a soft "tu" or "du", with the tongue touching behind the top teeth. This gives each note a clean start.
- Too hard or too soft: too hard makes the note jump an octave up and squeal. Too soft gives no note. Find the middle.
First notes: B, A, G
Start with the left hand only. B: thumb and the first finger. A: thumb and first two fingers. G: thumb and first three fingers. Notice that each new finger covered makes the note lower. On a soprano recorder these sound about 988, 880 and 784 Hz. Play B-A-G slowly and listen to each one. Always check the next finger is sealed before you blow.
Care: do not share a recorder without cleaning it. Wipe the water out after playing and never blow hard to clear it.
Choral singing
A choir is a group that sings together. Posture: stand tall, feet apart, knees soft, shoulders relaxed. Breath: breathe in low, so your tummy moves out, and let the air out slowly. Warm up: hum, then sing "ah" up and down gently.
A choir has parts: low voices (such as bass), middle voices (alto) and high voices (soprano). They sing different notes at the same time, called harmony. When their frequencies are in simple ratios, like 4 : 5 : 6 for C, E and G, they blend into a sweet chord. If everyone sings the same note, that is unison.
Listen, blend and perform
The best choir singers listen more than they sing loud. Match your volume, vowel and start with the group. Watch the conductor. Sing in tune: if you are too high or low, the chord sounds rough, and you should adjust slowly. Practise each part alone, then together.
Try it: play B-A-G on your recorder, then sing the same three notes with "la". Then sing a simple tune in two groups: one starts a few beats after the other, and listen to the blend.
Key formulas and definitions
- Covered holes ↑ → air column ↑ → pitch ↓
- Pitch (Hz) = number of vibrations per second
- Choir chord C : E : G has frequencies in about a 4 : 5 : 6 ratio
- Breath: low, steady and gentle
Worked examples
1. Which note is lower on the recorder: B (thumb + 1 finger) or G (thumb + 3 fingers)? Why?
G is lower. More holes are covered, so the air column is longer and the pitch is lower.
2. You hear a loud squeal when you play. Give two likely causes.
You are blowing too hard (the note jumps an octave), or a finger is not sealing a hole and air leaks.
3. A choir sings C (262 Hz), E (330 Hz) and G (392 Hz). Find the difference between the highest and the lowest.
392 − 262 = 130 Hz.
4. The note A on a recorder is 880 Hz. How long is one vibration?
Period = 1 ÷ 880 ≈ 0.00114 s ≈ 1.14 ms.
5. Find the ratio of the high voice (392 Hz) to the low voice (262 Hz).
392 ÷ 262 ≈ 1.5, which is the simple ratio 3 : 2 (a perfect fifth).
6. Why should singers breathe low, not high in the chest?
Low breathing uses the diaphragm and gives more air and steadier control, so the voice is stronger and does not get tired.
Common mistakes
- Using the fingertips instead of the pads, so the holes leak and the note squeaks.
- Blowing hard to get a loud note. This makes the recorder squeal. Use steady, gentle air.
- Raising the shoulders to breathe in. Breathe low into the tummy.
- Singing louder than the group. In a choir, you must blend, not stand out.