Thanks for this, and all of your excellent videos! I'm a flute player. I also own two used, inexpensive eBay recorders. One is a seldom spoken of brand, Venus. That's the soprano. My tenor is a Hohner. I've had these for years with spotty response in intonation and repeatedly, specific cracked notes. I decided that I'd like to up my performance capabilities on recorders so I just placed my order directly from Aulos. I bought both tenor and soprano Hakas in wood grain. Including shipping from TX, the cost was under $100.00. I was looking at pearwood recorders until I watched your videos on the various plastic recorders. Those videos made me realize that at my stage of skill, I had no real need to spend three or four hundred dollars. I'm excited to have two recorders coming my way that I can sink my musical teeth into without questioning the instrument as a cause of poor performance. Bad sound will be me and I can improve myself. I'll be now watching more of your instructional videos regarding articulation, transposing, etc.... Thanks again for your enthusiasm and entertaining, informative videos!
You are spot on with your review of the Aulos Haka model alto. I've owned one for 20 years and just bought a woodgrain one 3 years ago. I wore the tenon joints out on the older one so I cut a couple of tenon grooves for hardware store o-rings and it plays better than ever. I find the Aulos Haka recorder to be very satisfying to play. It plays all the way to high G very easily. It is well in tune. I own several 300 series Yamaha altos but both my 709B Haka and 509B model Aulos recorders are all I play. Both of the Aulos tenors are very good. I especially like the 511B Symphony model. It is slightly better than my Yamaha 300 tenor. Keep up the good work.
Hello Sarah, this was quite, quite good. On youtube there are literally dozens of video where a musician compares instruments to evaluate them, but this one of yours stands out because it's no-nonsense and you explain clearly what you're doing soon before doing it, stating what you're looking for. In most of those other videos, the musician simply plays the same piece on different instruments and says "I like this more", which is only partially helpful. P.S. I still prefer the Yamaha 300, though. I think they sound mellower. The sound is probably not as large but I think it is more beautiful
I was wanting a recorder for outdoor gigs. After your video I got the Haka alto. I played it outdoors on a cold damp December day last month and it behaved beautifully. My modern alto is not happy in those conditions so the Haka was an exceelent choice. I've since got myself a soprano as well though I done have the same need for it but it's a nice instrument and it's useful to have.
I've been watching your videos and I had just ordered the Aulos Alto 709B before I saw your video so I was very excited to get it in the mail today. I'm new to the recorder so I'll be watching more of your videos!!!
I have both these in the woodgrain effect. The design is so convincing people (other musicians) keep asking me what wood it's made of ☺! I set out to determined to buy wood. Wood was the way to go, as far as I was concerned, but when I compared the soprano with the budget wooden ranges of more expensive brands like the Moeck Rottenburgh and the Mollenhauer Denner, they just didn't stand up against the Aulos Haka. To get the same sound in wood I was looking at going up another price bracket. The tone of the Aulos was clearer and fuller, without losing warmth. The tuning also seemed to be a bit more accurate. The Alto has got such a beautiful tone compared with Moeck & Rottenburgh "equivalents". I'm an intermediate player and for the first time I feel like I've got performance instruments.
Thanks to these vids I've slowly started to understand the subtle differences in sound that I did not before. Now they are glaring differences, but the first time I saw your vids I was like what they all sound the same. Thank you!!!
You can sand the outside of shiny plastic recorders to make it look less plasticy. I had a basic black plastic aulos I did that with to make it look better for the SCA medieval stuff I was doing, and people kept asking me if it was ebony and being shocked when I told them that it was plastic and I'd sanded it. Don't sand the parts that make the sound, but all the rest of the outside is fair game. The SCA is also where I learned that DEET melts plastic recorders. I wound up with melted fingerprints on mine... so I sanded those off too. And became a lot less willing to use DEET. If it's melting my instrument, what's it doing to me?
I'm so glad you reviewed these! A few months ago, after watching your other videos and reading a bunch of reviews, I ended up buying a Haka soprano to learn on. Glad to see my decision wasn't a bad one :)
Thanks Sarah - that was quite the test drive! The soprano sounded really beautiful. I have the Haka Alto in the wood grain finish and as a beginner am very happy with it (although as I've not played any other recorder I don't have anything to compare it with).
As a College music prof, I didn't want to spend a lot of $$$ because we are starting a 'Recorder Consort' this year, and I have been asked to sort of 'lead' it. I decided on starting out with the Autos Haka soprano (mentioned above) and Bonsor's books to get me up to speed during the summer. I've NEVER liked the 'squeaky' sound of most soprano recorders, so I REALLY wanted to find one I could live with. There is a lot of richness in this Haka which helps me as I learn (again) how to 'do' recorder, though I am prone (from your earlier review on Plastic Recorders) to want to have a Mollenhauer Adris' Dream soprano - in red- eventually. Thanks for all your help in this area.
