I have 3 soprano recorders, one alto and one tenor. They haven't been oiled in over 30 years because I (and my mom who owned them before) never knew they have to be oiled. This will be my evening project today. Thank you for this video
I finally oiled all 5 recorders and the difference is amazing! They sound fantastic now, I'm so happy :D on my favourite soprano I noticed that the block is a little bit damaged in the front but it still sounds okay for an amateur I guess. I bought it used for a bottle of shampoo anyway...
Hello Sarah, your posts are SO HELPFUL. Especially for overcoming the FEAR of knocking out the block for cleaning. I did it with a piece of broom handle and a small hammer. My recorder is wood, ancient, 2nd hand, never been cleaned in 50 years😮. It had dirt build up everywhere and gouge marks on the airway of the mouth piece. I melted some beeswax , filled the holes and polished them flat with a hot spoon handle. It is now shiny and even all over. I followed all your instructions and now it sounds BEAUTIFUL! So THANKYOU!
Since no-one has actually explained WHY you should not oil the block, I thought I would elaborate. Regardless of the wood used to make the recorder, the block is nearly always made of cedar wood. Cedar wood is probably the best wood for absorbing moisture (oily woods like ebony, grenadilla or palisander are hopeless in this respect). Plastic recorder players are all too aware of the build up of moisture in the windway and have to suck it out regularly. So the cedar block absorbs some of the moisture, keeping the windway clear - to a point. If you oil the block, the layer of oil on the block inhibits the wood's ability to absorb moisture. I would also like to add Sarah, that oiling the end of the block near the labium is not advised either since that will absorb moisture as well since it will dribble down inside while playing. So, in short, oiling the block will cause the windway to clog up with moisture more often so you will have to suck out the moisture more often. I bought a secondhand recorder from eBay that was terrible for clogging. When I examined the block it smelled very strongly of oil. So I cleaned it with water and washing up liquid, dried it out thoroughly and re-fitted, it plays perfectly now. As for the top of the windway, you can oil this if you wish as this will help prevent moisture from clinging to the top of the windway and will in fact reduce windway clogging a tiny bit. However, if you do this, you MUST make absolutely sure that you thoroughly remove all excess oil from the windway before replacing the block. As an aside to this, I have a couple of recorders that have had most of the block replaced by a white ceramic material - this ceramic compound is way more absorbent than cedar wood. I can play these recorders for nearly an hour without having to suck out the windway. Again, do not oil a ceramic block!!
I started cleaning and oiling my recorders after watching your video, thanks for the help. It was indeed kind of scare to push out the block, but I did it and put it back without any problems -- success!
Long story short: because of your videos and a friend who plays in a musical group at a Renaissance Faire near me, I not only am going to relearn the alto after over a 20 year break, but the soprano and tenor as well. (And the basest eventually too, I suppose!) I was able to buy a wooden Kung soprano, and a Moeck Rottenburgh alto and tenor from an elderly woman I know who hasn't played them in years. I am starting lessons with the American Recorder Society chapter that just happens to be in a town next to mine! I just this minute finished following this tutorial on cleaning and oiling all three recorders. I was afraid to knock the block out but the soprano one flew out with the first gentle tap (the alto and tenor blocks took a bit more force) All the pieces are now sitting on a shelf waiting to be put back together in a day or so after the oil soaks in. Thank you for all your videos! Your enthusiasm for recorders and music have inspired me to learn all of the different sizes! I can't wait to start playing them. Yay, Team Recorder!
Recorders are timeless and it is great to find such a passionate and clear explanation and to bring recorders back in the spotlight. I have a new wooden low whistle. Some things will be different, because I cannot remove the block, but I guess all other things will work the same way using your method. Thanks a lot for this useful presentation!
Super important to make sure your recorder is well dried out before trying to knock the block out! If you play that day then try to knock your block out, you'll be in for a big surprise. A couple days without playing is my unscientific rule of thumb.
The only other thing I think someone new to cleaning a wooden recorder ought to know is something I just learned last week. I have a well used rosewood Moeck alto that came to me with lots of black crud all around the block; alcohol didn't have any effect on it, but distilled vinegar worked like a charm to get rid of the black bacterial concrete. This is probably only useful for an instrument that hasn't been well cared for or professionally cleaned, but I found it very helpful.
Interesting... I'm in a similar situation, but in my case it's my own childhood, thirty-five-year-ago gunk on my old Moeck that I came across in the basement yesterday. @Sarah: I noticed that the edge of my labium is uneven/funky... (words I never anticipated writing in my life) and you are the second person/video I've come across admonishing me to never, EVER damage or even TOUCH this part of the mouthpiece. The thing is, it sounds fine to me and as fine as I will ever need it to--intending to use it while ignoring work in my home office. Audience of one. My question is this: if the edge of my labium were damaged in the way that you and others speak rather ominously about would it be obvious to me? That is, would it screech or refuse to play. Or could it be horribly damaged now and I'm simply too ignorant to realise?
Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about getting a wooden one. I played the recorder in school a little but i wasnt really playing it as much as required because i didnt want to and kept forgetting to bring it to class. I learned piano in grade school for a year in 2nd grade but i quit after my teacher left for maternity leave. I recently got interested in music again. I found playing fun as a kid when i finally got the song but i hated practicing.
I've never seen anyone explain how to clean and oil a recorder like you have. I have an eagle alto and the included some vague instructions on maintenance. Thank You!
Even if I did not play the recorder; I could watch your videos all day. Maybe it is because I am a Londoner living in California I need your humour, expertise and generally fun and informative videos and BTW, going to oil my recorder for the first time. THANKS!!
Oy! That's my recorder! I bought it in 1979 from Saunders on Blackboy Hill in Bristol and I still play it but I'm not as good as you. Really strange seeing such a familiar thing in someone else's hands!
Thank you for posting this video! This evening I removed the blocks from three recorders (was afraid to do so before), cleaned them, and oiled the two wooden ones. your thorough instruction gave me confidence to do this. Thank you so much!
After discovering your videos within the past couple days I'm about to find my old recorder that probably hasn't seen daylight in 30 years. Usually I play guitar. This is such a helpful cleaning routine to know. I always wondered about how to do it. I'm actually also going to try it on some spots on an antique table and see if some of the discoloration can be removed where there was a bit of mildew. Thanks! By the way, your sidekick is amusing, too!
I suspect, knowing only a little about woodwinds but a decent amount about wood finishing, that the airway cautions are excessive. That is: I think the issues would be: 1. Laquering: If you're using a good oil for protecting things (linseed, say, esp. boiled) it's also prone to thickening and gluing things together. Knocking the block out if it's adhered to the windway seems like a great way to find the windway changing shape rapidly. The issue, though, is minute if you keep the faces free of goop and wipe enough off. 2. Wear and softening: While the wood has been soaked in oil or water, the fibers are softer. This means rubbing on them wear things much faster. Once the oils fully absorb and then harden, it will eventually become much harder than the wood was before, but shortly after application, it'll go through a softer phase. Oiling is also applying a slight amount of wear and tear to the surfaces, anyway, even without that, so you would want to keep rubbing the precision passages unmolested as much as possible. I could see a very good argument for oiling the airways carefully and thoroughly and then simply not touching that part again unless symptoms suggest you need to. (linseed oil can convert soft wood like pine into something MUCH firmer and also more resistant to water, after all, both of which should increase the lifespan) Of course, changing the surface characteristics like that would likely shift the tone of the instrument. Now I'm actually a bit curious how significant that might be.
I'm new to recorder playing and can't thank you enough Sarah for your video tutorials, they are so practical and helpful, sharing invaluable tips on looking after a recorder and to improving my playing. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for this video. I just bought a rather lovely Yamaha Alto recorder (just a plastic one in ivory) from a second hand shop, and despite trying to get it really clean inside and all around the mouth piece, there were still traces of lipstick in the crack where the block was. I wasn't sure if it could come out. I've now gone back and properly cleaned several of my plastic recorders. Made a huge difference!
