My stretch on the tenor is like my daughter's stretch on the soprano. So after warming up, she sees daddy make the same type of leaky mistakes that she does. It makes her feel better about learning, but then we play unison on whatever lesson she's working. she's really starting to take to it, and her eyes light up when she hits the notes. On the side I keep playing the soprano, and I'm learning alto, so we can play duets as she improves. Tempo, warming up, and breath control. Practice, practice, practice, and she loves it; and her brother is only two, but can play nice G chord on the kiddy ukulele we got him. (He asks me to tune it.) When mommy joins us on her recorder or the violin, we have a family jam. And mommy has a beautiful operatic voice. That's how we met: she sang opera to me. Music is Life. Music is Love. 🎶🎶🎶
Absolutely wonderful! I am the only creative person in my immediate family...I would love to have people to share my enjoyment of creating music. I have played a total of 18 instruments to a non-horrific standard, but have never had anyone in my life to accompany me
That's lovely. I have a question Argon Wheatbelly! My son is two-and-a-half and he's definitely into music, but he doesn't want to listen (as in obey) to us. How did you make your daughter see you as a teacher as well?
@@VijayShankarB7 : I didn't. We just played together, and I would say to her, "Want to see something cool?" And slowly I've been teaching her. She's now eight, and listens as well as any eight-year-old. And teaching for me is fun, since I've been doing it in some fashion for a long time, and even now I supplement her school's music class, since it's...well...lacking in many respects. She goes to a school where recorder is viewed as a "third grade" instrument, used as a stepping to "real" instruments. Yeah, that. That irks me, but we're dealing with it. Two-and-a-half is a wonderful age just to listen and play with daddy. As for playing, my son is now four, but he likes some one-in-a-while time to learn. I'm his music instructor at home, and music is a part of daily life for us. Always has been. Just be there for your son, and show him how much fun music is. Play some easier tala. (teen tal - 16 beat cycle) or stick to a raga like bilawal to learn solfège. (Do Re Mi -- or Sa Re Ga). At two-and-a-half, it's all about having fun, and absorbing the joy of the music. I'm sure Sarah would be able to add a lot more and better information based on her experiences with Bo. Luck & Cheers!
@@argonwheatbelly637 Thank you! You're right. My wife and I sing though instruments are new to our family. So for now he's enjoying our singing more than the instruments, though the latter is more curiosity-driven hyper-excitement at this stage. He's quite observant and grasps the tune in a jiffy, be it singing or the grab-and-play act when I leave the recorder to dry. :D I'm very happy for your family. Please do share your family jamming (audio at least). Would love to enjoy your performance. Your daughter's school teacher should talk to Sarah. Then they'll change forever...
I forgot recorders even existed and then came across your videos somehow! Totally inspired I chose my first recorder from this video, the Yamaha, and I've been practicing daily since. Made it to the end of my first beginners book today. It feels awesome and honestly it was just what I needed. Go Team Recorder!!!
i never forgot the recorder, primarily because i sounded like danny bhoy's description of bagpipe playing, verges on nightmares. saw tenors in the instrument store and thought it'd be a bit more forgiving on the ear.
I love this! Just about to get my 6 year old the dreaded but inevitable descant and I'm thinking of getting back to the tenor to keep the universe in equilibrium. This was just what I needed to convince me before reality hits and "look mummy, if I take all my fingers off all the holes and blow as hard as I can, I can evoke the repetitive and endless sound of your soul screaming for mercy" changes my mind.
I have had a soprano recorder for at least 45 years now. It's a Hohner, made of wood. I remember the day when my parents bought it. For some reason whenever I am waiting for any task to complete (printing documents, compiling a computer program or waiting for people to join a call) I always grab it and play a few notes, usually with augmented fourths in the lower register. Today I reached to this channel through the TwoSet Violin one. I enjoyed a couple of videos and then I decided I wanted to have a lower register recorder. Now I am waiting for my Yamaha to arrive tomorrow with a book of baroque music. Isn't internet wonderful? Many thanks, Sarah!
Hi, I gravitated toward the tenor just because I think that low sound is gorgeous. I really underestimated the stretching it would require! Although I've played big instruments like bassoon before, they have a lot of aid so you really don't have to stretch your fingers far at all. I'm happy to see you say that it will get better! It's particularly bad for my right hand. My right hand is just NOT used to that!
Thank you for your very informative videos! As a reply on Thomann Tenors : I was given a Thomann Tenor Recorder. Straight neck, two claps. My then music teacher, who had an education from one German Music school (if my memory is correct the Hans Eisler in Berlin), had an Aulos Tenor and was sceptical of my cheap recorder. I urged him to test it, my respect and gift for him to be the first. With a sceptical frown he played a scale, his brows straightened in surprise, and he played a lovely little tune. He closed his eyes, short silence, smiled... [sigh] : - "Ach, ja... Deutsche Qualität..." He explained later, that cheap instruments are not always great. I may just have been lucky. It was better than the price tag. He soon after bought a bass recorder from Thomann and was equally satisfied. When a girl later needed an Alto recorder, she bought it at Thomann at our recommendation. I don't remember if he bought his violin from Thomann. I've heard that Thomann sell junk, so... Maybe their recorders have gone bad, who knows. Like Yamaha: I have a Flute not in production anymore, apparently because "it's too good for the price tag". It filled a gap between school and more professional and expensive flutes just slightly better than mine. BTW, (Tho-mann: Tho = like a stretched 'o' in 'towards' and mann = like the 'aan' in 'Naan bread" or 'ahn' in the Star Trek antagonist 'Khan' or the Jungle books 'Shere Khan'. Thomann :))
Very nice and inspiring video. I just bought a 1970's Mollenhauer tenor recorder in an online auction. For 135 euros. No cracks, clean, and it sounds, oh boy. Thank you Sarah.
I am like that with my Thomann tenor recorder. I am 41 and my hands childlike size. I have bone missing in my baby fingers, the knuckles are at the side of the fingers and my baby fingers do not bend. So due to that I find it hard to use the tenor but still trying.
I saw another Aulos model, 211 Robin I believe, recommended elsewhere for smaller hands. I recently purchased the Yamaha myself, however, if my daughter is very interested, I would consider trying the other for her. It's also half the price of the Aulos Symphonia one mentioned in the video, which I would have also loved to try! For me, the Yamaha was right in the middle price-wise of the three as well.
Well Sarah thanks very much to you I just ordered a Yamaha Tenor Recorder!!! I sucked at recorder as a kid, never really put any effort in at the time and it was a squeaky cheap school model. Well now I am 60 and find myself dealing with some health issues and neurological issues and yet still the yen to learn and instrument for my own pleasure. Always loved the sounds of woodwinds so I checked out your videos!!! I hope my hand issues and maybe my breathing will improve with practice so we shall see...oh I also ordered two learner method books with cds on your advice. Wish me luck!!!
Of all my Yamaha recorders, I probably enjoy the tenor the most. So rich on the lower register, and yet very capable of going quite high with good stability. For those worried about the stretch: Even though I have large enough hands, I found that a thumb rest really helps to alleviate a lot of the tension when making the stretch between 4 and 5, and for the pinky keys. Less weight on your right thumb can allow your other fingers a more relaxed feeling and perhaps more range of motion.
do you know the difference between the yrt-304b and the yrt-304b (II) ? Im trying to figure out if theres something significant to be aware of so I can determine which one to get, but Im having a hard time finding info.
I wish my experience was the same as yours. I am sorely disappointed in my new Yamaha tenor, especially the lower register. I would not describe it as you have. I am near ready to put it into the recycle bin.
@@sending2ormore45 oh no what happened? It really does have a nice sound but i guess there are a couple of weak sounding notes? . Don’t recycle it lol.