I agree low G in the alto is lovely and powerfull sound. I also love trilling mid G-A with just finger 3 in 2345 configuration. My biggest trouble is hitting high F with the right pressure. And high F# doesn’t need to cover the bell
Dear Sarah, I have been playing each day and some days are “good”!and some are “bad”. However I’ve hung in there thinking eventually this 71 year old will get this thing going good. Well, I’ve had a break through! I was having trouble with the notes I was playing and realized I was “blowing”. I thought about how you talk about “breathing” your notes (that day I watched one of your videos where you mentioned that. So I started “breathing my notes” and “breathing thru the recorder” and . . . Wala!! Thanks!! I picked up a new note today (and really am just learning). I practice on a Yamaha tenor and a Yamaha soprano. Both are nice and I like them. But the music I’m making is now a lot more pleasant. For the first time, I’m enjoying the instrument and making pleasing, though simple, music. I’m off and running. -I did order an Aulos 709 BW alto recorder along with a book to learn it. I’m encouraged on this journey. Thank you!
Thank-you for this Sarah and I'm glad you liked your Hakas. I have the alto and, to me, it has a lovely rich, 'reedy' sound that my Yamaha tenor lacks.
I’m a lapsed recorder player who only occasionally plays recorder or penny whistle. My main instrument (these days) is a carbon fiber five string made by Fred Gayford. I also have a severed muscle in my rotator cuff and that limits how long I can play my fiddle. So... my recorders and a penny whistle or two are in standby mode. I play Irish music because we have sessions at easy to reach pubs where the food and company is excellent. I’ve probably played recorder longer than any other instrument except the guitar. Concerning the Aulos Haka soprano and alto. It was love at first playing for me. These recorders erased the years of not playing in seconds. Thanks for your review.
Hi, I'm glad to see a video about the Aulos Haka ! I used this recorders since one year right now, and it's (mostly for the alto) the best plastic recorder i've never played. The sound is really good, it's a best altenatif for people haven't the money for a wood one. A next video about plastic bass recorder will be great =)
@@baroquer English isn't my mother tongue ... But I think you have understood what I meant. "C'est la meilleur flûte en plastique que j'ai eu l’occasion de tester."
I have been playing the Aulos Haka alto recorder for a few months and have a comment on fingering. Another (maybe better) fingering for the high G is T/2 123 -5-7. Also, as someone else mentioned, high F# can be played without closing the bell hole, using T/2 123 45-7 with hole 3 partly open. And you can trill between F# and G using these fingerings (with hole 3 partly open).
When I was learning to play the third octave by covering the bell hole with my leg, I found the bell holes on Aulos were harder to seal than other recorders. The Aulos bell hole "dimple" offers less surface area than a "dimple-less" end. Planting the instrument on one's leg on my Aulos required more precise movements, and there was less latitude for error. But this is not an issue for the 99.99% of recorder players who stick to the first two octaves! Someone who has more flexible hips than I do, and better balance, might find the Aulos perfectly fine for stratospheric notes!
The Aulos sopranino is very good too - 507B-E I think it's from the Symphony range. I was really impressed by the build quality and the case etc. as well as the sound. I do like these Hakas though - but then you make everything you play sound great Sarah!!!
Great series of useful videos thanks. Very envious of your ability with the instruments! I've been playing the Haka alto for quite a while now and like it very much, I intend to buy the soprano. Mine is the wood effect instrument which does look nice, although the finish is starting to wear off around the holes. I've read below about the difficulty in reaching the high e and f, and it does take some practice, but I have found that if I trim my left thumb nail to be level with the top of my thumb it greatly helps. Too short a nail and you have inadequate support for the flesh of the thumb when partially closing the rear hole, and too long it will dig into and possibly damage the instrument. Became aware of this when I damaged my thumb nail and was unable to play the high notes with any confidence.
I love these. I practice on the alto, then the soprano feels like no stretch at all. It's wonderfully, and gets me ready to practice stretching on the tenor.
Agree haha, after I learned how to play “Daphne”, I always tend to play it unconsciously whenever I pick up my recorder😂😅. “Allemande” you’re next haha
I fell in love with recorder because of every time she plays Doën Daphne. I thought it can be something amazing after my terrible experience in primary school. Now I'm studying this piece of music.
I ordered a soprano and alto Aulos Haka set. The soprano is very nice! But the alto''s head joint was so tight that I had to use a lot of force to take the head off every time, no matter how I greased it. I could have sent it back, but I bought a Moeck Rottenburgh alto in maple instead (it's a dream recorder for me, I'm so glad I splurged!)
