6 months of learning to play the recorder (adult beginner!)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- #recorder #practice #beginner
I’m having a listen back through a few recordings I made during my first six months of learning to play the recorder, and chatting about a few of the things I’ve learnt.
I’m an adult beginner, starting completely from scratch with the instrument and learning to read music. I’m learning on my own, without a teacher (so far).
The sounds aren’t always pleasant... but is there progress?
Find me on Instagram: @claythorpemusic
I'm now 73 and have no prior experience of music whatsoever. I think it's both fun and at times frustrating, trying something completely different. My family think I'm totally nuts both because of my age and the fact I've chosen the recorder. (4 of them) However I've always said it's only being nuts that keeps me sane. Thanks for your videos and I wish I was as quick as you are at learning to play recorders. Keep up the good work.
I am 36. I just begun trying to learn recorder. I ve always wanted to learn an instrument. I felt bad cause there is so much prejudice against adults learning. I feel very motivated . i apreatiate your videos. Thanks and greetings from México
Hi Myra, well I think you’ve chosen a brilliant instrument! Choosing to learn something new at any age has got to be better than never starting… Best of luck with your learning and I hope you enjoy it… happy practicing!
I am 67 and just started the recorder. I have been at it about 3 weeks and have managed Men of Harlech, from an ancient text by Freda Dinn. Greetings fom Canada.
You've essentially learned a second language in 6 months and are now learning the grammar of that language. Fantastic job!!!!!!
I’ve been following Sarah Jeffery for ages, she’s absolutely brilliant. I’ve just retired and bought a recorder to learn how to play. Your lovely video update fills me so full of hope that I too will be able to turn the random squeaks into something some melodic. Good luck with your journey and hope the grades go well. 😊
You are an inspiration. I'm now just two weeks in. It's great to know that in six months you can get to such a good level as you are. Thanks
Happy playing- enjoy it! 🎶
Really very good progress. Everyone's got to start somewhere. Just start, and keep going regularly.
I am 73 and am on day2. Rubbish but this gives me a bit of hope!
Wow you have made years of progress in only a few months. Brilliant 👏👏👏.
Keep playing ❤love the recorder ❤❤
What a fantastic progress! I started at age 49 and after a year ..I am better, but ... Now I feel sorry that I didn't record my initial practice 🙂
I had a good laugh when you showed a bunch of your recorders saying "it is addictive". My wife couldn't understand my collection.
Greetings from London!
Yay! I’m an adult learner too! You’re so positive and the video is so encouraging! Thanks a lot, keep up, I’ll be waiting for more. From Russia with 🎶🪈❤
You’ve made a lot of progress in six months! I bought my recorder two years ago, but have only actually played it a few months during that time. 😂 Good luck with the Trinity books!
Thanks, I need all the luck I can get! Don’t neglect that poor recorder 😉
😮🎉😮 very inspiring !!
absolutely lovely! And yes, very addictive! I love Sarah Jeffery as well, her enthusiasm is infectious! I'm learning the various recorders because I'm also interested in early medieval music, and flutes and whistles are just about the earliest instruments found, so great fun! And the recorder is so versatile because it is chromatic, you can play ALL the notes! Working out the sharps and flats once you start reading notation is fun! My husband started the 5 string banjo in April 2021 without any prior musical knowledge or ability, and like you, had to learn not just the notes, but also the rhythms.... TAB doesn't show timing very well, only the position of frets on strings, he's come a long way! Keep it going! 😍
Same story here in France. Luckily, I had a music teacher in the 70th (I was five) who was a great recorder and ancient instrument player. So I was sure that the instrument seller had no idea about baroque recorder
Loved the music store skit! Several years ago I called a store about taking cello lessons and was asked how old my child was. Recorders are awesome for their price and portability. Everyone should play one. I just subscribed to your channel. I may be inspired by you to post some videos of my own recorder playing.