This is the only recorder I still have and I've had it since I was 5 - the voice flute. I used to have maybe 15 different recorders as a child and would busk every day, but this is the one that I've ended up keeping over the years. Now I'm getting back into it. Thanks for all of this wonderful information and playing!
Greetings from a yank living in Drenthe! After watching your videos I'm decided to dust off my Yamaha plastic tenor recorder and give it a go again. I appreciate the time you take to make all your great videos! Bedankt!
Hi Sarah and the community!!! I'm excited because to date I haven't been able to see the comments let alone make any. BUT it looks as if tonight may be my night! Bcos here in Adelaide Australia it's just after 7.15 pm. So I have a treble MOECK Rottenburgh rosewood recorder that I bought in about 1970 when we really couldn't afford to do anything like that. It really wasn't cheap to buy instruments from overseas to Australia all those decades ago:) And after a long time not playing, I'm now trying to take it up again. Usually whenever I do anything like this with music, I'm freshly amazed to find how bad I am at whatever I'm trying to play. But this time I was hugely rapt to find you & your videos Sarah. And I think I'm managing to do some fresh music with your help. Thaqnkyou so much for your work! Love from Aus
I got the Thomman out of curiosity, because I gave away my Yamaha sopran recorder as the sounds were just too high for me and honestly, I see no difference in quality between the Thomman and the Yamaha, it does not leak, it fits well together, the plastic is not thin or soft or anything, the sound is perfectly normal, not much different from yamaha. The keys work well allthough they may break earliler, but I don't think people would play it for hours a day. I can record something on it, when I get used to the differences between soprano and tenor. But yeah, I couldn't find any significant problems on the cheap recorder, it feels the same as my old yamaha or my friend's alto from another "better" brand. It's certainly very well playable.
Does it come with an arched windway? I find that the arch on the Yaamaha 300 series really helps me to get a better sound (I have two, one with a straight winndway). The arched seems to offer a bit more resistance, something to blow against, I find it hard to describe exactly, that helps both with dynamics and overall tone.
My sister and I bought the Thomann tenor. Can't compare with others as we're beginners but the sound is pretty good and it feels a nice solid well made instrument. Has the c and c# keys
For practice hours I use a Triebert TenorRecorder - supplied by Early Music Shop Bradford - very good intonation and reposnse, a powerful baroque recorder sound. My preferred instrument for gigs is a Mollenhauer Waldorf Edition Tenor which has a wide bore and a sweet, expressive sound. My other instrument is a Rosewood and Bone decorated Dolmetsch Tenor Recorder circa 1956 - even with a straight windway the sound is good - of it's time perhaps, but it works well.
OMG. I just happened to buy a Dolmetsch tenor recorder from the 1970s at an antique mall last weekend. So glad I found your videos! Your personality is wonderful. Thank you!
I'd like to see another one or two of Sarah's uploads featuring the tenor - especially as it's clearly a size of recorder that she really likes. How about one of her comparison uploads featuring plastic and wood recorders - and/or keyless and keyed? Not everyone is in the intermediate or advanced range. I used to have an Aulos 211 keyless tenors and, for me, it had a great tone with quite an easy 'reach' ... something that tenors aren't usually known for. (I tried the keyed Yamaha but couldn't take to it - but that was just me). Thanks to Sarah, my interest in recorders has been resurrected, so maybe she can have another look at tenors with those of her 'watchers' who are interested in what makes and types of tenor there are for those who want to try one.
After some research, I also went for the Aulos 211A with double holes (keyless), since it was said to be the plastic tenor recorder with the most effortless reach! Now after 1,5 weeks of playing, I often reach with my right little finger (C# and C). But yesterday playing with friends in a relatively cold room, my playing was really disappointing, which emphasizes the importance of having warm hands when playing the recorder! 🎵🎵🎵
The Aulos Symphony 'Robin' is keyless, so no lever at the bottom- it's good for those of us with smaller hands! Costs about £40 in the UK. Lovely sound too!
Can anyone else recommend the 211a/Robin? I am thinking of getting one as my hands don't stretch as much in middle age as they did when I started the tenor at age 10 (and I've broken several fingers playing hockey!). It would be great to start making music again.
@@TracyGooding-xi7dp I have an Aulos 211A. I would not recommend it. The sound quality is poor, and the low C and C# are very low volume and difficult to play. I plan to try a Yamaha 304BII that has been modified to have a bent neck. The Yamaha has better sound quality, and has C/C# keys. The best thing I can say about the Aulos 211A is that it is not very expensive.
I had an Aulos keyless tenor back in the early 90’s and loved it (but it broke in a move). I got the Robin and don’t like it as much. The pitches of the lowest notes are off.
I have been playing the flute for 29 years. In addition to the concert flute, I also play alto and piccolo. I wanted to find a cheaper version of a wood wind, so I got two soprano recorders. One for me and one for my six-year-old niece. I also recently ordered myself a tenor recorder. Your videos have been really instructive. Thank you!
I've loved the tenor since I was a kid and my dad would play his. We called it the "giant's pipe", which was a reference to a children's television show whose name escapes me at the moment. I think it's a Heinrich, and he still has it. In our house we have the Yamaha, and it does sound nice.
It's funny because on your top 5 contemporary recorder pieces video, i commented with a link to a piece I wrote for tenor recorder. And now you have a video on getting started on tenor recorder. Thanks to this video, I might be able to try to play my piece one day. I don't even play recorder, but I respect the instrument alot.
I inherited a not much used wooden "Heinrich" Tenor built in GDR around 1990, which has a beautiful sound. Unfortunately it has no double key for lower C sharp and German system, which limits a bit what you can play, but for a beginner it is already quite nice and makes more fun than just soprano which we learnt at school 40 years ago.
I know this is a while after you posted this video but I bought the Thomann tenor and I think it’s quite nice. I’m definitely not a professional but have played clarinet and flute since school and got to A level music (in the UK). I have found it’s responsive and has a nice tone especially for the price. Maybe it feels more comfortable because in the hands it feels like a clarinet but much lighter and is the same pitch as the flute. It is in tune depending on breath pressure and I have found it works well for more classical repertoire but then I don’t venture into contemporary! Overall if you want a tenor but are not wanting to spend then go for it, it has the double key and came with a thumb rest and a decent pleather case 😂
Finally bought myself a Tenor (Aulos 511b) and I'm enjoying it a lot! my enthusiasm for the recorder was surely fulled by your channel Thanks. A cool bonus: suddenly the alto feels so small and nimble!
I have a keyless Aulos tenor which I really like. It has a good sound and good tuning. Coming from the oboe, which is covered in keywork, I avoid keys wherever I can.
I received a bamboo recorder (whistle?) while spending time at the seashore resort of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I found that I couldn't put it down. So, as I usually do, I dove head first into the tenor recorder. The Yamaha resin recorder seemed appropriate but I was struck by how difficult it is to make beautifully resonant tones. After a few days of frustration and thoughts of returning it to the retailer (yuck!), I kept at it. I'm so glad I did. After a few days, it began to sound better and I am starting to hear what I want, ignoring the occasional squeaks and high octave notes. Yours is a friendly, and approachable style of teaching. Thanks for the introduction.
I just bought a plastic tenor (Aulos) this week on Amazon for 66 euros... My ears can't deal with the soprano so I'm going try to play van Eyck on it ! (I can't have the E string of the violin too close to my ears... hence my viola playing...) I think I'm going to love it ! I can't wait next week to pick it up in my mailbox !! Also, I've got « Solo baroque » and Ganassi books... Thank you so much for all your good advice !!
Hello! I just looove bassoons ! And would looove to play this very exiting instrument ! Such a pity they are soooo expensive !! Do tou know of any that are affordable ? Thanks ! 😉
Oww .....Sarah.. you get me into a new musical addiction. I tend to think over getting me a tenor one, but autsch.. my home is getting too small if I want to collect my favorite hummels too...your enthusiasm is making my musical decisions harder and harder!!