Hi Sarah, Very timely review - almost! I purchased an Aulos Haka alto yesterday! However you have confirmed my research and I am very relieved. I have a wooden recorder which I love but it has been travelling and now slightly battered - so I was looking for a good alternative to play when out camping. Thank you.
I have a few plastic recorders and this one is the best for sure. Even being an amateur like me its easy to see de diference. Considering to buy the soprano one now.
As a College music prof, I didn't want to spend a lot of $$$ because we are starting a 'Recorder Consort' this year (and we have to buy an entire quintet) - I have been asked to sort of 'lead' it. So, I decided on starting out with the Aulos 503b soprano (not mentioned above) and Bonsor's books to get me up to speed during the summer, before everyone else. I've NEVER liked the 'squeaky' sound of most soprano recorders, so I REALLY wanted to find one I could live with. There is a lot of richness in the Aulos which helps me as I learn (again) how to 'do' recorder, though I am prone (from your earlier review on Plastic Recorders) to want to have a Mollenhauer Adris' Dream soprano - in red(!) for my own use, eventually. Thanks for all your help in this area, Sarah- reviews like this are how many of us determine which instrument to consider.
Sarah...You Are so cute! Beautiful alto and soprano recorders too. Your hair , your voice, your recorders, the way you play, everything is perfect in you. Thanks God you are real. Thank you for sharing the power of music in your talented fingers. Greetings from Tijuana!
Hi Sarah ans thank you for this video !!! I've bought the zen on bressan alto ans I am son happy with it. I think it ils the first tome I really enjoy playing on a plastic instrument !!!
I adore the Dolmetsch Nova Revorders - Mostly the Tenor. I got my tenor 6 years ago and it is just amazing, even after that long time and lots of hours of playing.
Unfortunately, the Dolmetsch Nova recorders are a thing of the past. Aafab in Utrecht (Nl) took over, but they only sell the remaining stock. My Nova tenor got a huge hole in the lower tenon a few weeks ago. It is still playable and it doesn't affect the tone, but this is a dying recorder. However, I would love to have a Nova consort because they really play nice for me.
@@zijdezacht3738 Looking at your name I think you're Dutch, so am I, and I have a Dolmetsch Nova alto for sale, send me a message if you would like to buy it :-) It's a lovely alto, I just seem to pick my Aulos one more.
I have a single Aulos recorder, the garklein, and find that I have to play it extremely loudly in order to bring the pitch up to A=440 - I'd prefer the whole thing to be scaled down slightly so I could be more delicate with it and still play at a modern pitch standard. I wonder if any of their other recorders are like that.
Autos is a great make. It’s quite wide bodied and takes a lot of air. I’ve had mine for over40 years. I love it. I do have a soprano but it’s escaped and is hiding out somewhere in my music cupboard.
Hi Sara. I love the Aulos flutes. I have all of the symphony and haka series. an observation, the 702 is Germanic typing. the baroque is 703. and the 509 is better than the 709. the 509 has the best balance between velvety and stridency. on 709, the sound is a little restrained and I can not make the impact I reach with the 509. you should try the 509, no doubt. as for the 503, the soprano, does not have the beauty of the tone of 703. the 703 has the most beautiful timbre of all.
Hi Rodrigo, thank you for your advise. Based on it, I bought the symphony alto (509B) and I am totally delighted ; it has indeed a good general balance, it is a bit challenging in the higher register, but thanks to its numerous qualities, it has become my main daily practise instrument. As I deeply disliked the look of the Haka 709B (too brown to my taste), and the 509B has a more classical look, it was a sensible choice. I also have the Zen-On Bressan (alto G-1A) and the Yamaha Ecodear alto (YRA402B) which are really great ABS instruments (I like each of them for different reasons), but I consider them as too easy to play for a challenging and precise practise. For tone stability and sound particularity, the later (Yamaha YRA402B) is difficult to beat on the plastic instrument market.
Coming back to this vid coz I just love recorder reviews, but gurrrl this dress I love the most, it feckin rocks! I remember you wore this for that Christmas vid you did with the monstera in the bkg. It's absolutely gorgeous and makes you look a movie star!!!
I bought a Haka soprano a while ago. It was a decent recorder but I already had an aulos Soprano, a 303E which cost me £6 new. I couldn't detect any difference between the two so I sold the Haka. I'd be interested to try the alto though. My alto is a Yamaha YRA312IIB which, though a good recorder, it clogs terribly, even with preventative measures. It would be interesting to see a comparison between that and the Haka alto
Hi Sarah, glad that you confirmed my impressions! I have both these instruments, the wood grain is elegant (how much the plastic can be :-). I use the alto as practice alternative to my new Küng Superior. Haka has for me inspiring sound possibilities and the hard training on the pinky is rewarded later by easy playing on the wood instrument 😜. The only thing I dislike is the case which makes quite cheap impression. But...who cares in a fact if the instrument is good?