Sí por supuesto que se puede remover. De todos modos hay que ser sumamente cuidadoso al extraerlo para no dañarlo o bien hacerlo quitar por un especialista.
The block should never be removed!. "Diverse Pflegehinweise Entfernen Sie niemals den Block Ihrer Flöte und versuchen Sie nicht, auf eigene Faust Veränderungen an der Flöte vorzunehmen. Wenn Sie den Block herausschlagen und damit zweimal über Ihre Hosenbeine fahren, kann das den Klang Ihrer Blockflöte nachhaltig verändern. Jeder eigenmächtige Eingriff an der Flöte hat einen Verfall der Garantie zur Folge. Jede Überprüfung und Überarbeitung ist während der Garantiezeit von zwei Jahren kostenlos - bitte senden Sie mir Ihre Flöten zur Überprüfung in meine Werkstatt! "
Me too I didn't know the block can be removed cause I'm a beginner and a kid which is 11 years old I do western music for aesthetic subject in Sri Lanka and I'm a Sri Lankan part for Sri Lanka it's in a horrible situation.
I don't know about linseed oil though. I do wood working as a hobby and linseed oil (raw or boiled) leaves a film when it dries. Essentially a rudimentary varnish. I also oil bagpipe chanters but I use sweet almond oil method. It went a half step flat after 1 year of neglect. I was so worried that the chanter was ruined. It seems like it just soaks in a dries, less worry about a layer forming in the finger holes. The sound fixed and nice again.
I use linseed (flax) oil on my wooden flutes, and my process involves removing the excess oil after about 30 minutes. Done that way, there's been no layer buildup as far as I know. I also make sure to clean all oily rags afterward, as linseed oil generates heat as it dries and can spontaneously combust if you cram too many oily rags in one place.
Great video for someone who is new to wooden recorders. My old plastic soprano that I got for about $7 has been cleaned with everything like alcohol, warm soapy water, and run through the dishwasher. So now that I have an old wooden tenor recorder that cost quit a bit more this info is like gold to me.
Hi Sarah, also here, sorry for beeing a bit late. The thing about oiling the block (or not) there's a specific point. I didn't read all the comments yet, but I think it's quite simple. With oiling it, especially with linen oil, the block can get really pasted in the headpeace. Linen oil can resinate and harden through, you risk not to get out the block any more. Sorry, no experience yet with the other oils. And one theory, you impregnate the block with oiling it, so it looses the capability to soak up the condensation. I think this is not that incisive, as you also demonstraded, you play very well with plastic recorders. And the point can also be a bit different with wooden recorders. best regards!
Another fantastic video Sarah! I've never seen another video or resource that talks about or shows how to remove and clean the block! Thank you for all of the time and effort you put into these videos. It's much appreciated!
Thank you, for the information, the clear step by step guiding through, and most of all; the encouragement! You say 'it is actually fun to do', I would say that I rather play than clean and oil, but... It is not as scary as it seemed to me. I've just gotten the blocks back in the flutes and everything seems fine. Moving on to your video on playing in my instruments.
I would like to inject a little word of caution when working with vegetable oils in this way; especially with linseed oil. These vegetable oils are subject to spontaneous heating or spontaneous combustion and have been known to ignite on their own when rags or paper that have been contaminated with these oils are left in a pile where the heat produced cannot dissipate, or worse yet, when they are put through the wash and a clothes dryer. Modern cold water detergents do not remove these oils from the clothing and then placing them in a hot clothes dryer will hasten the spontaneous heating process. Why does this happen? Unlike mineral oils that would simply evaporate, vegetable oils oxidize, that is, they combine with the oxygen in the air to produce heat. These oils are placed in oil-based paints to help them dry. Be sure to follow the safety directions on the labels of oil containers to avoid having a disaster, like burning your home down. How do I know this? I was a professional fire investigator for over 35 years and can tell you horror stories of folks whose clothes dryers caught fire and took out half the house, and commercial buildings that were burned because painters left piles of wood staining rags containing linseed oil piled in a box without properly discarding them. Make beautiful music, not piles of ashes, please.
Most woodworkers leave used rags with linseed oil stored inside containers with water because of this. Good point, it's always good to remember that pieces of cloth with linseed oil can catch on fire without warning.
Hi Sarah thanks to this video and the instructions in the Mollenhauer kit (in German, which I don’t read) I’ve successfully oiled my new-to-me alto for the first time and it’s worked brilliantly! Thanks for this & all your vids, keep up the good work
Thank you so much for an instructive video. You are much braver than i am as i was trained in pipe organ making and changing the height of the block tends to revoice the gedact as the windsheet would move outward or inward depending on its height. But it is clear in your video that you are using the matching of the mouthpiece with the block to reset it as the maker set it. I was wondering if walnut oil would be usable as it is good for kitchen cutting boards and tends to dry well. In wooden organ pipes, often the interior is finished in glue or sealer. I liked the careful way that you addressed the oiling of the upper lingual. I have soprano and tenor Yamaha ABS pipes that you have shown me how to practice and i keep a cheep yamaha transparent soprano for hiking as it breaks down to fit in the pocket easily. But i had a pearwood alto that i had not addressed because i did not know how to maintain it well so this has been very helpful. So now it will benefit from your instructions. Again thank you for your very good presentations.
Invaluable video! So many thank yous, and please continue this wonder series!(My wonderrful, ancient, second- hand ebony Rottenburgh thanks you as well!)
This was very timely! When I first met my girlfriend she wasnt very experienced in conditioning her Labium.. and has become increasingly thankful for my experience. Although it hadn't been used, she always kept it very clean.. and in the beginning as I tended to it, as you wisely predicted.. she did have to add lube more often. (Probably her nervousness) Because she was nervous and it did seem dry I followed your advise.. I stuck my 'finger in and have a feel' and It DID seem a little dry to me. AND, @ 2:30 it sounds like you say.. 'if it feels dry.. oil your tongue'! So I did. I wasn't sure if it worked because at first she just said.. O-M-G! Then her lips were sorta moving but although it appeared nothing was coming out.. in 5 minutes every dog in the neighborhood ran into our yard. THANK you so much for your advise on conditioning the labia, Sarah. You're the best!
thank you so much, i've never had someone teach me any of this even tho i've been playing for,,, 9 years? i remember once when i was younger i accidentally knocked out the block while cleaning my flute and i thought i'd killed it forever xD
Sorry I accidently clicked on the thumb down icon. Thank you for this video. I have just got a wooden recorder and I oiled it today but I never took the block out as it is new but maybe in time I will be brave enough. Without you I would have struggled to oil it so brilliant instructions. Thank you.
Hello, thank you for the video. So I noticed with a little self-taught experience. 1) When the octave hole is used, it is better to play with a fingernail that is not too short so that the highs come out better! 2) there is a method on youtube (title best way to oil recorder) where the flute is in a bath of olive oil and it works very well! thank you
thank you so much. I am binge watching your videos after deciding to learn the recorder. I however will not be oiling any recorders anytime soon as I will be bicycling around the globe for the forseeable future, so I am going with Yamaha ABS recorders in the hope that they will cope with travelling better. Keep up the good work. ..by the way, what is the lovely music at 17:10 .. I suspect it is a creative commons licensed number as I recall hearing before on other youtube videos.
Yes, the music at 17.10 is the classic 'acoustic sunrise', free track that is included with iMovie! Very professionall... ;) Wow, bicycling around the globe!! Jon (my husband, that made a cameo in the video) would be very jealous... enjoy it, and great that you're taking recorders with you too!