@@Team_Recorder hey, it's my own free choice , so if I decide it's my own stupid mistake, innit? Anyway, the Yamaha tenor is coming my way, can't wait to use it.
Owwwwwww.......my Yamaha tenor arrived just today, I am SOOOOO happy with it. It is just as you and other players who reviewed this one stated: the tone and full sound can very easily compete with wooden counterparts. I still need some practice on the high B.C and D, but daily structural practive and your videos will help me through, thanks for your advices and reviews! And the tenor solo on "I'm the urban spaceman" is finally within my reach, yeeeehaaa!!
I loved my tenor soo much too...till I got the mollenhauer canta bass. Uuhh..Im so exited about its sound, it has a heartbeat..I swear..😊..and the vibration to my fingers..makes me close my eyes..
Love tenor, but voice flute is my absolute favourite, for the reasons you suggest (mix of tone and agility). I must admit I've never learned the fingerings and just play it as a transposing instrument, which has the advantage of putting a lot of baroque pieces for flute (in D) back into the original key.
I am pianist and I have owned a soprano recorder for years just for the pleasure of being able to play a wind instrument. Now I consider buying a tenor one to increase my range
Hope this is helpful - I tried an Aulos Symphony tenor with keys and simply couldn't cover the holes; then I tried an Aulos 201,or Robin, without keys, and found that I could play it really easily. It's supposed to be designed for people with smaller hands, and that seems to be true. Lovely sound. I tried a number of plastic tubes at the Early Music Shop and found the Robin the easiest - I could get low C, and what would be high G on a treble really easily. The other recorders, not easy at all. The advice in the shop was that if you don't need keys, it's best to go without them. At about £50, the Robin is also around half the price of the plastic tenors with keys.
Looking for a woodwind to learn and loved the sound of the sax. Now discovered the tenor recorder which also sounds great, maybe even nicer- mmm, something to think about.
Love your video ! I have a Yamaha tenor, and I play with a dulcimer group. It blends quite well with the dulcimer, and is a really fun instrument to play.
Wonderful video on the tenor. When I started 5 years ago, I frequently read that you should not start with the tenor recorders. So not true. I love its deep rich sound. It is just a wonderful instrument. :)
Wow, another wonderful musician and teacher!😊 I just discovered Cutiepie who inspired me to dig up my 30 year old Soodlums D whistle and you have inspired me to also dig out my 20 year old Yamaha tenor! A dear old lady gave it to me at a garage sale, she said that her son didn't want it any more and I'd have never seen such a big recorder before. It has a beautiful sound doesn't it? Thanks very much from Australia
I'm playing my Thomann Tenor as listening you. No difference with the Yamaha. Some says the Aulos is a little more warm, but I'm going to do a little 'velouté modification inside my Thomann Soprano and Tenor to warm the plastic sound, will see if it works🙏🧡💚 I prefer for now a plastic set of flutes, I have also an irish flute, because I'm keeping my goats and the flutes are always with me in the bag .
Hi Patricia, where do you live and do your goats like it when you play? Are you a shepherd? I live in the Cevennes (South France) and play only indoors (bassoon and various recorders. Just started on the Aulas tenor).
I practiced for months on a cheap toy soprano recorder and have just yesterday opened my first tenor recorder ordered on Amazon - the exact plastic Yamaha that you showed in this video. Having been blissfully unaware of the size of the thing when ordering it, I fell from my chair when I saw it in full glory (or, rather, I would have fallen If I was sitting on one at the moment) :-) I can manage C, B and A, but G is already too much of a stretch, let alone the other lower notes. But I hope I'll get there eventually :)
I found an album of Maria Loos playing Piazzolla on the tenor recorder. It convinced me I should have one, I have a soprano and a treble (which I got after listening to Bruggen lol)
I'm with you on that Tenor Recorder is my favorite size Recorder thus far. Bad childhood memories of other children's and poorly studied Soprano Recorder times. You know? Tenor has BODY! and is close enough in size in length the the Alto Saxophone that was my first Wind Instrument. Tenor Recorder feels like a real instrument. I picked up an MPI Tenor Recorder during the 2018 Holidays from Groth Music. The deeper tone is less shrill at times than the Soprano Recorder. Soparino Recorder would be my second favorite.
Having played tenor horn in a brass band for 20 years, I know exactly what it feels like to get the harmony/accompaniment parts. Hard to believe that the tenor recorder has a low note of middle-C, they look so big and that isn't a low note at all!
You are so fun to watch and you are so inspiring me to want to keep playing the recorder. Unfortunately the tenor recorder I have has only one key for the C. And I’ve decided I have to be happy with what I have,
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah......where should I begin? You are so amazingly quirky and funny and amazingly talented! And I thank u for being u......not that u had a choice :) So anyway.....I turned 60 last Dec. and decided to start playing an instrument....had never played one before, actually I had but never stuck with it. So I started with the clarinet because I wanted something portable to travel abroad with that would fit in my backpack. So after a few months I was like "Wow! I'm actually practicing twice a day and am able to read music!!! I was quite happy. But the clarinet was not my first choice....my first choice was alto sax. But not easy to fit in backpack. But I was like screw it. If I'm gonna learn an instrument I'm going to learn the one I really love. So skip ahead several months to today. Practicing regularly, loving the alto sax! But......leaving for SE Asia in January and the thought of hauling the alto, my backpack, my laptop and my photography gear on a motorbike all over Asia is not really working for me. Sooooo....a few moths ago I started looking at recorders....always loved the sound. But def. did not want to play the soprano. I wanted a recorder with....well u know. So after researching a bit I was like....."aw"....the tenor recorder I believe fits the bill! And after watching this video and your comment on the baroque recorder being more.....robust if u will. NO! I remember..."sonorous" was the word I had to look up. "Yes" the baroque tenor is the recorder for me! What I'm looking for as a beginner in a recorder is as beautiful and sonorous a sound as possible! What tenor recorder for around $150-$200 would u recommend? I'm def. thinking wood for the sound.....but am open to whatever u recommend. Could even do used on eBay. Thank u Sarah!!!!!!
This has got to be one of the most inspiring youtube channels around. I play flute and sax, but started out with a recorder when I was young. Now I find myself addicted to Sarah’s videos and looking at tenor and bass recorders. Does this make any sense? Ga zo door Sarah..
Nou Rob van Valkenburg, het ziet ernaar uit dat ik in je voetsporen volg. Ik heb zojuist voor een fijn prijsje een Yamaha tenor weten te scoren, en die Thomann basfluit ziet er ook steeds verleidelijker uit..... wordt waarschijnlijk vervolgd. Daarbij lijkt het me geweldig materiaal om kinderen op de basisscholen waar ik werk als onderwijsassistent met deze verschillende fluitvarianten kennis te laten maken. Ik heb de leerlingen in het speciaal basisonderwijs al flink lekker weten te krijgen voor de hommel (plankciter, zoek maar op) en deze fluiten lijken me een geweldige aanvulling.
You kick bottom, Bean style if you know what i mean, masterful. Have just ordered the Yamaha. Now senior, woodwinds sax, bassoon mostly but was indoctrinated in primary school with the recorder. Thank you for your tootlage. ar, ar. Very impressive. CDN.
I've actually tried wooden and plastic tenor recorder. The wooden one has really nice sound. The plastic one has thing strong and sharp sound, It's not bad but I like the wooden one better.
For anyone trying to find an affordable tenor for very small hands (and short arms): I found an Aulos 311N-E keyless tenor on Ebay and I love it! I don't know how old it is but the third and fourth hole from the top have a diagonal bore. Recently I also found the Aulos 211A-E (Robin series) tenor, which is about a cm taller in the head joint but the spacing of the holes is identical. Both of them sound lovely. Building stamina to play them isn't so much about the stretch for me, but more about the combination of stretching and pressing down to get a good seal.