Sarah, Do you think the soprano you reviewed here would blend well and be in tune with other recorders when playing in a consort? I'm having serious tuning issues with my wood Kung and I'm thinking of switching to the Aulos soprano. I really like my Aulos alto and tenor; they are in tune with other instruments. Again, at one point I had "nice" wood alto and tenor recorders but replaced them with the plastic Aulos because of tuning issues.
Hi Sarah. Great channel and amazing/fun personality. 👍. So... Thanks for reviewing the aulos. ... On the video I heard the same sound qualities coming from the instrument that I... don't like.. about them... So..it's not only me...... Mm.. Thanks?....... Of course. In your case I imagine that you manage to magically soften and control those sound features with your amazing technique etcétera. In my case which is the opposite of -pro- I just find other instruments friendlier to play and in sound.... I always think that maybe the thing is that the Aulos are really for great players who have incredible breath and tonguing technique. Not my case at all.. I just play to relax and to have fun. But... Your review clarified. I'm a fan. I'll donate.👍
Nice. I have a Yamaha alto YRA12Biii and its a good instrument but I feel the bottom G and F need babying to get a clear tone, especially F which so wants to crack
Hey Sarah, can you share what model is the soprano recorder you have here? I have one soprano recorder and have been playing it for a long time but this Aulos soprano you have in this video is just wonderful. It's not pitchy!
Hi Sara, I've just started learning to play the recorder and the sound is, so far, is less than terrific. It is not much different than a penny whistle. Since the disagreeable sound couldn't possibly be related to my playing, I hope, I figured it must be my recorder. So, I started to look around for a new soprano recorder. I chose to listen to your video for guidance. I decided to take your advice and get an Aulos soprano recorder. But wait, I have an Aulos soprano recorder! But it’s not exactly like yours. The difference between yours and mine is that mine has white at the top and bottom but no white in the middle. My question: Is there a difference between your recorder with 3 white places and mine with only 2? If there is a difference, I’ll be happy to buy another Aulos with three white areas. Thanks in advance.
I have taken the plunge and bought one. I think it must be the wood grain one because it is not shiny. I think I would have preferred a paler 'wood' . I actually do not like the feel of it. It is heavier than I expected, which is odd because I am normally a tenor player. I am still struggling with the fingering. Why oh why don't recorders transpose?. I got mine from Just Flutes who included the P&P in the deal and it came very promptly. It came very cold. so it is playing better and better. Cork grease is yellow, which is very off putting. Oddly I find the stretch for the right hand little finger difficult but when I get it right the low F is very juicy, I would like a tenor version that plays Cs like that!! I am finding the top F and CSharp rather hit and miss but when it happens it is good and clear, I am pleased with it.
Wow. Great video. This is not really a beginners instrument; to reache far into the 2nd octave you need some skills. I have my 709bw now a year. At first I didn't use the thumb rest at all; but after a light injury I got used to it. You can buy the thumbrest without a recorder, and it will fit other recorders too without damaging.
Ewan Jobe I really don’t know. On my Dolmetsch Nova tenor I can reach 3 C’s and D’s. On my Aulos Haka alto the D of the second octave and when I’m not too tired the E. The third F is a matter of luck, and usually the odds are not too good. I don’t dare to think about even higher. :) On my wooden recorders no problem. When I talked with the specialists at Thomann, they said that the Yamaha recorders are harder to play than the Aulos, but I only had the Haka, I’ve never played on an Aulos Symphony.
I have a tenor Aulos recorder, but I don't know if it is the Haka version. I just know it has a good sound that blends well with the other recorders in my church ensemble. But I am no where near the level of Sarah. I used to play an Adler tenor wood recorder and could not get the range of notes that I can with the Aulos tenor. Hope that helps.
No, so far only soprano an alto size for Haka models. Curious about blending, I find their sound to stand out in front of other recorders, best for solo or combination with other instruments; for ensamble playing I prefer the Symphony series
The Aulos alto 709 BW and the soprano 703 BW have the simulated wood grain finish which does look better (although they play exactly the same as the regular plastic in my opinion). They can be bought from Sweet Pipes sweetpipes.com/product-category/recorders/aulos-recorders/page/2/ I personally like the Aulos Haka models for solo work. I find it hard to make the soprano blend in an ensemble.
Oh, I just read comments from Antique Sounds Workshop that said the Aulos 500 series is more in tune than the 700. After playing the 700, do you think the tuning is an issue?