Haha the recorder is definitely more portable than the cello, that’s for sure! Do put some videos up if you get chance, it’s great to see other players 🙂
@@ClaythorpeMusic I just got a Gill wooden tenor today :)
@@BurningtunaDC oh cool! I hadn’t heard of Gill, I’ve just had a read up. Hope you like it!
one of the main things that has helped me is getting into genres that are flute/recorder friendly, like bossa Nova or salsa. As much as i love my 3 buck soprano yamaha, i understand that it has a texture that can be tricky to blend with some musical genres. I don't have many musician friends, but if you do, i would recommend yo to start playing with them to understand dynamics, articulations, and specially, the need for knowing how to improvise and chat musically with other people. The recorder has an infamous reputation, butits a lovely instrument, and it shouldn't be seen that way forever.
Loved your video! I used to play as a child, quit, and now I've picked it up again. I have to relearn everything but it's been so much fun.
Great progress! I have started in 2022, but not completely from scratch. I already knew how to read notes and still had my childhood recorder (germen fingering) from first grade.
Thanks for sharing. I just started at the age 57 three days ago and came across your video. Love to hear from you in the next 6 months
I laughed at how you went to the music store I can relate so much. Lol.
The recorder has a vast repertoire and is absolutely geautiful
Wishing the best of luck and definitely follow sarah jeffrey.🎵❤️🎶
You are doing great! Keep it up. You can really hear the improvement over time and I appreciate you sharing your progress with us. I do hope you will keep us updated. :)
I am currently 3d-printing my future recorder. Haven't played any minute yet, but tested my parts and most of them work, the windpipe got messed up so I have to reprint. I've also looked at saxophones but didn't find any good enough project for making music with 3d printed instruments, so I guess the recorder is one of the best 3d printing projects for music. Apart from this, I play a little guitar, I've been playing on and off since university and I've recently started to do 1h of practice per day (it's been a week so far and it really shows, I can do much more that I was able before). I have some songs I like and I want to record myself doing duets between guitar and recorder and also play the recorder at campfires. Plus, it's light and easy to carry on planes and trains and other transportation in my holiday trips or when I am hiking. That's why I am looking into recorders. How many hours do you practice per day?
Great video. I'm 22. Just picked up the recorder and hoping to do as well as you have
Thanks! Good luck with it, I’m sure you’ll do great!
Yes, it's addictive!!!
Great video, very encouraging for anyone wanting to start out. Thank you
I love this. Thanks for this amazing video ❤
A great work! A nice video for beginners to see how your progress worked and how it could be for them (me :D) I had an illusion I could master this instrument for a month or so as many musicians (probably they were professionals or just magicians) did. At least I was inspired that recorder is the easiest instrument to start with. Jeeez... such a mistake... such a big mistake :D
Thank you for the video and real life examples. They are motivating me and others (me for sure) and give a realistic view on how learning can be difficult and how much efforts and time it can take.
The recorder is a beautiful instrument that demands practice,practice, practice 😀.
Oh so much practice… good job it’s fun!
You're so cute and fun, i really love your videos and i'm very impressed how you learned a lot of things in a very short time of study and alone, congratulations for the determination and dedication :)
Naw, thank you! ☺️
It's all very familiar to me. I wasn't allowed to play an instrument at school which has led to an intermittent but seemingly lifelong desire to play an instrument but sadly I never keep at it unlike you have........only later for it to re-emerge. I then go buy and try something else. So far I've got a flute, electric guitar, acoustic guitars, ukuleles and more recently 2 recorders; a soprano and an alto. I can't play any of them. One day, one day! Or perhaps I'm just a collector of instruments?
Thanks for your videos, so funnies! I had an epiphany with music(also with a recorder) few months ago! Found you looking opinions about yamaha YRF-21 cross beginners flute
You started just about the same time I did. You have gotten much farther than I have! Pretty cool, though.
I’m lucky, I get a lot of practice time! Happy playing 🙂
Damn. Just bought the Yamaha yrs 31 recorder
Keep on keeping on. I'm a beginner too. I have hope of playing in church or in a concert 🙏
I hope you meet your goal- let us know when you do 🙂
What a cute video. TY!