Thank you! You're so sweet and funny! I loved your video. I am also tiny and my hands hurt tooooo much. But I want to play it! It's such an amazing sound!
I own a Thomann Tenor Recorder and from what I can judge it's a very good instrument for the price. I think the same applies for all the other Thomann recorders as well. I can play the lowest notes (after a couple of weeks of practise) relatively easy. So I'm fan of it!
I just received a Yamaha 304…. Man!!! This thing is BIG!!! It’s hard to get the low “C.” It sounds very cool! Thanks for all the great Recorder videos!!!!!! 🙂😎
my tenor recorder squeaks like hell when i play low notes. how do i stop this? i'm breathing so slowly and daintily that it sounds quiet and weak but if i add even a little air it squeaks. how do i solve this problem? i'm using a yamaha tenor with a key on the bottom
I never took recorders seriously until I started watching your videos. I thought they were just toys for kids to enjoy. I've had a soprano recorder for decades as a toy. I'm now learning to play the soprano recorder. I also just bought an alto and a tenor recorder and will be learning to play them, as well. I'll probably get the bass recorder later this year. Thanks for advocating for the recorder! BTW, please recommend method books for the alto and tenor recorders! I can't find any!
What is the difference between German style and Baroque? I have been offered a used wooden Yamaha tenor German style recorder at a very low price. It appears to be working perfectly. I am an older man with large hands, and I have decided to do what Benjamin Franklin did when he was a couple of years older than me. He was 70 when he decided to learn the violin. By the time he was 90 he was considered a virtuoso. It is inspiring. I do like the sound of the tenor recorder, and the fingers further from my eyes would help me see them more clearly. Franklin said that age 70 his schedule changed and he discovered he had an extra 10 minutes of free time every day, so he bought a violin to fill that extra 10 minutes daily. He is a great example of using a small amount of time, but consistently maintaining it across many years, and what that consistency can produce. The recorder suits me better, and is probably much easier to learn :)
I just found a Dolmetsch tenor for $5 as it needs new cork on the joints. It's obviously a bit cheaper made than my Yamaha alto, but it does have a built in thumb rest. As a clarinet player, I appreciate the thumbrest. I don't forsee any quality or playability issues other than it does have a single key- but the fingering chart says you can half hole the key to play C#..... Never tried half hole on a key
I looked up the Yamaha plastic tenor YRT 304B. Amazon (U.S.) has it for $69.75. Their prices fluctuate from time to time. I recently bought book 1 of Der Fluyten Lust-Hof' by Jacob van Eyck from Flute World (U.S.) and it looks better suited to recorders than flute, although I can play it on flute.
Hi Sarah thank you very much for all the videos you do you make it really good fun and I also want to play the recorder the more I see your videos so I got an alto recorder and I am doing well. I am visually impaired and cannot read sheet music I play by ear. your videos are very helpful when it comes to the fingering of the recorder as you use a lovely simple background which enables me to see what you are doing fantastic!! what I also love about your videos is it's just you with no background noise I am hearing impaired so this helps a lot! I haven't watched all of your videos but I am getting through them slowly thank you so much 😁
i just stumbled across this account and the videos are so useful! as a young aspiring recorder player i am looking for lots of advice and relatable stuff. there are not many accounts like this, so thank you for the originality. 💕🌹
Very good, thanks Sarah; I found the keys on a plastic tenor soon broke, so went for a key-less plastic Aulos, which has lasted for many years...not sure what a good wooden keyless option would be..? (I simply use mine to introduce the tune of English folk-songs and hymns, by the way.)
I’ve been learning Alto recorder for the past year, and would love to add Tenor to my skill set… do you have a video on wrapping your brain around learning the second set of fingering????? Adore your channel - I’ve fallen in love with the recorder thanks to you, Sarah!
@@emmat88 it’s not complicated just the Soprano notes are a 5th up. The first note on your alto is an E ( of course thumb hole is covered) that is a B on a Soprano( B is the dominant note in an E chord). Cover the first and second hole is a D on alto and is an A on a Soprano, etc. The Tenor fingering is the same as the Soprano.
thank you. in early music consort music tenor parts are often the most interesting. Especially renaissance period, tenor part is often the melodic one and the others are built around it.
Around a year ago I stumbled across a pair of Aulos soprano and tenor E recorders at a thrift store with accessories, even the grease. Cost me an equivalent of $5. I'd say it was a steal.
I am BIG fan ... after listening to the Yamaha Tenor, I purchased the "Yamaha YRT-304B Professional ..." - love the sound of it - thanks. BTW, you are very lovely, friendly, smart...and pretty...L..e in the air. :-)
My stretch on the tenor is like my daughter's stretch on the soprano. So after warming up, she sees daddy make the same type of leaky mistakes that she does. It makes her feel better about learning, but then we play unison on whatever lesson she's working. she's really starting to take to it, and her eyes light up when she hits the notes. On the side I keep playing the soprano, and I'm learning alto, so we can play duets as she improves. Tempo, warming up, and breath control. Practice, practice, practice, and she loves it; and her brother is only two, but can play nice G chord on the kiddy ukulele we got him. (He asks me to tune it.) When mommy joins us on her recorder or the violin, we have a family jam. And mommy has a beautiful operatic voice. That's how we met: she sang opera to me.
Music is Life. Music is Love. 🎶🎶🎶
That sounds so lovely! I hope we make some music like that when my baby is a little older!
Absolutely wonderful! I am the only creative person in my immediate family...I would love to have people to share my enjoyment of creating music. I have played a total of 18 instruments to a non-horrific standard, but have never had anyone in my life to accompany me
That's lovely. I have a question Argon Wheatbelly! My son is two-and-a-half and he's definitely into music, but he doesn't want to listen (as in obey) to us. How did you make your daughter see you as a teacher as well?
@@VijayShankarB7 : I didn't. We just played together, and I would say to her, "Want to see something cool?" And slowly I've been teaching her. She's now eight, and listens as well as any eight-year-old. And teaching for me is fun, since I've been doing it in some fashion for a long time, and even now I supplement her school's music class, since it's...well...lacking in many respects. She goes to a school where recorder is viewed as a "third grade" instrument, used as a stepping to "real" instruments. Yeah, that. That irks me, but we're dealing with it.
Two-and-a-half is a wonderful age just to listen and play with daddy. As for playing, my son is now four, but he likes some one-in-a-while time to learn. I'm his music instructor at home, and music is a part of daily life for us. Always has been.
Just be there for your son, and show him how much fun music is. Play some easier tala. (teen tal - 16 beat cycle) or stick to a raga like bilawal to learn solfège. (Do Re Mi -- or Sa Re Ga). At two-and-a-half, it's all about having fun, and absorbing the joy of the music.
I'm sure Sarah would be able to add a lot more and better information based on her experiences with Bo.
Luck & Cheers!
@@argonwheatbelly637 Thank you! You're right. My wife and I sing though instruments are new to our family. So for now he's enjoying our singing more than the instruments, though the latter is more curiosity-driven hyper-excitement at this stage. He's quite observant and grasps the tune in a jiffy, be it singing or the grab-and-play act when I leave the recorder to dry. :D
I'm very happy for your family. Please do share your family jamming (audio at least). Would love to enjoy your performance.
Your daughter's school teacher should talk to Sarah. Then they'll change forever...
I forgot recorders even existed and then came across your videos somehow! Totally inspired I chose my first recorder from this video, the Yamaha, and I've been practicing daily since. Made it to the end of my first beginners book today. It feels awesome and honestly it was just what I needed. Go Team Recorder!!!