Thank you so much for this video! It's really useful. I did't know the block can be removed. I'll try ... I'm just a bit scared about having to knock it out
Thank you so much for this video. I used to play for years (I started when I was about 8 or 9) but my teacher NEVER told me how to clean it like you just did. All my teacher said was that I should dry it after playing. I never even knew I could take the block out. I am a little bit surprised by what has to be cleaned. I got my recorders out of storage a bit ago and wanted to clean them before using them again. What I wanted to know is if you can also use coconut oil or would a liquid one be better? Again - thank you SO much for this video :)
+Doro & Thea K. (wonDOROland) Hi! Glad you're enjoying these videos! Hmm, I have never thought of trying coconut oil- but I'm not sure if it would work. I think the oil should be liquid so it can soak evenly through the wood, and maybe a solid oil would get too cloggy..? I would go for sweet almond oil! (others use raw linseed)
@@wonDOROland My teacher also didn't tell me about all this, only drying after playing, although I had a good teacher. I am disappointed about that! How good to have these videos now 🙂👍
I bought a box wood Marsyas alto recorder in summer this year from Küng. A really beautiful instrument in every sense which I can highly recommend. I tried to get the block out yesterday, but it fits so tight, no chance. I called Küng this morning telling that I did not succeed getting the block out. Küng said do not take the block out, in no way, never. It is so delicate with their recoders that there is quite a chance that you will harm the recorder. On suggestion of Küng I will send in my recorder for a service. There are other fantastic record players on you tube who show how to take the block out, but who is right, the record player or the record maker? I guess both but maybe not in every case.
Hi, Sarah. Greetings from Colombia! 🇨🇴 I guess I'm a recorder player too now 😅 I bought this pearwood recorder (baroque fingering, obviously) and it arrived this monday. I wanted to oil it this weekend but I don't know if it's very soon? Also, I wanted to know: are 'sweet almond oil' and 'almond oil with vitamin E' the same? I was asking in stores and they don't have specifically 'sweet' almond oil so I wanted to know. You are doing a great job with your videos, I'm loving them all. Keep the good work and spreading the joy for music the way you do! n_n
Great video, thanks. One of the manufacturers - can't remember which - recommends that for recorders with keys you should cover these in aluminium foil to prevent oil from getting onto the pads. I also like the tip about dipping the brush into the oil - never thought of that. The instructions I have read talk about applying "a few drops of oil" to the brush which is a bit clumsy IMHO - your dipping technique makes more sense :-)
I recently bought a new, cheap but nice Chinese made wooden alto. Doesn't sound as bad as I expected, decent for the price, but it was a little rough regarding bore surface finishing, also rough inside the finger holes. I cleaned the holes and the bore with cotton swabs and alcohol. I have been practicing scales for a couple of months and cleaning and oiling actually made it sound more smoothly. I have read that oil changes slightly the reflectivity of the surface of the bore and cleaning the dirt and wood "powder" from the small double holes made the lower notes sound clear and not squeak. At least for "cheap" wooden instruments it really works, but I guess better quality factory recorders can be played longer before their first oiling.
This video was very informative and I learned a lot. One question, you said that your recorder eventually died after so many years, did you take care of that recorder as you prescribed in this video?
Thanks for all of the information, my new wooden recorder should be arriving today. I got kind of scared watching this, maybe I should have gone for that plastic instrument after all? For some reason it seems so much more complicated than oiling my clarinet, maybe because the clarinet had a plastic mouthpiece. I used both linseed on almond oil on my clarinets and preferred almond oil mainly because it really didn't have much of a scent unlike linseed.
Some maple and pearwood recorders are wax impregnated and should not be oiled; check the makers instructions! The upper surface of the block can become hydrophobic over time causing beads of moisture to form when playing, if cleaning alone doesn't cure this, an application of dilute washing up liquid is worth a try.
Thank you for this video, really helpful. My wooden recorder is a bass - I presume I need to keep oil off the key pads? Any tips on the best way to do that please?
Hi Sarah, I really enjoy your channel and your beautiful music. I found you because I was looking for something similar for the baroque flute, as I have one coming to me soon and I am new to any kind of flute (but play piano, violin, guitar). I have not found a similar channel for the baroque flute and I was wondering to what extent I might be able to apply your teachings to the baroque flute, including parts of this episode. I’m sure it is just a matter of time before I pick up the recorder, but first I think that I should focus on the baroque flute. Thank you in general for being so inspiring!
Hello Sara thank you for sharing you got me into recorders and I just bought my first wooden recorder and I wanted to ask do I need to grease the joints or put the wax Lube on them before assembling it? Thank you! :-) this recorder I got on Amazon for $14 it is Maplewood and I think it has the wax on it already impregnated with wax the other recorders I have are plastic Yamahas 302b
Amazing video!!! My home is really hot in summer 30-35°C this summer. Could it be a problem for wood recorders? Now I have only plastic recorders. Thanks a lot
love your videos. I havent played in years.. omg at least 40 years lol and just decided to start again.. bought one on ebay then saw another I liked more so bought that one too.. is it possible to ever have enough?? Bought an Xaphoon too :D Grüße von Deutschland
Ich habe mir jetzt auch 3 verschiedene Blockflöten bei eBay gekauft, nachdem ich 45 Jahre lang immer mal wieder meine alte Moeck-Flöte aus meiner Schulzeit gespielt habe. Jetzt entdecke ich, wieviel Freude es macht, mal unterschiedliche Modelle kennenzulernen 🙂.
I think it would be useful to see someone oil a very large recorder. The instructions I've seen all use something nice and manageable like an alto, but the one and only wooden recorder I have so far is a greatbass, and it seems much more cumbersome. I'm curious if there are any techniques to make it easier to reach all the way through the middle joint and such. I'm also curious if there is a consistent difference between the sound of instruments that are lacquered and ones that aren't. The convenience of not having to oil a lacquered one sounds nice, so there must be a kind of sound not available to those, or something.
I love this video, and I watch it every year. But this year not so much, as it has subtitles right across the middle of the video! Is there anyway to get rid of them?
OK! So, my Moeck alto is...really, REALLY dry on the inside, but as I am new to this and was only recently gifted these instruments, I don't have linseed or almond oil in the house. At all. I have sunflower oil that I use for my wok. Can I use that, or will that damage my instrument?
Hey I’m really enjoying your vids. Have you done one on purchasing 2nd hand wooden recorders and what to look out for? I’d be keen to hear what you have to say about that...
One exception to the rule not to oil a block... OK, it's not a proper recorder, but: a traditional model Clarke tin whistle has a softwood block, which absorbs moisture to an extreme, which really compromises its playability. When I then oiled the block, it made for a huge improvement in tone and overall playability. Of course, the windway surface opposite the block is metal, so the stability of that metal surface would compensate for the block have been oiled...?
Love this tutorial. One comment. Why using such an excessive amount of oil? It takes a lot of trouble to remove it again. What I learned in the past is to just use a few drops. If the wood is very dry, you can repeat the process a few more times. Instead of these brushes, you can use a cotton cleaning brush, which you can buy at any good music shop. You also need to be careful with the keys, if your recorder has any. The cushion that closes the hole, should NOT get any oil. Maybe a safe way is to dismount them first, like I always did when oiling my clarinet
Hi, Sarah! I’m Camilo from Chile 🇨🇱-yes, you have many Chilean subscribers 😱😂- and I’ve got a question for you: do I need to play in a new recorder before oiling it? I recently purchased my first wooden bass recorder in F and it’s on its way to home 🤭. Thank you in advance!! Greetings from Chile, big hugs 🤗!!
Hi Camilo! Yes I’d play it in a bit first- it will have been treated when it was made, and then you give the wood some time to adjust. Then after a couple of months (or when it feels dry) an oiling can do it good. Good luck!