I have a few different recorders in that make but have trouble with the one of the Aulos trebles I have as it clogs up a lot, it gets a weird sound like muffled and low after playing just one song. I wash it correctly, I wash all my recorders in a big wash once a week and just with the cleaning rod and lint cloth the other days I play them. So for my bass I got a Thomann which arrived this week. I am hoping I did the right thing choosing that make. I have used Aulos recorders for 29 years. One thing I dislike about the Aulos treble is there is not flap and I find it so hard rfor my baby finger to reach the bottom hole. I am in my 30’s but have small fingers, kid sized fingers. My baby fingers do not bend, their knuckles are at the side of them and have bits of bone missing from them. can you buy flaps to put on a recorder? Or would I have to buy one with the flap already on it?
I’m so happy to see this review. I really liked both the Alto and Soprano myself (Not that I know much #beginner), but I’ve been dying to know what you thought about them.
I have both Aulos and Yamaha recorders as well as a few others. Yamaha recorders are beautiful instruments, so don't be concerned if she likes the Haka recorders. Have you seen her collection? She loves all her instruments.
MsBettyR. I come from the school band Yamaha experience so I'm like the automatic follower of that brand. Ive learned there are so many other great plastic recorder makers, & was starting to feel pressure to research more, but your comment makes me feel more relaxed about my recent automatic Yamaha purchase (and the next one I'm already thinking about!)
Well I'm not worried so much as interested. I've had Aulos recorders since about 1980 (when the choice was that or Dolmetsch) and always thought they were the best and sounded gorgeous, especially the tenor. That was until I picked up a Yamaha descant recently and it just felt as though I were handling quality, perhaps because it's heavier. I also felt it would last longer at school! I've been using wooden instruments myself for the last few years, so as I've lost touch with plastic, this kind of info is useful for school purchases. I might just buy one, just to compare!
MsBettyR. Yes, I love all Sarah's instrument videos. My Haka alto has arrived and I'm pleased with it except for two things: 1 My arthritic wrist makes heavy weather of the low notes and the only way I can get them is to move the thumb rest so that my right hand thumb stretches upwards ( I think like the left hand thumb on one of Sarah's wooden tenors - was it Raffi or something like that?). I think the fundamental problem is a finger 6 that is an inch longer than finger 7. My wrist doesn't want to bend towards the thumb to get my hand at a right angle to the recorder, which accentuates the difference in length. Stretching my thumb up seems to help. 2 My other gripe is that low F sharp seems too high and I have to go very quiet to get it in tune.
I recently upgraded to the haka alto in wood grain effect and although it looks matte it actually feels much more slippery than my shinier looking plastic-finish haka soprano. Weird!( I use your tip of licking my fingers a bit to compensate.) I started out on a bottom-of-the-range plastic yamaha, then after a couple of years getting the hang of the fingering I switched to the cheapest aulos (which sounded much nicer) and then a couple of years after that I got the haka. I am finding it far easier to play the high notes on the haka, and am able to add dynamic differences that escaped me on the cheaper models....but oddly I marginally preferred the sound of the lower register on the cheaper aulos. My friends have definitely noticed the difference and reckon the haka sounds a lot nicer than my previous altos. I think it will be a very long time before I feel I have sufficiently mastered the haka to justify upgrading any further. Thank you so much for the review. It was really interesting to see how you set about testing a new instrument.
Personally I find the Aulos Haka recorders to be more suitable for solo work; they don't tend to blend in well in an ensemble, particularly the soprano. The Aulos 509 alto does blend in more. Of course it also depends on what instruments the other players are using.
Mihaela Mack I think I remember reading a similar comment somewhere else when I was deciding whether or not to buy the haka, but it's not something I need to worry about as I'm pretty sure I'm the only recorder player on the small tropical island I currently call home. :-)
Tamar, you never know, you might become a trend setter! You can become a recorder advocate and influence some people to take it up and even start an ensemble. The Aulos Haka recorders are fine instruments, much better than cheap wooden recorders.
Hello. Please can you tell me the exact net weight of this Aulos 703B? Do you by any chance also have any of the following and can you also tell me their weight?: - Aulos 503B - Yamaha YRS-302BIII (I know you have this one too) - Yamaha YRS-402B Thank you so much. 👍🏻
Thx for the great video. Very helpful. That being said...I know that no one will believe me until the end of time - people tend to believe anecdotal evidence over empirical, scientific fact based conclusions but OK, here it goes: there is absolutely no difference between wood and plastic as far as sound. It's indisputable hardcore science. Craftsmanship and other structural differences determine the sound of a wind instrument, not its material. Acoustic studies that look at the actual sound waves produced, and using the Laws Of Physics (not even blackholes and powerful galaxies can overcome the laws of physics), shows there is only one conclusion: a wind instrument's sound has nothing to do wth its material but rather its unique structure. In fact wood will give you pitch issues due to weather condition - plastic will not. My hope is that a third more environmentally sound material will be available.