I hope you still use it today. I want to get the that YR300 yamaha tenor too. What book did you use BTW? I want to learn as well.
i never forgot the recorder, primarily because i sounded like danny bhoy's description of bagpipe playing, verges on nightmares. saw tenors in the instrument store and thought it'd be a bit more forgiving on the ear.
I love this! Just about to get my 6 year old the dreaded but inevitable descant and I'm thinking of getting back to the tenor to keep the universe in equilibrium. This was just what I needed to convince me before reality hits and "look mummy, if I take all my fingers off all the holes and blow as hard as I can, I can evoke the repetitive and endless sound of your soul screaming for mercy" changes my mind.
😂😂😂 well said.
This comment is gold.
@Kota Hyatt Garklein it is
Start her on alto and she'll never look back
Get one of the ABS resin yamahas, they're strong enough to beat him with when he does that. :p
I also love how you pronounce the foreign names so well. ♥
I have had a soprano recorder for at least 45 years now. It's a Hohner, made of wood. I remember the day when my parents bought it. For some reason whenever I am waiting for any task to complete (printing documents, compiling a computer program or waiting for people to join a call) I always grab it and play a few notes, usually with augmented fourths in the lower register.
Today I reached to this channel through the TwoSet Violin one. I enjoyed a couple of videos and then I decided I wanted to have a lower register recorder. Now I am waiting for my Yamaha to arrive tomorrow with a book of baroque music.
Isn't internet wonderful?
Many thanks, Sarah!
Hi, I gravitated toward the tenor just because I think that low sound is gorgeous. I really underestimated the stretching it would require! Although I've played big instruments like bassoon before, they have a lot of aid so you really don't have to stretch your fingers far at all. I'm happy to see you say that it will get better! It's particularly bad for my right hand. My right hand is just NOT used to that!
Thank you for your very informative videos!
As a reply on Thomann Tenors :
I was given a Thomann Tenor Recorder. Straight neck, two claps.
My then music teacher, who had an education from one German Music school (if my memory is correct the Hans Eisler in Berlin), had an Aulos Tenor and was sceptical of my cheap recorder. I urged him to test it, my respect and gift for him to be the first.
With a sceptical frown he played a scale, his brows straightened in surprise, and he played a lovely little tune.
He closed his eyes, short silence, smiled...
[sigh] : - "Ach, ja... Deutsche Qualität..."
He explained later, that cheap instruments are not always great. I may just have been lucky. It was better than the price tag.
He soon after bought a bass recorder from Thomann and was equally satisfied.
When a girl later needed an Alto recorder, she bought it at Thomann at our recommendation.
I don't remember if he bought his violin from Thomann.
I've heard that Thomann sell junk, so...
Maybe their recorders have gone bad, who knows. Like Yamaha: I have a Flute not in production anymore, apparently because "it's too good for the price tag". It filled a gap between school and more professional and expensive flutes just slightly better than mine.
BTW, (Tho-mann: Tho = like a stretched 'o' in 'towards' and mann = like the 'aan' in 'Naan bread" or 'ahn' in the Star Trek antagonist 'Khan' or the Jungle books 'Shere Khan'. Thomann :))
They suck now. Mass produced. No quality control. Intonation main problem. 2018 models were really good for the money. Don't know what happened.
I guess I’m lucky since my Thomann Tenor recorder sounds amazing for the price 👌🏻
Very nice and inspiring video. I just bought a 1970's Mollenhauer tenor recorder in an online auction. For 135 euros. No cracks, clean, and it sounds, oh boy. Thank you Sarah.
just got a Yamaha tenor, my small hands are suffering, but love the sound. thank you for this video.
Hi Wonil! Today I'm trying for the first time a tenor recorder. It's painful for my right hand, really uncomfortable! Did you get better?
I am like that with my Thomann tenor recorder. I am 41 and my hands childlike size. I have bone missing in my baby fingers, the knuckles are at the side of the fingers and my baby fingers do not bend. So due to that I find it hard to use the tenor but still trying.
I saw another Aulos model, 211 Robin I believe, recommended elsewhere for smaller hands. I recently purchased the Yamaha myself, however, if my daughter is very interested, I would consider trying the other for her. It's also half the price of the Aulos Symphonia one mentioned in the video, which I would have also loved to try! For me, the Yamaha was right in the middle price-wise of the three as well.
Well Sarah thanks very much to you I just ordered a Yamaha Tenor Recorder!!! I sucked at recorder as a kid, never really put any effort in at the time and it was a squeaky cheap school model. Well now I am 60 and find myself dealing with some health issues and neurological issues and yet still the yen to learn and instrument for my own pleasure. Always loved the sounds of woodwinds so I checked out your videos!!! I hope my hand issues and maybe my breathing will improve with practice so we shall see...oh I also ordered two learner method books with cds on your advice. Wish me luck!!!
How did it go? I even find the cheap plastic sopranos for school kids can sound pretty good
Please buy that 29 euro tenor and do a video review on it!
They do a bass too for under £100
I did a review on the 29 euro tenor and she did a review on the 99 euro one.
Of all my Yamaha recorders, I probably enjoy the tenor the most. So rich on the lower register, and yet very capable of going quite high with good stability.
For those worried about the stretch: Even though I have large enough hands, I found that a thumb rest really helps to alleviate a lot of the tension when making the stretch between 4 and 5, and for the pinky keys. Less weight on your right thumb can allow your other fingers a more relaxed feeling and perhaps more range of motion.
do you know the difference between the yrt-304b and the yrt-304b (II) ? Im trying to figure out if theres something significant to be aware of so I can determine which one to get, but Im having a hard time finding info.
emeeeych I just bought one today (ll).
I heard that the difference is the YRT-304B Il has the bottom keys. And that makes it easy on your fingers.
I wish my experience was the same as yours. I am sorely disappointed in my new Yamaha tenor, especially the lower register. I would not describe it as you have. I am near ready to put it into the recycle bin.
@@sending2ormore45 oh no what happened? It really does have a nice sound but i guess there are a couple of weak sounding notes? . Don’t recycle it lol.
This is the only recorder I still have and I've had it since I was 5 - the voice flute. I used to have maybe 15 different recorders as a child and would busk every day, but this is the one that I've ended up keeping over the years. Now I'm getting back into it. Thanks for all of this wonderful information and playing!
Greetings from a yank living in Drenthe! After watching your videos I'm decided to dust off my Yamaha plastic tenor recorder and give it a go again. I appreciate the time you take to make all your great videos! Bedankt!
Hi Sarah and the community!!! I'm excited because to date I haven't been able to see the comments let alone make any. BUT it looks as if tonight may be my night! Bcos here in Adelaide Australia it's just after 7.15 pm.
So I have a treble MOECK Rottenburgh rosewood recorder that I bought in about 1970 when we really couldn't afford to do anything like that. It really wasn't cheap to buy instruments from overseas to Australia all those decades ago:) And after a long time not playing, I'm now trying to take it up again. Usually whenever I do anything like this with music, I'm freshly amazed to find how bad I am at whatever I'm trying to play. But this time I was hugely rapt to find you & your videos Sarah. And I think I'm managing to do some fresh music with your help. Thaqnkyou so much for your work! Love from Aus
I got the Thomman out of curiosity, because I gave away my Yamaha sopran recorder as the sounds were just too high for me and honestly, I see no difference in quality between the Thomman and the Yamaha, it does not leak, it fits well together, the plastic is not thin or soft or anything, the sound is perfectly normal, not much different from yamaha. The keys work well allthough they may break earliler, but I don't think people would play it for hours a day. I can record something on it, when I get used to the differences between soprano and tenor. But yeah, I couldn't find any significant problems on the cheap recorder, it feels the same as my old yamaha or my friend's alto from another "better" brand. It's certainly very well playable.
Thanks for your small review! I was not sure, but or wild make a nice affordable gift
Thank you!