Well done. This stigma about recorders is so wrong. I had it on FB but when I said it has a chromatic scale he went away.
You sound pretty damn good 👍 Im having More questions than answers , its not your fault
Haha thanks! Hope you figure out your answers!
OMG, 4:50 is the most relatable thing ever XD *looking at my recorder bucket in the corner*
LOL, I love the idea of a bucket full of recorders!
11:09 Getcher insperation!
Hi, I’m an adult beginner and have bought “play recorder” book as well . How did you structure your learning and practice ? How long did you keep on one lesson before moving to the next ? What level does finishing the book take you you too?
I am 14 y old and I play the recorder❤
I've been practicing since May and I can already play a lot of stuff! Not to brag or anything but I can play the naruto theme (the rising fighting spirit, the harry potter theme at 2x speed🎉 through alot of practice of course) I do it as a hobby and my teacher is "youtube tutorials😂"
Edit: although I started playing at 11 y old and stopped playing and only recently I've been having fun playing it❤
Well Done!!!
sooooooo inspiring!
Thank you!
My main interest is actually in learning music theory and notation. More complicated instruments demand more attention to dexterity and complicated finger movements and require more physical coordination. So for me, I think the recorder is perfect. The actual practical skill of learning to play the instrument won't hold me back as much as I aim to progress through the grades (at least this is what I think).
Good job! Thank you.
Thanks 😊
You have made an impressive progress in six months. How many hours per day do you practice? I m in the third year of playing and you are like me in the second year. oyaoy!
Thanks! I usually practice between an hour and an hour and a half at least 6 days a week. I can’t concentrate for any longer!
@@ClaythorpeMusic I play between half an hour and an hour every day. I only play the soprano. I thought I was making big progress :) Everything is relative.
@@veriorama absolutely, everything is relative! I think fast progress happens early on, and then levels out... I hope I’m still practicing regularly in my third year, like yourself!
Amazing! Did you feel more difficulty because you're learning different kinds of recorder or it made things easier?
I thought your day 3 was pretty good!
Can you make a video on this connection b/w notes?
I've had a recorder for years but yet haven't played half as good as what you referred to as bad
Very entertaining good humer.
😅 I try my best!
I can't do rhythm at all. I've given into letting musescore tell me how things should sound like.
Nothing wrong with that- it’s all part of learning, in my opinion!
The reason you make these videos, from an intermediate perspective, is exactly why I love your videos (and the humour of course!). Would you recommend that book in particular to a beginner?
Thank you so much! I’m a big fan of the ‘Red Hot’ recorder tutor books by Sarah Watts. I think the music is a bit different to most beginner’s books, and more fun. But for someone starting from complete scratch with reading music, as well as the recorder, ‘Learn to Play Recorder Today!’ (published by Hal Leonard) did do the job… 🙂
What book would you recommend for beginner Alto?
Hi, good timing- I have a video coming out in the next day or two about this! I’m a fan of ‘Treble Recorder From the Beginning’ by John Pitts.
Nice vídeo :)
Cheers 😊
Kind of look like "Lil Debbie" the rapper.
Same thing happened to me during the pandemic. Searching around the UA-cams, I was blessed by the algorithm gods and found what I still consider to be the best sounding recorder player out there, Kristine West: ua-cam.com/video/sWcOWfJWDbs/v-deo.html . Then I was twice blessed, as I found the best and most complete "adult" method out there: ua-cam.com/play/PLDjH33SN4eERVUJsknzzZPjFgmljFgPhl.html
I ended up using it for the flute as well.
A metro gnome...! 😂😂😂
Lol, I can’t resist a terrible joke. Though I should try!
@@ClaythorpeMusic Those jokes where you go 'Ha... ha... ha..🙄.' at first and then you find yourself giggling at dinner... 'Metrognome' 😆. And of course nobody understands what's going on... 💛
Gee I thought your first song was great!