I don't know if you are still interested a year later, but this is not my experience. I own two soprano recorders, one in a softish wood (maple) and a second one in a harder wood (rosewood). Hardwoods are more expensive, but I paid the extra money because I liked the brighter sound. On the other hand, I bought the first, maple one because its sweet sound reminded me of the wooden recorders I had played in childhood - quite different from, e.g., an Aulos Haka (which I also tried).
@@gerardvila4685 I know you won't believe me but it's all in your head As far as sound. They did a double blind experiment with professional recorder players and time after time again and again, these highly seasoned pros could not tell the difference - in fact they would often and randomly choose the cheap plastic over the expensive one thinking's it was the wood model. Acoustics is a field of physics. And the acoustics of a wood recordert - how it makes sound, it's sound wave form, it's vibrational cavity (there is none on a recorder) is identical to a plastic recorder.
@@GrootsieTheDog Thanks for answering. Of course acoustics is part of physics. And I have studied physics. But there are several ways of doing physics. Are you aiming to explain 99% of what is going on? That is usually enough to make a physicist happy. Or are you aiming to determine what happens to, say -70 decibels - that is the kind of figure they aim at in high fidelity amplifier design, which translates to maybe 99.97% accuracy (not sure of the figure but you get the idea). In order to get that level of quality, you have to take into account other effects that are relatively small energy-wise, but nevertheless can make all the difference to our listening experience because our ears are extremely sensitive. Now there are three possible explanations for the difference in sound quality between recorders. First, your explanation, that it doesn't exist. But I don't buy that because in my case, notonly can I hear it, but my wife remarked on it, and she is not interested in recorders at all! Second there is the possibility that the differences are due to subtle details in manufacture. But that doesn't jibe with recorders of different woods from the same manufacturer sounding different. Third is that the acoustic reflection, absorbtion and conduction characteristics of the various materials are VERY slightly different. Not enough to stand out in a physical study, but perceptible by the person playing the instrument hours at a time. That said, I would be interested to read the study you refer to - do you remember where you read it?
Not so sure about that. The attack on my plastic recorders can be quite unpleasant and grating if I play with a T consonant. This is not the case with my wood recorder. Different materials resonate, absorb and reflect sound different amounts and at different frequencies. So I'm not sure the science is necessarily settled. That said, a crappy wood recorder definitely can sound worse than a good plastic instrument (particularly in the area of tuning).
@@davidm1922 they did studies with professional recorder players and time and time again they couldn't tell the difference between plastic or wood recorders. They couldn't tell by the sound and they couldn't tell by the way it played. That's why they have not only double blind studies but oft n triple blind studies are needed because we are easily influenced (and fooled) by our conceptions and misconceptions. And often those perceptions influence studies and that's why they need to be triple blind. I'll admit, when I'm playing an instrument that looks and feels beautiful I think it sounds beautiful and I play better. But that's aesthetics and our emotional connection to that. The fact is the same knowledge of physics that allows us to place telescopes that see the first stars of the universe is the same foundational principles that allow us to understand why wood and plastic recorders are no different if they are constructed with the same quality.
I have both the Aulos 509BW Soprano Wood Grain, 709BW Alto Wood Grain, they look like a Rose Wood Finish which i really Like their looks, they have a satin finish Not Shiny, I just wish that Aulos had Made a Tenor, and Bass in their Wood Exterior Finish. Sound wise, I really like the HAKA's recorders, and the wood grain 312 and 314 Yamaha's also have a Very Nice sound to them. The Aulos 509B Alto, and Yamaha 300B, are shiny, and to my ears Not as pleasing, as the Aulos Haka's and Yamaha's 312B and 314B Altos, I love the No nonsense appeal of Plastic and its durability, and Longevity, Zero maintenance besides a dip in a dish pan of dish soap and water every so often to keep things sanitary. I play Saxophone and Clarinet. Love that with a Recorder, there are, NO REEDs!!!!!! to deal with, Light Weight!!!! My Tenor SAX weigh's over 20 pounds that's very heavy on the neck and shoulders for an hour or two at a time. When Compared to a 6 Pound Light weight, Yamaha Bass YRB-302B, or Aulos Bass A533B, Love both of those Bassets.
@@Team_Recorder it arrived 3 days ago and I'm in love... such a good instrument. I was wondering if you had advice about the left hand thumb nail length, because I'm already carving out a substantial groove already 😅 I can't seem to find information on that.