Does it come with an arched windway? I find that the arch on the Yaamaha 300 series really helps me to get a better sound (I have two, one with a straight winndway). The arched seems to offer a bit more resistance, something to blow against, I find it hard to describe exactly, that helps both with dynamics and overall tone.
It's such a great pleasure to look at your videos. Your enthousiasm and your funny way of telling is really overwhelming.
Thank you very much!!
My sister and I bought the Thomann tenor. Can't compare with others as we're beginners but the sound is pretty good and it feels a nice solid well made instrument. Has the c and c# keys
For practice hours I use a Triebert TenorRecorder - supplied by Early Music Shop Bradford - very good intonation and reposnse, a powerful baroque recorder sound. My preferred instrument for gigs is a Mollenhauer Waldorf Edition Tenor which has a wide bore and a sweet, expressive sound. My other instrument is a Rosewood and Bone decorated Dolmetsch Tenor Recorder circa 1956 - even with a straight windway the sound is good - of it's time perhaps, but it works well.
Hello, you are a very good teacher, clearly knowledgable and with a wonderful personality that is wonderful...
HarryPotter 3 has a soundtrack with alto and tenor recorder solos: 'A window to the past'. It's very easy to play even for beginners. :)
I'd like to try the tenor, I like its deep sound.
(Thank you for your very clear pronunciation, it is very helpful for my English learning.)
OMG. I just happened to buy a Dolmetsch tenor recorder from the 1970s at an antique mall last weekend. So glad I found your videos! Your personality is wonderful. Thank you!
I just bought one of those too... sounds lovely so far
Sarah, you are absolutely nuts, but so lovely with it, and it's great to be taught by someone who knows what they are talking about ! Roy.
I'd like to see another one or two of Sarah's uploads featuring the tenor - especially as it's clearly a size of recorder that she really likes. How about one of her comparison uploads featuring plastic and wood recorders - and/or keyless and keyed? Not everyone is in the intermediate or advanced range. I used to have an Aulos 211 keyless tenors and, for me, it had a great tone with quite an easy 'reach' ... something that tenors aren't usually known for. (I tried the keyed Yamaha but couldn't take to it - but that was just me).
Thanks to Sarah, my interest in recorders has been resurrected, so maybe she can have another look at tenors with those of her 'watchers' who are interested in what makes and types of tenor there are for those who want to try one.
After some research, I also went for the Aulos 211A with double holes (keyless), since it was said to be the plastic tenor recorder with the most effortless reach! Now after 1,5 weeks of playing, I often reach with my right little finger (C# and C). But yesterday playing with friends in a relatively cold room, my playing was really disappointing, which emphasizes the importance of having warm hands when playing the recorder! 🎵🎵🎵
The Aulos Symphony 'Robin' is keyless, so no lever at the bottom- it's good for those of us with smaller hands! Costs about £40 in the UK. Lovely sound too!
I think it's also called the 211a. You can also buy a thumbrest for it direct from Aulos for about $2.
Can anyone else recommend the 211a/Robin? I am thinking of getting one as my hands don't stretch as much in middle age as they did when I started the tenor at age 10 (and I've broken several fingers playing hockey!). It would be great to start making music again.
@@TracyGooding-xi7dp I have an Aulos 211A. I would not recommend it. The sound quality is poor, and the low C and C# are very low volume and difficult to play. I plan to try a Yamaha 304BII that has been modified to have a bent neck. The Yamaha has better sound quality, and has C/C# keys. The best thing I can say about the Aulos 211A is that it is not very expensive.
I had an Aulos keyless tenor back in the early 90’s and loved it (but it broke in a move). I got the Robin and don’t like it as much. The pitches of the lowest notes are off.
Oh! I agree about the tenor. It's my favourite recorder too because I just love it's warm tone, which is why I bought three of them! 😊
You must be rich... oh, no, I meant you were rich before you bought the 3 tenor recorders ;-)
Krystyna Sibielak LOL Well... I didn't buy them all at once, of course, and only one is relatively pricey (but better quality).
Johnny Conner lol
I have bought a Thomann's ténor recorder, and honestly it's nothing bad. It makes a nice option no expensive to get a tenor or a bass as well.
I have been playing the flute for 29 years. In addition to the concert flute, I also play alto and piccolo. I wanted to find a cheaper version of a wood wind, so I got two soprano recorders. One for me and one for my six-year-old niece. I also recently ordered myself a tenor recorder. Your videos have been really instructive. Thank you!
Hello! Which tenor recorders, cheap ones but good, would you recommend ? Thanks! 😉
I think one tip for the Yamaha one.. make sure the low c keys are on the side cause it makes it ALOT easier to finger(the double keyed ones especialy)
I love the warm Sound from the Tenor Recorder. :-)
I've loved the tenor since I was a kid and my dad would play his. We called it the "giant's pipe", which was a reference to a children's television show whose name escapes me at the moment. I think it's a Heinrich, and he still has it. In our house we have the Yamaha, and it does sound nice.
th-cam.com/video/pBuFZ-jxC8s/w-d-xo.html
I'm feeling nostalgic. I used to play the alto and the tenor recorders in highschool. :( I'm feeling like playing again.
It's funny because on your top 5 contemporary recorder pieces video, i commented with a link to a piece I wrote for tenor recorder. And now you have a video on getting started on tenor recorder. Thanks to this video, I might be able to try to play my piece one day. I don't even play recorder, but I respect the instrument alot.
Thank you! I appreciate the guidance. 😁 You are a riot to watch and I learn much. Thanks!
I inherited a not much used wooden "Heinrich" Tenor built in GDR around 1990, which has a beautiful sound. Unfortunately it has no double key for lower C sharp and German system, which limits a bit what you can play, but for a beginner it is already quite nice and makes more fun than just soprano which we learnt at school 40 years ago.
I know this is a while after you posted this video but I bought the Thomann tenor and I think it’s quite nice. I’m definitely not a professional but have played clarinet and flute since school and got to A level music (in the UK).
I have found it’s responsive and has a nice tone especially for the price. Maybe it feels more comfortable because in the hands it feels like a clarinet but much lighter and is the same pitch as the flute.
It is in tune depending on breath pressure and I have found it works well for more classical repertoire but then I don’t venture into contemporary!
Overall if you want a tenor but are not wanting to spend then go for it, it has the double key and came with a thumb rest and a decent pleather case 😂
Just starting with my Tenor - thank you for all of the repertoire suggestions!
This video is so helpful!!! Loved the rundown of all the tenors. My personal favorite is my keyless plastic Aulos Tenor. :-)
Finally bought myself a Tenor (Aulos 511b) and I'm enjoying it a lot! my enthusiasm for the recorder was surely fulled by your channel Thanks. A cool bonus: suddenly the alto feels so small and nimble!
I have a keyless Aulos tenor which I really like. It has a good sound and good tuning. Coming from the oboe, which is covered in keywork, I avoid keys wherever I can.
You have made me love the recorders. I have 2 and I am waiting foe a book in the mail. Thanks for being so much professional.
WOW!!! THANKS, FOR THIS GREAT COMPARISON VIDEO!!! YOU MAKE IT LOOK, AND SOUND SO EASY, AND BEAUTIFUL!!!
I received a bamboo recorder (whistle?) while spending time at the seashore resort of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I found that I couldn't put it down. So, as I usually do, I dove head first into the tenor recorder. The Yamaha resin recorder seemed appropriate but I was struck by how difficult it is to make beautifully resonant tones. After a few days of frustration and thoughts of returning it to the retailer (yuck!), I kept at it.
I'm so glad I did. After a few days, it began to sound better and I am starting to hear what I want, ignoring the occasional squeaks and high octave notes.
Yours is a friendly, and approachable style of teaching.
Thanks for the introduction.
