Learning the recorder is the best first step to playing other instruments especially woodwind instruments like saxophone, clarinet and flute. The recorder is easy to learn. It’s shared fingering system with other woodwind instruments is making the transition easy.

The advantages of recorder:

• sounds beautiful
• simple fingering
• easy to produce tone
• lightweight
• portable
• affordable
• fully chromatic
• plays nearly 3 octaves
• transition to other instruments

Learning the recorder provides a solid foundation in music fundamentals as it is a chromatic instrument that can play up to 3 octaves of notes. It is recommended to begin with soprano recorder in the key of C.

Fingering systems of recorder (from Yamaha) of up to 2.2 octaves.

The soprano recorder is in the key of C, and it can play all 12 major scales from C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb to B.

All 12 scales of soprano recorder

Key of C – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 (C D E F G A B C)

Key of Db – (1) (2) 4 (4) (5) (6) 1 (1) (Db Eb, F, Gb Ab Bb C Db)

Key of D – 2 3 (4) 5 6 7 (1) 2 (D E F# G A B C# D)

Key of Eb – (2) 4 5 (5) (6) 1 2 (2) (Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb)

Key of E – 3 (4) (5) 6 7 (1) (2) 3 (E F# G# A B C# D# E)

Key of F – 4 5 6 (6) 1 2 3 4 (F G A Bb C D E F)

Key of F# – (4) (5) (6) 7 (1) (2) 4 (4) (F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#)

Key of G – 5 6 7 1 2 3 (4) 5 (G A B C D E F# G)

Key of Ab – (5) (6) 1 (1) (2) 4 5 (5) (Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab)

Key of A – 6 7 (1) 2 3 (4) (5) 6 (A B C# D E F# G# A)

Key of Bb – (6) 1 2 (2) 4 5 6 (6) (Bb C D Eb F G A Bb)

Key of B – 7 (1) (2) 3 (4) (5) (6) 7 (B C# D# E F# G# A# B)