I have to deliver a message on behalf of the Recorder Spirit: "Here speaks the Recorder Spirit: I was treated with so much care, it felt like I was going to a spa. I was cleaned with alcohol, dried and then with oil, gently being put all over my parts. But then an unknown person came, I could observe him with my recorder eyes. I had already seen how he had used the stick that was used to remove my recorder block. He had pretended to use it as a spoon, to eat with it, but I saw no food. I could not understand this in my recorder head: why then was he trying to eat? So far so good, then he left and I got out of my recorder confusion. But at the end he was there again, With frightened eyes I saw through my finger holes that he had 2 bottles of oil, and was trying to give me an overdose. He just did not spit on me, and I just escaped getting mucus all over me. Why? Why? It was constantly going through my recorder head. I was almost ready to whisper my last recorder prayers. Then he kept turning his back to the camera and I felt so disrespected. Then I heard a piece of amateur piano, played very badly. It was like a nightmare in the middle of the day, after this wellness event. I did not move or make any sound to avoid further problems. Later some fellow spirits in the committee explained to me that this is something among people, called sarcasm. ?Never heard of it? I am just a simple recorder, friend of the people, and this is all just a little too complicated for me to understand all this in my recorder understanding. I am looking forward to new pieces of music to play and new maintenance that is good for my health and longevity, but I keep my recorder eyes open in case something like this could happen again. The Recorder Spirit has spoken."
Ok, sooo... How many of you knew that "oiling a recorder" is a thing? Because in my school all the knowledge on recorder we got was: blowing + covering holes = making music separating the two parts + using the tissue once in a year = cleaning not putting your recorder in water + not using it as a sword = taking care of the insterument So yeah, that's about that... No one ever told me about the proper articulation and breathing, types of recorders, not to mention tuning or even "don't hold your recorder in your teeth, biting it is not a good idea of keeping it balanced while playing".
That’s because in school you do not play on wooden recorders. Only wooden recorders need oiling. Everyone else in the world and all the public schools only offer plastic recorders. Plastic recorders can be washed with pretty much anything
Thanks for your instructions Sarah! I have cleaned and oiled my Mollenhauer recorder the way you did it. And I have now waited in 4 days and tried to put the block back. And its far too tight to do it by manual power. Have someone some tips? I have not played the recorders in 3-4 days before I began with oiling and cleaning. I live in Sweden and outside it is good weather, and it is around 10-15 degrees. Best regards / Erik
Hi Erik, hmm that has happened to me before! I can share what I did, though I'm not a recorder maker so it's not an expert opinion, and I can't accept any responsibility for what you do to your instrument ;) Often it's about the angle -sometimes a block is tricky to get back in, but the angle I was pushing it in at was a little bit wrong. I once got a block back in by leaving the head joint in a normal temperature room, and putting the block in the fridge for a few hours. It shrank a little due to the cold, and then it fit back in. You can also take some very fine sandpaper and gently sand the rounded surface down a tiny bit (the sides that touch the inside walls of the recorder - NOT the flat part, that guides the sound!!), and then it should fit in. If all else fails, take it or send it to a recorder maker!
Hope everyone is safe and well. I have a wooden Moeck soprano, after oiling (with sweet almond oil) the joint has become loose. I did not oil the cork at the joint. However, the head joint that fits over the cork did get oiled. Could this be making the joint loose? Question, without replacing the cork is there a way to fix this i.e make the joint a better fix. I have cork grease that came with the recorder, would that help or just make it loser? Thanks,
Actually you have to use the cork grease when the joint is to tight in order to make it easier to connect because it will help to slide... If you need to make it tighter you can use sewing thread before you connect the joints!
Cleaned a new alto pear wood recorder yesterday with alcohol. 24 hrs later block won’t go all the way back in. Should I just wait another day for further drying out. Then try again?
David, it depends where you are, but in the UK you can order them from the Early Music Shop. They sell different sizes for soprano and alto/tenor, although I don’t know if they have large one for bass recorders. If you find other suppliers, please share!
I have a new alto recorder that is in 3 sections and I thought I was supposed to use joint grease? is this different than using oil on the wooden recorders. I am new.
Yes! Any block can technically jist be knocked out. Some may br glued in (I know) so chck with the maker if in doubt! Only the ones with a knick may be tricky- anyone else experience of this?
Good afternoon. I'm still a recording student. I would like to read your comment on the wood engravers of the various brands. What are the virtues of each company Moeck, Yamaha, Kung. Please. Thank you in advance!
Such an informative video - thanks again Sarah. I am considering buying a Mollenhauer Canta Knick Tenor - how does one remove the block from a 'knick' model?
I have 3 soprano recorders, one alto and one tenor. They haven't been oiled in over 30 years because I (and my mom who owned them before) never knew they have to be oiled. This will be my evening project today. Thank you for this video
I finally oiled all 5 recorders and the difference is amazing! They sound fantastic now, I'm so happy :D
on my favourite soprano I noticed that the block is a little bit damaged in the front but it still sounds okay for an amateur I guess. I bought it used for a bottle of shampoo anyway...
wow, I’m surprised your instrument hasn’t cracked or gone mouldy.
your instrument will thank you for it.
@@chrismills2012 Well to be fair, I don't play regularly for many years now
@@Mondkreischer Oil your cutting board and wooden utensils while you're there too!
@@Davmm96 I do that regularly :)
Hello Sarah, your posts are SO HELPFUL. Especially for overcoming the FEAR of knocking out the block for cleaning. I did it with a piece of broom handle and a small hammer. My recorder is wood, ancient, 2nd hand, never been cleaned in 50 years😮. It had dirt build up everywhere and gouge marks on the airway of the mouth piece. I melted some beeswax , filled the holes and polished them flat with a hot spoon handle. It is now shiny and even all over. I followed all your instructions and now it sounds BEAUTIFUL! So THANKYOU!
Since no-one has actually explained WHY you should not oil the block, I thought I would elaborate.
Regardless of the wood used to make the recorder, the block is nearly always made of cedar wood. Cedar wood is probably the best wood for absorbing moisture (oily woods like ebony, grenadilla or palisander are hopeless in this respect). Plastic recorder players are all too aware of the build up of moisture in the windway and have to suck it out regularly. So the cedar block absorbs some of the moisture, keeping the windway clear - to a point. If you oil the block, the layer of oil on the block inhibits the wood's ability to absorb moisture. I would also like to add Sarah, that oiling the end of the block near the labium is not advised either since that will absorb moisture as well since it will dribble down inside while playing.
So, in short, oiling the block will cause the windway to clog up with moisture more often so you will have to suck out the moisture more often. I bought a secondhand recorder from eBay that was terrible for clogging. When I examined the block it smelled very strongly of oil. So I cleaned it with water and washing up liquid, dried it out thoroughly and re-fitted, it plays perfectly now.
As for the top of the windway, you can oil this if you wish as this will help prevent moisture from clinging to the top of the windway and will in fact reduce windway clogging a tiny bit. However, if you do this, you MUST make absolutely sure that you thoroughly remove all excess oil from the windway before replacing the block.
As an aside to this, I have a couple of recorders that have had most of the block replaced by a white ceramic material - this ceramic compound is way more absorbent than cedar wood. I can play these recorders for nearly an hour without having to suck out the windway. Again, do not oil a ceramic block!!
Super useful thank you!
I am new to recorder care. I have a Kunath pear wood recorder. If you are not oiling the block, would you still see a need to remove the block?
@@sarahm6753 Removing the block is done so that you can clean it!
Didn't know you could remove the block. It's great to see how much you know about this beautiful instrument!
I started cleaning and oiling my recorders after watching your video, thanks for the help. It was indeed kind of scare to push out the block, but I did it and put it back without any problems -- success!