I just bought a plastic tenor (Aulos) this week on Amazon for 66 euros... My ears can't deal with the soprano so I'm going try to play van Eyck on it ! (I can't have the E string of the violin too close to my ears... hence my viola playing...) I think I'm going to love it ! I can't wait next week to pick it up in my mailbox !!
Also, I've got « Solo baroque » and Ganassi books... Thank you so much for all your good advice !!
All this is very interesting and useful- moreover, I really improve my ability to understand English and follow a conversation! thanks again
I am a clarinetist and bassoonist, and I just love the sound of this instrument. I might have to pick one up!
Hello! I just looove bassoons ! And would looove to play this very exiting instrument ! Such a pity they are soooo expensive !! Do tou know of any that are affordable ? Thanks ! 😉
Oww .....Sarah.. you get me into a new musical addiction. I tend to think over getting me a tenor one, but autsch.. my home is getting too small if I want to collect my favorite hummels too...your enthusiasm is making my musical decisions harder and harder!!
Haha sorry!
@@Team_Recorder hey, it's my own free choice , so if I decide it's my own stupid mistake, innit? Anyway, the Yamaha tenor is coming my way, can't wait to use it.
Owwwwwww.......my Yamaha tenor arrived just today, I am SOOOOO happy with it. It is just as you and other players who reviewed this one stated: the tone and full sound can very easily compete with wooden counterparts. I still need some practice on the high B.C and D, but daily structural practive and your videos will help me through, thanks for your advices and reviews! And the tenor solo on "I'm the urban spaceman" is finally within my reach, yeeeehaaa!!
I loved my tenor soo much too...till I got the mollenhauer canta bass. Uuhh..Im so exited about its sound, it has a heartbeat..I swear..😊..and the vibration to my fingers..makes me close my eyes..
Love tenor, but voice flute is my absolute favourite, for the reasons you suggest (mix of tone and agility). I must admit I've never learned the fingerings and just play it as a transposing instrument, which has the advantage of putting a lot of baroque pieces for flute (in D) back into the original key.
I am pianist and I have owned a soprano recorder for years just for the pleasure of being able to play a wind instrument. Now I consider buying a tenor one to increase my range
Hope this is helpful - I tried an Aulos Symphony tenor with keys and simply couldn't cover the holes; then I tried an Aulos 201,or Robin, without keys, and found that I could play it really easily. It's supposed to be designed for people with smaller hands, and that seems to be true. Lovely sound. I tried a number of plastic tubes at the Early Music Shop and found the Robin the easiest - I could get low C, and what would be high G on a treble really easily. The other recorders, not easy at all. The advice in the shop was that if you don't need keys, it's best to go without them. At about £50, the Robin is also around half the price of the plastic tenors with keys.
I agree, I had Yamaha tenor with key,, but after I played on a friends Aulos Robin .... ordered one for myself the next day 😎
Just got a hold of the Baroque Record Anthology vol1 and it's fantastic - silver lining that my wife pays piano! Thanks for the great recommendation.
Looking for a woodwind to learn and loved the sound of the sax. Now discovered the tenor recorder which also sounds great, maybe even nicer- mmm, something to think about.
Love your video ! I have a Yamaha tenor, and I play with a dulcimer group. It blends quite well with the dulcimer, and is a really fun instrument to play.
Wonderful video on the tenor. When I started 5 years ago, I frequently read that you should not start with the tenor recorders. So not true. I love its deep rich sound. It is just a wonderful instrument. :)
Wow, another wonderful musician and teacher!😊 I just discovered Cutiepie who inspired me to dig up my 30 year old Soodlums D whistle and you have inspired me to also dig out my 20 year old Yamaha tenor! A dear old lady gave it to me at a garage sale, she said that her son didn't want it any more and I'd have never seen such a big recorder before. It has a beautiful sound doesn't it? Thanks very much from Australia
I'm playing my Thomann Tenor as listening you. No difference with the Yamaha. Some says the Aulos is a little more warm, but I'm going to do a little 'velouté modification inside my Thomann Soprano and Tenor to warm the plastic sound, will see if it works🙏🧡💚 I prefer for now a plastic set of flutes, I have also an irish flute, because I'm keeping my goats and the flutes are always with me in the bag .
Hi Patricia, where do you live and do your goats like it when you play? Are you a shepherd? I live in the Cevennes (South France) and play only indoors (bassoon and various recorders. Just started on the Aulas tenor).
What does it mean, adding a 'velvet modification', how do you do that?
Hi Sarah, I just got a Angel Tenor. So use to playing Alto fingers still getting use to the Tenor.
I practiced for months on a cheap toy soprano recorder and have just yesterday opened my first tenor recorder ordered on Amazon - the exact plastic Yamaha that you showed in this video. Having been blissfully unaware of the size of the thing when ordering it, I fell from my chair when I saw it in full glory (or, rather, I would have fallen If I was sitting on one at the moment) :-) I can manage C, B and A, but G is already too much of a stretch, let alone the other lower notes. But I hope I'll get there eventually :)
I find it relaxing when I play my tenor recorder.
I found an album of Maria Loos playing Piazzolla on the tenor recorder. It convinced me I should have one, I have a soprano and a treble (which I got after listening to Bruggen lol)
I'm with you on that Tenor Recorder is my favorite size Recorder thus far.
Bad childhood memories of other children's and poorly studied Soprano Recorder times.
You know?
Tenor has BODY! and is close enough in size in length the the Alto Saxophone that was my first Wind Instrument.
Tenor Recorder feels like a real instrument.
I picked up an MPI Tenor Recorder during the 2018 Holidays from Groth Music.
The deeper tone is less shrill at times than the Soprano Recorder.
Soparino Recorder would be my second favorite.
Sarah you are so amazing. Your videos are always so entertaining and I learn something new every time. Thank you.
Having played tenor horn in a brass band for 20 years, I know exactly what it feels like to get the harmony/accompaniment parts. Hard to believe that the tenor recorder has a low note of middle-C, they look so big and that isn't a low note at all!
I was just gifted a keyless rosewood mollenhauer and it sounds so lovely
I have the yamaha tenor recorder, it was second hand and it cost 70 euros!! It came with a thumb rest and a neck strap. It still sounds fine!
I was a tenor recorder soloist, rarely relegated to even second line. I regret going into my other love, computing, instead of music.
You can always do music on the side, my friend. It's what I plan to do. Just because it's not your career does not mean it has to end.
You are so fun to watch and you are so inspiring me to want to keep playing the recorder. Unfortunately the tenor recorder I have has only one key for the C. And I’ve decided I have to be happy with what I have,
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah......where should I begin? You are so amazingly quirky and funny and amazingly talented! And I thank u for being u......not that u had a choice :) So anyway.....I turned 60 last Dec. and decided to start playing an instrument....had never played one before, actually I had but never stuck with it. So I started with the clarinet because I wanted something portable to travel abroad with that would fit in my backpack. So after a few months I was like "Wow! I'm actually practicing twice a day and am able to read music!!! I was quite happy. But the clarinet was not my first choice....my first choice was alto sax. But not easy to fit in backpack. But I was like screw it. If I'm gonna learn an instrument I'm going to learn the one I really love. So skip ahead several months to today. Practicing regularly, loving the alto sax! But......leaving for SE Asia in January and the thought of hauling the alto, my backpack, my laptop and my photography gear on a motorbike all over Asia is not really working for me. Sooooo....a few moths ago I started looking at recorders....always loved the sound. But def. did not want to play the soprano. I wanted a recorder with....well u know. So after researching a bit I was like....."aw"....the tenor recorder I believe fits the bill! And after watching this video and your comment on the baroque recorder being more.....robust if u will. NO! I remember..."sonorous" was the word I had to look up. "Yes" the baroque tenor is the recorder for me! What I'm looking for as a beginner in a recorder is as beautiful and sonorous a sound as possible! What tenor recorder for around $150-$200 would u recommend? I'm def. thinking wood for the sound.....but am open to whatever u recommend. Could even do used on eBay. Thank u Sarah!!!!!!