Nobody is laughing at you.
Good Job Mama
I used to play the recorder as a kid and the clarinet and was quite good but like a lot of things in life it fell by the wayside. Now I’m going to learn the alto recorder. I’m 49. Wish me luck! 😉
Your experiences very much parallel my own. Think you got a funny look at the music shop? Try it at 61 grey beard and all.
Clerk: Is this a gift for your grandchildren?
Me: No, it's for me. I've always wanted to learn music.
Clerk: Shows me guitar
Me: Shows clerk stiff arthritic fingers.
Clerk:...ukulele?
Me: thinks about showing clerk *one* particular arthritic finger...
So I started out with a soprano Yamaha which turned out to be too small and cramped. I moved up to an alto but the lack of a low "C" made playing the popular music I wanted to play difficult. So now I've settled happily on a Yamaha tenor. I try to practice at least an hour every day splitting between scales and songs.
I'm not as far along as you are but I don't compare myself to other people but to how I was yesterday and the day before.
I've caught the sea shanty\jig bug and currently working on The Irish Washerwomen. So much fun! Breath control for the high register is giving me fits though UGH!
Hahaha the ‘one particular arthritic finger’ has greatly amused me! Congratulations on sticking to your guns and battling through to get a recorder 🙃 I’ve been playing my tenor a lot this week, I love it, but the soprano sure does feel small after it. I can’t get beyond top ‘a’ on the tenor, you’re not alone with breath control issues... keep on and happy playing!
Just enjoying playing and you will learn fast.
Trumpet player in primary school, Sousaphone in secondary school.- then dropped through adulthood - seriously considering taking up something simple @ 73
@@1334motorman I played clarinet in 4th and 5th grade but gave it up when I discovered baseball and girls.
TRIED TO PICK UP TRUMPET AGAIN BUT MY THROAT MUSCLES WERE SHOT & SO WAY OUT OF WACK
@@kelanth462
I had the same approach as you for 4 years on classical guitar.
You have to stay motivated. work regularly and always play with pleasure .
Progress comes by itself.
I agree, enjoying practicing is a very important thing!
I’m not laughing at you. I’m an adult recorder learner, too. Keep on keeping on.🎼
Thanks for the encouragement, right back at you! 😊
Me too! 😊
I am impressed by your
progress
your way of making and editing a video,
Your capability to come straight to the point without making endless monologues and I do enjoy your sense of humour.
And yes it is people like you, adult learners like myself I am looking for. Listening to your Wellerman and your Praetorius interpretation gives me hope. I think I want a tenor and an alto as well. It is true, the best feedback is recording myself. Keep up your good work and enjoy!
Thanks for taking the time to write such lovely comments, Kristine, I appreciate it! ☺️ I’d say definitely go for a tenor/ and/ or alto- it’s nice to freshen things up sometimes by switching between instruments! Happy playing!
Respect and administration. You are a beacon for people who want to learn and your honesty is so encouraging. Keep going. Keep us posted. Niall
Am going to start to learn the recorder again after 46 years I think it will help me as I am getting older, I used to love it all those years ago, I think it will be like starting from scratch but hopefully will come back to me. Keep up the good work your doing fine xjx❤
I'm in that situation too, I played when my son was being taught in primary school, 30 years ago. I'm literally back at square one, wishing I'd kept it up!
You played a simple version of "Ode toJoy" in 3 days? That's fantastic. You are a natural!
I find it quite commendable. No one laughing, it's inspiring, keep it up it up.
I'm 56 and looking at starting a recorder I've never played a instrument ever.im guessing all the Muppets who slag you off are people who can't play .well done it impressed me and inspired me to do all you are doing keep it up .
This is an AMAZING video. Thanks for posting this: you’re an inspiration! ☺️
Haha, I don’t know about that, but thanks anyway! 😆
Last time I was playing a recorder I think dinosaurs were still walking up and down high streets 😅 I've always played instruments but I recently went back to playing the recorder because although people want to laugh and mock it's one of very few instruments that relies on the person interacting with the instrument in the most natural way if that makes sense.