I am also a little bit scared. I even didn't know that you can remove the block.
Long story short: because of your videos and a friend who plays in a musical group at a Renaissance Faire near me, I not only am going to relearn the alto after over a 20 year break, but the soprano and tenor as well. (And the basest eventually too, I suppose!) I was able to buy a wooden Kung soprano, and a Moeck Rottenburgh alto and tenor from an elderly woman I know who hasn't played them in years. I am starting lessons with the American Recorder Society chapter that just happens to be in a town next to mine!
I just this minute finished following this tutorial on cleaning and oiling all three recorders. I was afraid to knock the block out but the soprano one flew out with the first gentle tap (the alto and tenor blocks took a bit more force) All the pieces are now sitting on a shelf waiting to be put back together in a day or so after the oil soaks in.
Thank you for all your videos! Your enthusiasm for recorders and music have inspired me to learn all of the different sizes! I can't wait to start playing them. Yay, Team Recorder!
Recorders are timeless and it is great to find such a passionate and clear explanation and to bring recorders back in the spotlight. I have a new wooden low whistle. Some things will be different, because I cannot remove the block, but I guess all other things will work the same way using your method. Thanks a lot for this useful presentation!
Super important to make sure your recorder is well dried out before trying to knock the block out! If you play that day then try to knock your block out, you'll be in for a big surprise. A couple days without playing is my unscientific rule of thumb.
And thank you for the lovely video!
Yes, great advice Jeff! Can't believe I neglected to mention that... will add it to the description! :)
The only other thing I think someone new to cleaning a wooden recorder ought to know is something I just learned last week. I have a well used rosewood Moeck alto that came to me with lots of black crud all around the block; alcohol didn't have any effect on it, but distilled vinegar worked like a charm to get rid of the black bacterial concrete. This is probably only useful for an instrument that hasn't been well cared for or professionally cleaned, but I found it very helpful.
Interesting... I'm in a similar situation, but in my case it's my own childhood, thirty-five-year-ago gunk on my old Moeck that I came across in the basement yesterday.
@Sarah: I noticed that the edge of my labium is uneven/funky... (words I never anticipated writing in my life) and you are the second person/video I've come across admonishing me to never, EVER damage or even TOUCH this part of the mouthpiece.
The thing is, it sounds fine to me and as fine as I will ever need it to--intending to use it while ignoring work in my home office. Audience of one.
My question is this: if the edge of my labium were damaged in the way that you and others speak rather ominously about would it be obvious to me? That is, would it screech or refuse to play. Or could it be horribly damaged now and I'm simply too ignorant to realise?
Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about getting a wooden one. I played the recorder in school a little but i wasnt really playing it as much as required because i didnt want to and kept forgetting to bring it to class. I learned piano in grade school for a year in 2nd grade but i quit after my teacher left for maternity leave. I recently got interested in music again. I found playing fun as a kid when i finally got the song but i hated practicing.
I've never seen anyone explain how to clean and oil a recorder like you have. I have an eagle alto and the included some vague instructions on maintenance. Thank You!
Even if I did not play the recorder; I could watch your videos all day. Maybe it is because I am a Londoner living in California I need your humour, expertise and generally fun and informative videos and BTW, going to oil my recorder for the first time. THANKS!!
Ah, thanks Richard! ^^
Oy! That's my recorder! I bought it in 1979 from Saunders on Blackboy Hill in Bristol and I still play it but I'm not as good as you. Really strange seeing such a familiar thing in someone else's hands!
Finally I've found a channel specialized in recorders! Thank you a lot from Spain, this helped me a lot!
Thank you for posting this video! This evening I removed the blocks from three recorders (was afraid to do so before), cleaned them, and oiled the two wooden ones. your thorough instruction gave me confidence to do this. Thank you so much!
After discovering your videos within the past couple days I'm about to find my old recorder that probably hasn't seen daylight in 30 years. Usually I play guitar. This is such a helpful cleaning routine to know. I always wondered about how to do it. I'm actually also going to try it on some spots on an antique table and see if some of the discoloration can be removed where there was a bit of mildew. Thanks!
By the way, your sidekick is amusing, too!
I apologize for what I'm gonna say ... but I'll say it anyway ... you make recorder cleaning extremely ... enjoyable.
I suspect, knowing only a little about woodwinds but a decent amount about wood finishing, that the airway cautions are excessive.
That is: I think the issues would be:
1. Laquering: If you're using a good oil for protecting things (linseed, say, esp. boiled) it's also prone to thickening and gluing things together. Knocking the block out if it's adhered to the windway seems like a great way to find the windway changing shape rapidly. The issue, though, is minute if you keep the faces free of goop and wipe enough off.
2. Wear and softening: While the wood has been soaked in oil or water, the fibers are softer. This means rubbing on them wear things much faster. Once the oils fully absorb and then harden, it will eventually become much harder than the wood was before, but shortly after application, it'll go through a softer phase. Oiling is also applying a slight amount of wear and tear to the surfaces, anyway, even without that, so you would want to keep rubbing the precision passages unmolested as much as possible.
I could see a very good argument for oiling the airways carefully and thoroughly and then simply not touching that part again unless symptoms suggest you need to. (linseed oil can convert soft wood like pine into something MUCH firmer and also more resistant to water, after all, both of which should increase the lifespan)
Of course, changing the surface characteristics like that would likely shift the tone of the instrument. Now I'm actually a bit curious how significant that might be.
I'm new to recorder playing and can't thank you enough Sarah for your video tutorials, they are so practical and helpful, sharing invaluable tips on looking after a recorder and to improving my playing. Thank you so much!
Thank you , it had been 7 years since getting my pearwood recorder . This helped immensely...
Thanks so much for this video. I just bought a rather lovely Yamaha Alto recorder (just a plastic one in ivory) from a second hand shop, and despite trying to get it really clean inside and all around the mouth piece, there were still traces of lipstick in the crack where the block was. I wasn't sure if it could come out. I've now gone back and properly cleaned several of my plastic recorders. Made a huge difference!
I love this channel! Sarah is so informative in a fun way. But after seeing this, I'm sticking to plastic Yamahas!
Me too, I'd love a wooden recorder but am just too scared of the maintenance and damage potential!
The block can be removed... WOW! Didnt know that.
Sí por supuesto que se puede remover. De todos modos hay que ser sumamente cuidadoso al extraerlo para no dañarlo o bien hacerlo quitar por un especialista.
I know that before i even own one lol
Yes, it can. It is VERY fragile though. The safest choice is to just not touch it unless absolutely necessary.
The block should never be removed!. "Diverse Pflegehinweise
Entfernen Sie niemals den Block Ihrer Flöte und versuchen Sie nicht, auf eigene Faust Veränderungen an der Flöte vorzunehmen. Wenn Sie den Block herausschlagen und damit zweimal über Ihre Hosenbeine fahren, kann das den Klang Ihrer Blockflöte nachhaltig verändern. Jeder eigenmächtige Eingriff an der Flöte hat einen Verfall der Garantie zur Folge. Jede Überprüfung und Überarbeitung ist während der Garantiezeit von zwei Jahren kostenlos - bitte senden Sie mir Ihre Flöten zur Überprüfung in meine Werkstatt!
"
Me too I didn't know the block can be removed cause I'm a beginner and a kid which is 11 years old I do western music for aesthetic subject in Sri Lanka and I'm a Sri Lankan part for Sri Lanka it's in a horrible situation.
I don't know about linseed oil though. I do wood working as a hobby and linseed oil (raw or boiled) leaves a film when it dries. Essentially a rudimentary varnish. I also oil bagpipe chanters but I use sweet almond oil method. It went a half step flat after 1 year of neglect. I was so worried that the chanter was ruined. It seems like it just soaks in a dries, less worry about a layer forming in the finger holes. The sound fixed and nice again.