I recently made a removable bell key for my Aulos Haka alto recorder since I don't like using my knee for high F# and A: th-cam.com/video/NKiLo3_f73U/w-d-xo.html. Although high F# can be played on the Aulos Haka without closing the end hole, a better quality (and better in tune) F# can be achieved by closing the end hole. The removable bell key can be modified slightly to fit other alto recorders.
Great review! 0:54 I bet the fingering chart for the alto recorder is only in the first two octaves (although the recorder plays in three octaves). Why? One reason perhaps is “Because the recorder fits the (two-octave) range of the human voice very well." 😉 🎼 ♫
I just spotted it on Amazon so you should be able to order it without problems. It's a very lovely soprano! I'm in the Netherlands and ordered mine online as well.
Aulos is so good! I am actually struggling finding a decent plastic tenor! The one I’ve got has a horrible sound and tuning, I have never been able to use it during concerts yet! Do you have any brand for a plastic tenor? :)
Asmr Whisperer I know this is an Aulos video, but I absolutely LOVE my Yamaha tenor. Very strong and stable sound from bottom to top of the register. I think it runs about $90ish which is comparable to the price of the Aulos tenor.
Thanks guys. I was actually thinking about Yamaha or Aulos since I have a soprano and alto by Aulos and I know Yamaha is good. Any particular model from Yamaha you feel to suggest?
Asmr Whisperer I wish I could say I have tried the nice wood ones, but I don't have the money for them yet...😔 Anyway, the model I have is the YRT-304B, which might be their only plastic tenor, not sure. Even if it is, it's a good one!
I've got the alto, in the "wood" finish which is less slippery and also less shiny. I find it really useful for situations when you don't want to take a good wood instrument, eg holiday, where it could be knocked, it's raining, it needs to be left in a hot/freezing car the rest of the day, etc. For a plastic instrument, I like the tone, the range, the dynamics and the tuning (mostly). The mouthpiece is quite big, but no big deal. What I don't like is, as you mention, tuning on the top notes, which limits it as a practice instrument. I'd also differ a bit on the case - it works fine but just looks a bit drab 70s junior school to me.
hi Sarah i found a video awhile back , a teacher was pushing his students and people on the internet to not buy yamaha brand recorders because he thaught that aulos made a better sound due to its rounded airway , what is your thought about the diference of a straight or flat airway compared to a rounded or curved airway ?
I have three broken Aulos recorders. I recently found that all Aulos recorders carry a lifetime guarantee. Since superglue has failed, I tried to contact Aulos about the guarantee. I found they had a very limited website and when you click on the contact link you get taken to a US retailer called rhythmbwnd.com. I emailed them and they didn't reply - and anyway I live in the U.K. Does anyone know if Aulos has a U.K.headquarters that might be able to sort out guarantee issues?
DISREGARD!! Dear Sarah, I just found your video on . .. . tuning!! ha ha! SO I'm bad! Thanks for the video on tuning. Dear Sarah, You've mentioned from time to time that you "tune" your recorder. I can't remember ever viewing a video by you on how to "tune" a recorder. I am about to receive my 4th recorder (I'm a beginner on the search for the perfect recorder for me) and it will be a Aulos 709 BW Haka recorder. Could you produce a video on how to tune a recorder? At any rate, thanks for all you've done to help me in my pursuit of music via a recorder. 😀
FWIW as a fashon stylist, Your look in this video really suits you, as well the video of you in the track suit top. I mean its just my opinion (you do you), just sayin'.
I've had a few along the way, but don't recommend them. In my experience the cheap wooden recorders are like the super cheap plastic recorders in her review - hard to play in tune. They also seem to fog up pretty quickly. I think you're way better off buying a good plastic recorder than a cheap wooden one. Among other things, you'll practice more because it's easier to play...
Dear Sarah you made me fall in love with the 709B and started to learn on it for 5 months. It has beautiful sound and it's joy to play on it :)
I bought a Haka soprano about 4 months ago and I love it, thanks so much for all your brilliance and enthusiasm.
Thanks for this, and all of your excellent videos! I'm a flute player. I also own two used, inexpensive eBay recorders. One is a seldom spoken of brand, Venus. That's the soprano. My tenor is a Hohner. I've had these for years with spotty response in intonation and repeatedly, specific cracked notes.
I decided that I'd like to up my performance capabilities on recorders so I just placed my order directly from Aulos. I bought both tenor and soprano Hakas in wood grain. Including shipping from TX, the cost was under $100.00.
I was looking at pearwood recorders until I watched your videos on the various plastic recorders. Those videos made me realize that at my stage of skill, I had no real need to spend three or four hundred dollars.