So I'm talking about the recorder in it's most basic form, no keys or electronics or gizmos although those do help but everything is controlled by the recorder player breathing cover holes fully/partially etc, if you think Alto or Tenor for example you might struggle with stretching fingers even for me with large hands took a while. I have sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor and I couldn't play the first two because they're so tiny in my hands and to think I used to play it a lot when I was at school.
Anyway...
Big High Five Girl!
How many people would have been brave enough to post their 6 months from starting from scratch to where you are now is absolutely amazing, you also mentioned Doan Daphne piece you are working by Jacob Van Eyck have I written it correctly 😂 I would never have remembered this if you and Sarah Jeffrey and others haven't played it. Your right there's a really good community of people who are like us beginners regardless of age who will keep playing and learning.
One day we'll all be playing this piece together online live... 🙂
Keep up the good work.
You are super funny and cool we should be friends I want to learn the recorder as well
You are just lovely! I have caught the bug. I started out getting a set of inexpensive soprani for my family, but now that my oldest is actually showing an interest in working through a book and learning actual fingering, I feel it's time to step my game up! Yoir progress and picking up from scratch is all fantastic!
I feel identified with you. I started with the saxophone and the keyboard with some teachers, but only for a short time, then, I started by myself, a few years later I signed up with a teacher to remove errors during a course, then I left it due to lack of time for work. Nowadays I have managed to learn many instruments based on the videos that other people put on UA-cam, but as long as they are at the level I need because it really is frustrating when someone teaches you at a higher level. By selling his videos, I realize that this is the way and that he may not be doing so badly since I am recording things and I see the progress over time. Currently I have many different instruments at home such as: Chinese Xun, DIZI, Bawu, Ocarina, Fife, Clarinet, Transverse Flute, Trumpet, Saxophone, Xiao, Quenas, Whistle, Flugelhorn, Keyboard, Japanese Hakuachi, Lyra, Tongue, ... some of them. I made myself following tutorials on UA-cam and the truth is, it has helped me a lot. I don't have a sufficient level in any of them, but I love discovering instruments from all over the world. I hope you like the videos on my channel, which I only upload to compare and share my experience over time. From time to time I visit a school to show them these instruments and the children are very surprised, they always ask the same thing: How have you learned so many instruments? I always answer them: and why not? It is a rewarding experience. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Greetings from Asturias- Spain.
Hi Fernando, thanks for getting in touch, sounds like we’re definitely on the same path- but I would never be able to learn that many instruments! Though it would probably be fun to try! I like attempting to make instruments occasionally too, I really do believe it helps with playing them as you begin to understand what they need to work. I’ll check out your videos- Happy practicing! 🙂
@@ClaythorpeMusic Thank you. I currently have about 23 instruments and I want to continue learning. My 14-year-old and 7-year-old daughters already see it as normal and have learned to play one. I really want you to enjoy music, if you want to study further I will support you as much as I can.
@@fernandomusicoautodidacta1977 really kind, thanks! Sounds like your daughters are going to have a lot of musical fun!
@@ClaythorpeMusic Yes, they are already able to appreciate other styles of music and value the musical richness of other countries. Since they are babies, I have tried to make them learn to value other styles and enjoy music as something fun and that it helps them to remove stress and especially mobile phones.
@@fernandomusicoautodidacta1977 sounds brilliant, lucky them!
Your Ode To Joy was awesome for only 3 days learning!! I’m getting an Alto recorder in a couple days hope I sound as good as you do in 6 months time. Excellent video. 👍🏻💕
Your progress is amazing! I like even your first records, not to mention your current level. Thanks for your story!
Thank you!