I use linseed (flax) oil on my wooden flutes, and my process involves removing the excess oil after about 30 minutes. Done that way, there's been no layer buildup as far as I know. I also make sure to clean all oily rags afterward, as linseed oil generates heat as it dries and can spontaneously combust if you cram too many oily rags in one place.
Great video for someone who is new to wooden recorders. My old plastic soprano that I got for about $7 has been cleaned with everything like alcohol, warm soapy water, and run through the dishwasher. So now that I have an old wooden tenor recorder that cost quit a bit more this info is like gold to me.
Hi Sarah,
also here, sorry for beeing a bit late.
The thing about oiling the block (or not) there's a specific point.
I didn't read all the comments yet, but I think it's quite simple.
With oiling it, especially with linen oil, the block can get really pasted in the headpeace.
Linen oil can resinate and harden through, you risk not to get out the block any more.
Sorry, no experience yet with the other oils.
And one theory, you impregnate the block with oiling it, so it looses the capability to soak up the condensation.
I think this is not that incisive, as you also demonstraded, you play very well with plastic recorders.
And the point can also be a bit different with wooden recorders.
best regards!
Another fantastic video Sarah! I've never seen another video or resource that talks about or shows how to remove and clean the block! Thank you for all of the time and effort you put into these videos. It's much appreciated!
Man I love this channel I only play recorder once in a while I always learn new stuff!
Absolutely brilliant! I am newly obsessed with recorders but on a budget so got some lovelly used instruments and greatly appreciate this!
Thank you, for the information, the clear step by step guiding through, and most of all; the encouragement! You say 'it is actually fun to do', I would say that I rather play than clean and oil, but... It is not as scary as it seemed to me. I've just gotten the blocks back in the flutes and everything seems fine. Moving on to your video on playing in my instruments.
I didn't know that I can cleaning my recorder with alcohol.I cleaned and oiled it and the result is wonderful!Thank you Sarah!
I would like to inject a little word of caution when working with vegetable oils in this way; especially with linseed oil. These vegetable oils are subject to spontaneous heating or spontaneous combustion and have been known to ignite on their own when rags or paper that have been contaminated with these oils are left in a pile where the heat produced cannot dissipate, or worse yet, when they are put through the wash and a clothes dryer. Modern cold water detergents do not remove these oils from the clothing and then placing them in a hot clothes dryer will hasten the spontaneous heating process. Why does this happen? Unlike mineral oils that would simply evaporate, vegetable oils oxidize, that is, they combine with the oxygen in the air to produce heat. These oils are placed in oil-based paints to help them dry. Be sure to follow the safety directions on the labels of oil containers to avoid having a disaster, like burning your home down. How do I know this? I was a professional fire investigator for over 35 years and can tell you horror stories of folks whose clothes dryers caught fire and took out half the house, and commercial buildings that were burned because painters left piles of wood staining rags containing linseed oil piled in a box without properly discarding them. Make beautiful music, not piles of ashes, please.
Excuse my language, but holy shit, you probably saved my pets' lives.
Most woodworkers leave used rags with linseed oil stored inside containers with water because of this. Good point, it's always good to remember that pieces of cloth with linseed oil can catch on fire without warning.
Yes, a tin of old rags that had linseed oil and turps on them suddenly exploded into flame in our shed. Lucky it was contained in the tin.
What a brilliant tutorial, thank you! I particularly liked your partners contribution. Fantastic, thank you
Hi Sarah thanks to this video and the instructions in the Mollenhauer kit (in German, which I don’t read) I’ve successfully oiled my new-to-me alto for the first time and it’s worked brilliantly! Thanks for this & all your vids, keep up the good work
lolol I came across this because I've been looking up simple system flutes for Irish music, I'm really glad I kept watching past 7min. This is fun :)
Sarah, thank You very very much! Thanks to this video my recorder is alive again! :)
Sarah, thank you so much for all your helpful content! I wouldn't be where I am right now regarding everything linked to recorders without you. ♥♥♥
Thank you so much for an instructive video. You are much braver than i am as i was trained in pipe organ making and changing the height of the block tends to revoice the gedact as the windsheet would move outward or inward depending on its height. But it is clear in your video that you are using the matching of the mouthpiece with the block to reset it as the maker set it. I was wondering if walnut oil would be usable as it is good for kitchen cutting boards and tends to dry well. In wooden organ pipes, often the interior is finished in glue or sealer. I liked the careful way that you addressed the oiling of the upper lingual. I have soprano and tenor Yamaha ABS pipes that you have shown me how to practice and i keep a cheep yamaha transparent soprano for hiking as it breaks down to fit in the pocket easily. But i had a pearwood alto that i had not addressed because i did not know how to maintain it well so this has been very helpful. So now it will benefit from your instructions. Again thank you for your very good presentations.
Invaluable video! So many thank yous, and please continue this wonder series!(My wonderrful, ancient, second- hand ebony Rottenburgh thanks you as well!)
This was very timely! When I first met my girlfriend she wasnt very experienced in conditioning her Labium.. and has become increasingly thankful for my experience. Although it hadn't been used, she always kept it very clean.. and in the beginning as I tended to it, as you wisely predicted.. she did have to add lube more often. (Probably her nervousness) Because she was nervous and it did seem dry I followed your advise.. I stuck my 'finger in and have a feel' and It DID seem a little dry to me.
AND, @ 2:30 it sounds like you say.. 'if it feels dry.. oil your tongue'! So I did.
I wasn't sure if it worked because at first she just said.. O-M-G! Then her lips were sorta moving but although it appeared nothing was coming out.. in 5 minutes every dog in the neighborhood ran into our yard.
THANK you so much for your advise on conditioning the labia, Sarah. You're the best!
That's such a cool and original comment thanks Philip always happy to help!!!
@@Team_Recorder 👍🏽😂
Thank you Sarah, great tips on oiling wood wind instruments. I think these tips could also apply on Clarinet.
Cleaned and oiled my recorder for the first time in 10 years thanks to your clear instructions! Oh, the muck inside my Moeck...
Eva..
Try brushing your teeth before playing, if you do not already do so.
Yes, having been doing that for the last couple of years.
Sarah, Thank you very much for this maintence lesson.
thank you so much, i've never had someone teach me any of this even tho i've been playing for,,, 9 years? i remember once when i was younger i accidentally knocked out the block while cleaning my flute and i thought i'd killed it forever xD
Sorry I accidently clicked on the thumb down icon. Thank you for this video. I have just got a wooden recorder and I oiled it today but I never took the block out as it is new but maybe in time I will be brave enough. Without you I would have struggled to oil it so brilliant instructions. Thank you.
Hello, thank you for the video. So I noticed with a little self-taught experience. 1) When the octave hole is used, it is better to play with a fingernail that is not too short so that the highs come out better! 2) there is a method on youtube (title best way to oil recorder) where the flute is in a bath of olive oil and it works very well! thank you
thank you so much. I am binge watching your videos after deciding to learn the recorder. I however will not be oiling any recorders anytime soon as I will be bicycling around the globe for the forseeable future, so I am going with Yamaha ABS recorders in the hope that they will cope with travelling better. Keep up the good work. ..by the way, what is the lovely music at 17:10 .. I suspect it is a creative commons licensed number as I recall hearing before on other youtube videos.
Yes, the music at 17.10 is the classic 'acoustic sunrise', free track that is included with iMovie! Very professionall... ;) Wow, bicycling around the globe!! Jon (my husband, that made a cameo in the video) would be very jealous... enjoy it, and great that you're taking recorders with you too!