I want that cane, ops, Rafi Tenor recorder someday, hehehe... To be fair, I really like the design, very unexpected to see from a recorder
Thank you so much for the wonderful video and all the information. Happy playing!
This has got to be one of the most inspiring youtube channels around. I play flute and sax, but started out with a recorder when I was young. Now I find myself addicted to Sarah’s videos and looking at tenor and bass recorders. Does this make any sense? Ga zo door Sarah..
Yes, it does make A LOT OF SENSE!!
Nou Rob van Valkenburg, het ziet ernaar uit dat ik in je voetsporen volg. Ik heb zojuist voor een fijn prijsje een Yamaha tenor weten te scoren, en die Thomann basfluit ziet er ook steeds verleidelijker uit..... wordt waarschijnlijk vervolgd. Daarbij lijkt het me geweldig materiaal om kinderen op de basisscholen waar ik werk als onderwijsassistent met deze verschillende fluitvarianten kennis te laten maken. Ik heb de leerlingen in het speciaal basisonderwijs al flink lekker weten te krijgen voor de hommel (plankciter, zoek maar op) en deze fluiten lijken me een geweldige aanvulling.
You kick bottom, Bean style if you know what i mean, masterful. Have just ordered the Yamaha. Now senior, woodwinds sax, bassoon mostly but was indoctrinated in primary school with the recorder. Thank you for your tootlage. ar, ar. Very impressive. CDN.
I've actually tried wooden and plastic tenor recorder. The wooden one has really nice sound. The plastic one has thing strong and sharp sound, It's not bad but I like the wooden one better.
For anyone trying to find an affordable tenor for very small hands (and short arms): I found an Aulos 311N-E keyless tenor on Ebay and I love it! I don't know how old it is but the third and fourth hole from the top have a diagonal bore. Recently I also found the Aulos 211A-E (Robin series) tenor, which is about a cm taller in the head joint but the spacing of the holes is identical. Both of them sound lovely.
Building stamina to play them isn't so much about the stretch for me, but more about the combination of stretching and pressing down to get a good seal.
Thank you! You're so sweet and funny! I loved your video. I am also tiny and my hands hurt tooooo much. But I want to play it! It's such an amazing sound!
I own a Thomann Tenor Recorder and from what I can judge it's a very good instrument for the price. I think the same applies for all the other Thomann recorders as well. I can play the lowest notes (after a couple of weeks of practise) relatively easy. So I'm fan of it!
I really enjoy watching your videos!! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge about recorders
the thomann tenor recorder for 29 euros has raving reviews, as i have seen.
I just received a Yamaha 304…. Man!!! This thing is BIG!!! It’s hard to get the low “C.” It sounds very cool! Thanks for all the great Recorder videos!!!!!! 🙂😎
my tenor recorder squeaks like hell when i play low notes. how do i stop this? i'm breathing so slowly and daintily that it sounds quiet and weak but if i add even a little air it squeaks. how do i solve this problem? i'm using a yamaha tenor with a key on the bottom
Try my video ‘how to hit the low notes’!
I never took recorders seriously until I started watching your videos. I thought they were just toys for kids to enjoy. I've had a soprano recorder for decades as a toy. I'm now learning to play the soprano recorder. I also just bought an alto and a tenor recorder and will be learning to play them, as well. I'll probably get the bass recorder later this year. Thanks for advocating for the recorder!
BTW, please recommend method books for the alto and tenor recorders! I can't find any!
Use your Soprano books for the tenor as they're the same fingerings.
What is the difference between German style and Baroque? I have been offered a used wooden Yamaha tenor German style recorder at a very low price. It appears to be working perfectly. I am an older man with large hands, and I have decided to do what Benjamin Franklin did when he was a couple of years older than me. He was 70 when he decided to learn the violin. By the time he was 90 he was considered a virtuoso. It is inspiring. I do like the sound of the tenor recorder, and the fingers further from my eyes would help me see them more clearly.
Franklin said that age 70 his schedule changed and he discovered he had an extra 10 minutes of free time every day, so he bought a violin to fill that extra 10 minutes daily. He is a great example of using a small amount of time, but consistently maintaining it across many years, and what that consistency can produce.
The recorder suits me better, and is probably much easier to learn :)
Thank you so much
I just wanted to start to play this instrument. Thanks so much for this video! ❤
I have the Thomann Tenor ,really good one ;) as like the Aulos
Love your videos! This has inspired me to get my recorders out after many years of neglect and practice!
I just found a Dolmetsch tenor for $5 as it needs new cork on the joints. It's obviously a bit cheaper made than my Yamaha alto, but it does have a built in thumb rest. As a clarinet player, I appreciate the thumbrest. I don't forsee any quality or playability issues other than it does have a single key- but the fingering chart says you can half hole the key to play C#..... Never tried half hole on a key
I have a Yamaha tenor, I love its sound, tempted to learn playing soon
I looked up the Yamaha plastic tenor YRT 304B. Amazon (U.S.) has it for $69.75. Their prices fluctuate from time to time. I recently bought book 1 of Der Fluyten Lust-Hof' by Jacob van Eyck from Flute World (U.S.) and it looks better suited to recorders than flute, although I can play it on flute.
Hi Sarah thank you very much for all the videos you do you make it really good fun and I also want to play the recorder the more I see your videos so I got an alto recorder and I am doing well. I am visually impaired and cannot read sheet music I play by ear. your videos are very helpful when it comes to the fingering of the recorder as you use a lovely simple background which enables me to see what you are doing fantastic!! what I also love about your videos is it's just you with no background noise I am hearing impaired so this helps a lot! I haven't watched all of your videos but I am getting through them slowly thank you so much 😁
Great video. Did you mention what sheet music to use? You said it so fast that i did not quit get it 😊
i just stumbled across this account and the videos are so useful! as a young aspiring recorder player i am looking for lots of advice and relatable stuff. there are not many accounts like this, so thank you for the originality. 💕🌹
Very good, thanks Sarah; I found the keys on a plastic tenor soon broke, so went for a key-less plastic Aulos, which has lasted for many years...not sure what a good wooden keyless option would be..? (I simply use mine to introduce the tune of English folk-songs and hymns, by the way.)
I’ve been learning Alto recorder for the past year, and would love to add Tenor to my skill set… do you have a video on wrapping your brain around learning the second set of fingering????? Adore your channel - I’ve fallen in love with the recorder thanks to you, Sarah!
The Tenor is the same notes/ fingering as the Soprano
@@Resgerr I don’t play soprano (yet!) Just alto. So need to learn a second set of note/finger pairings
@@emmat88 it’s not complicated just the Soprano notes are a 5th up. The first note on your alto is an E ( of course thumb hole is covered) that is a B on a Soprano( B is the dominant note in an E chord). Cover the first and second hole is a D on alto and is an A on a Soprano, etc. The Tenor fingering is the same as the Soprano.
thank you. in early music consort music tenor parts are often the most interesting. Especially renaissance period, tenor part is often the melodic one and the others are built around it.
Exactly - I love it! Often the third or fourth line is the melody, or has the really nice crunchy harmonies
This is amazing!!! I remember the recorder in literal infant school and had no idea that there are different types!!
Around a year ago I stumbled across a pair of Aulos soprano and tenor E recorders at a thrift store with accessories, even the grease. Cost me an equivalent of $5. I'd say it was a steal.
Thanks for this very helpful video! I just bought a Yamaha, and am excited about getting started with it!
I am BIG fan ... after listening to the Yamaha Tenor, I purchased the "Yamaha YRT-304B Professional ..." - love the sound of it - thanks. BTW,
you are very lovely, friendly, smart...and pretty...L..e in the air. :-)