I've been playing musical instruments my whole life and love learning new ones, and I genuinely find it extremely impressive that you were able to play anything on day 3! No matter what you think it sounds like, that's honestly extremely cool🙌🔥
I'll be thirty-six in July. The recorder, guitar, ukulele, a couple of little keyboards and an assortment of percussion instruments where the first instruments I played when I was little, back in the early-'90s. I've played the violin since '96 (oh, how I love that instrument!), and although I still have my cheap plastic soprano Baroque recorder (Yamaha's YRS-24B, a model they still make!), I've only played it once or twice since I switched to the violin. On a whim, I dug it out again yesterday afternoon to see if I could produce a half-decent sound: nope. I'm still trying, though, with a little help from a video by, yep, Sarah Jeffery. I'm not looking to really learn the instrument, just produce a workable sound and experiment with it a bit.
like you, I decided to pick up a instrument as an adult, without any prior experience. I found this video very motivating. Thanks for posting.
Even at 4 months your music genuinely became pleasant to listen to. You've given me hope to learn too :)
Ouch! I’m 68 and trying out the recorder too, by my standards you’ve tons more ability than I have.
Well played I think. Basically the sound of a soprano. Also you have more husband than I do so congrats to you. Supposedly new wood recorders need playing in to get accustomed to being played.
Thank you for your videos they are very
uplifting and encourage others to take
up this lovely instrument
Great progress! Seems you're teaching yourself both soprano and alto, at the same time? What method book(s) are you using?
I am trying to learn both at once, which is a bit confusing, occasionally! But not too bad. I used a method book published by Hal Leonard to start with, called something like “Learn to Play The Recorder Today”, but then I moved on to Sarah Watts’ Red Hot Recorder series. They look a bit childish from the covers, but actually really good! They’re both soprano method books, I haven’t used one for alto.
@@ClaythorpeMusic You may be trying to do too much at once. I don't know, gee.
@@denkeylee almost certainly 😀
@@ClaythorpeMusic Not at all. Now, I'm a lot more experienced musically, but learning alto (low note is F) and soprano (low note is C) at the same time is beneficial. I have a sopranino, a soprano, an alto and a tenor (F,C,F,C, respectively). Get the Dutchman Rooda's 95 Dexterity Exercises..., written for both varieties. Standard recorder text. The Dutch have been masters of the instrument for centuries.
@@JESL_TheOnlyOne I think learning both at once improves my concentration! I’m going to try to get hold of the book you recommended, I really need to work on dexterity, thanks for the tip! 🙂
Actually, I think your rhythm is very good. I had the other problem when I started recorder a couple of months ago, I have played a few woodwind instruments and found the fingering of the alto recorder to be non-intuitive. I think the descant or tenor would have been better since the fingering is more similar to the flute, saxophone and upper register of the clarinet but I do really like the alto, not to screechy and not too large for my fingers. Like you, I want more recorders but first I am going to get a really nice alto. What I would like more than anything is to find some else I could play duets with but as a seriously mature (53) beginner, this is proving difficult. Your doing great, especially for someone who hasn't played another instrument before. The recorder has a huge repertoire and is seriously maligned for such an amazing instrument.
I’m getting my first alto recorder in a few days (just ordered it) and am very excited. I’m 57 and have been trying to find “my” instrument for a couple years, went from flute to piano to guitar to violin and now to recorder…I’m hoping recorder is “IT!!” I adore my flute but never took it very serious, piano is fun but not portable 😂, guitar is hard for my small hands, as is violin (I bought a full size, think I need a 1/2 or 3/4). I remember liking recorder when we played when I was 8 or nine in school…so maybe.
Yep, I learned quite quickly, that recorders are like pokamon...
...you just gotta catch em all!
Ode to Joy on Day 3 is nothing to be ashamed of! Well done
a really open and sincere video thanks for posting.
Beethoven would be proud of your day 3 :D Sounded good for 3 days.
Haven't seen a video from you in sooo long. Hope you are okay!!!
Beethoven after 3 days? Amazing.
Thank you.
Adult recorder learner here!
You're so cool xxx 💋
well done
❤
Really enjoyed your video - thank you for sharing
Thank you!