Thank you so much for this video! It's really useful. I did't know the block can be removed. I'll try ... I'm just a bit scared about having to knock it out
Thank you so much for this video. I used to play for years (I started when I was about 8 or 9) but my teacher NEVER told me how to clean it like you just did. All my teacher said was that I should dry it after playing. I never even knew I could take the block out. I am a little bit surprised by what has to be cleaned. I got my recorders out of storage a bit ago and wanted to clean them before using them again.
What I wanted to know is if you can also use coconut oil or would a liquid one be better?
Again - thank you SO much for this video :)
+Doro & Thea K. (wonDOROland) Hi! Glad you're enjoying these videos! Hmm, I have never thought of trying coconut oil- but I'm not sure if it would work. I think the oil should be liquid so it can soak evenly through the wood, and maybe a solid oil would get too cloggy..? I would go for sweet almond oil! (others use raw linseed)
Sarah Jeffery / Team Recorder OK thank you for your answer :) have a great day :)
@@wonDOROland My teacher also didn't tell me about all this, only drying after playing, although I had a good teacher. I am disappointed about that! How good to have these videos now 🙂👍
I bought a box wood Marsyas alto recorder in summer this year from Küng. A really beautiful instrument in every sense which I can highly recommend. I tried to get the block out yesterday, but it fits so tight, no chance. I called Küng this morning telling that I did not succeed getting the block out. Küng said do not take the block out, in no way, never. It is so delicate with their recoders that there is quite a chance that you will harm the recorder. On suggestion of Küng I will send in my recorder for a service. There are other fantastic record players on you tube who show how to take the block out, but who is right, the record player or the record maker? I guess both but maybe not in every case.
your relationship with your husband is honestly goals
Hi, Sarah. Greetings from Colombia! 🇨🇴
I guess I'm a recorder player too now 😅
I bought this pearwood recorder (baroque fingering, obviously) and it arrived this monday. I wanted to oil it this weekend but I don't know if it's very soon?
Also, I wanted to know: are 'sweet almond oil' and 'almond oil with vitamin E' the same? I was asking in stores and they don't have specifically 'sweet' almond oil so I wanted to know.
You are doing a great job with your videos, I'm loving them all. Keep the good work and spreading the joy for music the way you do! n_n
Great video, thanks. One of the manufacturers - can't remember which - recommends that for recorders with keys you should cover these in aluminium foil to prevent oil from getting onto the pads.
I also like the tip about dipping the brush into the oil - never thought of that. The instructions I have read talk about applying "a few drops of oil" to the brush which is a bit clumsy IMHO - your dipping technique makes more sense :-)
The aluminium tip is a great one too!
Hi Sarah and everyone: Is it advisable to oil a brand new, out of the box recorder, before starting to play it in?
I recently bought a new, cheap but nice Chinese made wooden alto. Doesn't sound as bad as I expected, decent for the price, but it was a little rough regarding bore surface finishing, also rough inside the finger holes. I cleaned the holes and the bore with cotton swabs and alcohol. I have been practicing scales for a couple of months and cleaning and oiling actually made it sound more smoothly. I have read that oil changes slightly the reflectivity of the surface of the bore and cleaning the dirt and wood "powder" from the small double holes made the lower notes sound clear and not squeak. At least for "cheap" wooden instruments it really works, but I guess better quality factory recorders can be played longer before their first oiling.
@@varpu3706 if it feels dry, yes oil it
Same.
Brilliant! I may use some of these tips to clean my Native American flutes! But by far, my favorite part of the video is 7:20. :)
This video was very informative and I learned a lot. One question, you said that your recorder eventually died after so many years, did you take care of that recorder as you prescribed in this video?
Thanks for all of the information, my new wooden recorder should be arriving today. I got kind of scared watching this, maybe I should have gone for that plastic instrument after all? For some reason it seems so much more complicated than oiling my clarinet, maybe because the clarinet had a plastic mouthpiece. I used both linseed on almond oil on my clarinets and preferred almond oil mainly because it really didn't have much of a scent unlike linseed.
Very informative and useful video.I wondered, though, one would effectively clean the head section of a knick recorder….
That is a question I don’t know the answer to!
LOL ... you seem to have a cat in human form ;) Great video with great info
Some maple and pearwood recorders are wax impregnated and should not be oiled; check the makers instructions! The upper surface of the block can become hydrophobic over time causing beads of moisture to form when playing, if cleaning alone doesn't cure this, an application of dilute washing up liquid is worth a try.
this video helped me alot. now my low c sounds so good.
Thank you! Great!
Thank you for this video, really helpful. My wooden recorder is a bass - I presume I need to keep oil off the key pads? Any tips on the best way to do that please?
Hi Sarah, I really enjoy your channel and your beautiful music. I found you because I was looking for something similar for the baroque flute, as I have one coming to me soon and I am new to any kind of flute (but play piano, violin, guitar). I have not found a similar channel for the baroque flute and I was wondering to what extent I might be able to apply your teachings to the baroque flute, including parts of this episode. I’m sure it is just a matter of time before I pick up the recorder, but first I think that I should focus on the baroque flute. Thank you in general for being so inspiring!
You’re welcome! And enjoy the baroque flute too! 😘
What oils besides linseed or almond oil would you suggest?
Hello Sara thank you for sharing you got me into recorders and I just bought my first wooden recorder and I wanted to ask do I need to grease the joints or put the wax Lube on them before assembling it? Thank you! :-) this recorder I got on Amazon for $14 it is Maplewood and I think it has the wax on it already impregnated with wax the other recorders I have are plastic Yamahas 302b
Amazing video!!! My home is really hot in summer 30-35°C this summer. Could it be a problem for wood recorders? Now I have only plastic recorders.
Thanks a lot
love your videos. I havent played in years.. omg at least 40 years lol and just decided to start again.. bought one on ebay then saw another I liked more so bought that one too.. is it possible to ever have enough?? Bought an Xaphoon too :D Grüße von Deutschland
Ich habe mir jetzt auch 3 verschiedene Blockflöten bei eBay gekauft, nachdem ich 45 Jahre lang immer mal wieder meine alte Moeck-Flöte aus meiner Schulzeit gespielt habe. Jetzt entdecke ich, wieviel Freude es macht, mal unterschiedliche Modelle kennenzulernen 🙂.
I think it would be useful to see someone oil a very large recorder. The instructions I've seen all use something nice and manageable like an alto, but the one and only wooden recorder I have so far is a greatbass, and it seems much more cumbersome. I'm curious if there are any techniques to make it easier to reach all the way through the middle joint and such.
I'm also curious if there is a consistent difference between the sound of instruments that are lacquered and ones that aren't. The convenience of not having to oil a lacquered one sounds nice, so there must be a kind of sound not available to those, or something.
Hi Sarah! thanks for creating these amazing videos! are really inspiring! I'd like to ask if a new bought recorder has to be oiled before use.
I don't think it does - make sure you warm it up and play it in properly, and then oil it after a couple of months?
Good information. Thank You.
I love this video, and I watch it every year. But this year not so much, as it has subtitles right across the middle of the video! Is there anyway to get rid of them?
I think you can toggle the subtitles on and off by clicking on the cog icon. I haven’t changed anything!
Good video :)
But what if the edge of the labium need to be clean?
Hi, would you mind making related video to clean plastic recorders? Thank you.
OK! So, my Moeck alto is...really, REALLY dry on the inside, but as I am new to this and was only recently gifted these instruments, I don't have linseed or almond oil in the house. At all. I have sunflower oil that I use for my wok. Can I use that, or will that damage my instrument?
Hey I’m really enjoying your vids. Have you done one on purchasing 2nd hand wooden recorders and what to look out for? I’d be keen to hear what you have to say about that...
She did make a video about that, she mentions it in this one: th-cam.com/video/Yc_Q2p3jVRc/w-d-xo.html
One exception to the rule not to oil a block... OK, it's not a proper recorder, but: a traditional model Clarke tin whistle has a softwood block, which absorbs moisture to an extreme, which really compromises its playability. When I then oiled the block, it made for a huge improvement in tone and overall playability. Of course, the windway surface opposite the block is metal, so the stability of that metal surface would compensate for the block have been oiled...?
Love this tutorial. One comment. Why using such an excessive amount of oil? It takes a lot of trouble to remove it again. What I learned in the past is to just use a few drops. If the wood is very dry, you can repeat the process a few more times. Instead of these brushes, you can use a cotton cleaning brush, which you can buy at any good music shop. You also need to be careful with the keys, if your recorder has any. The cushion that closes the hole, should NOT get any oil. Maybe a safe way is to dismount them first, like I always did when oiling my clarinet
The disappointment in her face at the end xD
Hi, Sarah! I’m Camilo from Chile 🇨🇱-yes, you have many Chilean subscribers 😱😂- and I’ve got a question for you: do I need to play in a new recorder before oiling it? I recently purchased my first wooden bass recorder in F and it’s on its way to home 🤭. Thank you in advance!! Greetings from Chile, big hugs 🤗!!
Hi Camilo! Yes I’d play it in a bit first- it will have been treated when it was made, and then you give the wood some time to adjust. Then after a couple of months (or when it feels dry) an oiling can do it good. Good luck!
Sarah Jeffery / Team Recorder Ok, thank you, Sarah! I'll do it that way.
Would this be the same process for the plastic German made recorder?
I wouldn't think a plastic instrument needs oil...??
No, plastic instruments don't need oil!!! Just washing up in the kitchen sink from time to time :)
Maybe you can just let him introduce the video for you and he'll go out to the garden. ? Maybe?
lol, yea, I was thinking too, the poor guy doesn't get enough attention..
I have to deliver a message on behalf of the Recorder Spirit:
"Here speaks the Recorder Spirit:
I was treated with so much care, it felt like I was going to a spa. I was cleaned with alcohol, dried and then with oil, gently being put all over my parts.
But then an unknown person came, I could observe him with my recorder eyes. I had already seen how he had used the stick that was used to remove my recorder block. He had pretended to use it as a spoon, to eat with it, but I saw no food. I could not understand this in my recorder head: why then was he trying to eat? So far so good, then he left and I got out of my recorder confusion. But at the end he was there again, With frightened eyes I saw through my finger holes that he had 2 bottles of oil, and was trying to give me an overdose. He just did not spit on me, and I just escaped getting mucus all over me. Why? Why? It was constantly going through my recorder head. I was almost ready to whisper my last recorder prayers. Then he kept turning his back to the camera and I felt so disrespected. Then I heard a piece of amateur piano, played very badly. It was like a nightmare in the middle of the day, after this wellness event.
I did not move or make any sound to avoid further problems.
Later some fellow spirits in the committee explained to me that this is something among people, called sarcasm. ?Never heard of it? I am just a simple recorder, friend of the people, and this is all just a little too complicated for me to understand all this in my recorder understanding.
I am looking forward to new pieces of music to play and new maintenance that is good for my health and longevity, but I keep my recorder eyes open in case something like this could happen again.
The Recorder Spirit has spoken."
Could a block be removed from and placed back in a plastic recorder?
Hello Sarah ! First of all I want to thank you for your wonderful videos ! I learn so much from you
Ok, sooo... How many of you knew that "oiling a recorder" is a thing?
Because in my school all the knowledge on recorder we got was:
blowing + covering holes = making music
separating the two parts + using the tissue once in a year = cleaning
not putting your recorder in water + not using it as a sword = taking care of the insterument
So yeah, that's about that...
No one ever told me about the proper articulation and breathing, types of recorders, not to mention tuning or even "don't hold your recorder in your teeth, biting it is not a good idea of keeping it balanced while playing".
Sztefa001 oh but I clean my recorder with soap and water lol
That’s because in school you do not play on wooden recorders. Only wooden recorders need oiling. Everyone else in the world and all the public schools only offer plastic recorders. Plastic recorders can be washed with pretty much anything
How do you go about oiling a recorder with key work, e.g., keyed tenors, bassets, and larger?
I've just bought a treble and a tenor Mollenhauer wooden recorder, and they are apparently varnished so don't need oiling - is that correct?
Thanks for your instructions Sarah! I have cleaned and oiled my Mollenhauer recorder the way you did it. And I have now waited in 4 days and tried to put the block back. And its far too tight to do it by manual power. Have someone some tips?
I have not played the recorders in 3-4 days before I began with oiling and cleaning. I live in Sweden and outside it is good weather, and it is around 10-15 degrees.
Best regards / Erik
Hi Erik, hmm that has happened to me before! I can share what I did, though I'm not a recorder maker so it's not an expert opinion, and I can't accept any responsibility for what you do to your instrument ;)
Often it's about the angle -sometimes a block is tricky to get back in, but the angle I was pushing it in at was a little bit wrong.
I once got a block back in by leaving the head joint in a normal temperature room, and putting the block in the fridge for a few hours. It shrank a little due to the cold, and then it fit back in.
You can also take some very fine sandpaper and gently sand the rounded surface down a tiny bit (the sides that touch the inside walls of the recorder - NOT the flat part, that guides the sound!!), and then it should fit in.
If all else fails, take it or send it to a recorder maker!
Sarah Jeffery / Team Recorder Hallo and thanks for the tips! I think I would try the fridge-method. Have a nice day!
australia has very hot/humid summers. what should i know about caring for my new wooden recorder during these conditions??
Hello Sarah, could you pose a photo of which Almond oil brand you are using? I am sourcing the best oil to work on my instrument. Thanks!
I've been using isopropyl alcohol. Is that OK?
Hope everyone is safe and well. I have a wooden Moeck soprano, after oiling (with sweet almond oil) the joint has become loose. I did not oil the cork at the joint. However, the head joint that fits over the cork did get oiled. Could this be making the joint loose?
Question, without replacing the cork is there a way to fix this i.e make the joint a better fix. I have cork grease that came with the recorder, would that help or just make it loser? Thanks,
Actually you have to use the cork grease when the joint is to tight in order to make it easier to connect because it will help to slide...
If you need to make it tighter you can use sewing thread before you connect the joints!
@@lucasmartini00005 Thanks for this tip Lucas
Cleaned a new alto pear wood recorder yesterday with alcohol. 24 hrs later block won’t go all the way back in. Should I just wait another day for further drying out. Then try again?
I enjoyed this very much, Sarah. Where do you buy these bristle brushes? Do you have big ones for tenors and basses?
David, it depends where you are, but in the UK you can order them from the Early Music Shop. They sell different sizes for soprano and alto/tenor, although I don’t know if they have large one for bass recorders. If you find other suppliers, please share!
I have a new alto recorder that is in 3 sections and I thought I was supposed to use joint grease? is this different than using oil on the wooden recorders. I am new.
Watch her video on daily maintenance. She covers all of that.
Hi Sarah, just seen this brilliant video, but what about a basset? Do all the normal rules apply and can you knock out the block?
Yes! Any block can technically jist be knocked out. Some may br glued in (I know) so chck with the maker if in doubt! Only the ones with a knick may be tricky- anyone else experience of this?
Good afternoon. I'm still a recording student. I would like to read your comment on the wood engravers of the various brands. What are the virtues of each company Moeck, Yamaha, Kung. Please. Thank you in advance!
Very helpful, thanks! :)
Merci Sarah
Thanks ❤️
Your husband has a sesnse of humor!
Such an informative video - thanks again Sarah. I am considering buying a Mollenhauer Canta Knick Tenor - how does one remove the block from a 'knick' model?
Hmmmmmm good question- anyone have experience of this?