I'm excited to have two recorders coming my way that I can sink my musical teeth into without questioning the instrument as a cause of poor performance. Bad sound will be me and I can improve myself. I'll be now watching more of your instructional videos regarding articulation, transposing, etc....
Thanks again for your enthusiasm and entertaining, informative videos!
You are spot on with your review of the Aulos Haka model alto. I've owned one for 20 years and just bought a woodgrain one 3 years ago. I wore the tenon joints out on the older one so I cut a couple of tenon grooves for hardware store o-rings and it plays better than ever. I find the Aulos Haka recorder to be very satisfying to play. It plays all the way to high G very easily. It is well in tune. I own several 300 series Yamaha altos but both my 709B Haka and 509B model Aulos recorders are all I play. Both of the Aulos tenors are very good. I especially like the 511B Symphony model. It is slightly better than my Yamaha 300 tenor. Keep up the good work.
Could you provide any insight comparing the 509B to 709B?
@@Trevor_StewartI was also wondering how they compare....
Hello Sarah, this was quite, quite good.
On youtube there are literally dozens of video where a musician compares instruments to evaluate them, but this one of yours stands out because it's no-nonsense and you explain clearly what you're doing soon before doing it, stating what you're looking for.
In most of those other videos, the musician simply plays the same piece on different instruments and says "I like this more", which is only partially helpful.
P.S. I still prefer the Yamaha 300, though. I think they sound mellower. The sound is probably not as large but I think it is more beautiful
thanx for sharing. i am trying to figure out Haka vs Yamaha 300 series. so that's helpful. i will have to listen more carfully :-)
Nothing can beat the YAMAHA series 300+
I just got my Aulos Alto a few days ago. It's my first recorder, coming from tin whistles and so far I'm very happy with it.
I was wanting a recorder for outdoor gigs. After your video I got the Haka alto. I played it outdoors on a cold damp December day last month and it behaved beautifully. My modern alto is not happy in those conditions so the Haka was an exceelent choice. I've since got myself a soprano as well though I done have the same need for it but it's a nice instrument and it's useful to have.
I've been watching your videos and I had just ordered the Aulos Alto 709B before I saw your video so I was very excited to get it in the mail today. I'm new to the recorder so I'll be watching more of your videos!!!
I have both these in the woodgrain effect. The design is so convincing people (other musicians) keep asking me what wood it's made of ☺! I set out to determined to buy wood. Wood was the way to go, as far as I was concerned, but when I compared the soprano with the budget wooden ranges of more expensive brands like the Moeck Rottenburgh and the Mollenhauer Denner, they just didn't stand up against the Aulos Haka. To get the same sound in wood I was looking at going up another price bracket. The tone of the Aulos was clearer and fuller, without losing warmth. The tuning also seemed to be a bit more accurate. The Alto has got such a beautiful tone compared with Moeck & Rottenburgh "equivalents". I'm an intermediate player and for the first time I feel like I've got performance instruments.
Super useful! Thank you! I just ordered the woodgrain Haka soprano. I haven't played in 40 years and am now excited!
Thanks to these vids I've slowly started to understand the subtle differences in sound that I did not before. Now they are glaring differences, but the first time I saw your vids I was like what they all sound the same. Thank you!!!
Just bought Aulos Haka bec of this..and Wow the sound is awesome! Thank you so much Sarah!
I'm hooked on the recorder its helped me with new ideas for my lead playing in guitar.
I imagine it could be really good for getting a melody only focus, and you can pick an instrument specific to your vocal range.
You can sand the outside of shiny plastic recorders to make it look less plasticy. I had a basic black plastic aulos I did that with to make it look better for the SCA medieval stuff I was doing, and people kept asking me if it was ebony and being shocked when I told them that it was plastic and I'd sanded it. Don't sand the parts that make the sound, but all the rest of the outside is fair game.
The SCA is also where I learned that DEET melts plastic recorders. I wound up with melted fingerprints on mine... so I sanded those off too. And became a lot less willing to use DEET. If it's melting my instrument, what's it doing to me?
My alto arrives tomorrow; already have the soprano. Very excited.
I'm so glad you reviewed these! A few months ago, after watching your other videos and reading a bunch of reviews, I ended up buying a Haka soprano to learn on. Glad to see my decision wasn't a bad one :)
Thanks Sarah - that was quite the test drive! The soprano sounded really beautiful. I have the Haka Alto in the wood grain finish and as a beginner am very happy with it (although as I've not played any other recorder I don't have anything to compare it with).
I own a very reliable and very good Aulos 205-E soprano since 38 years and it stills play very well
As a College music prof, I didn't want to spend a lot of $$$ because we are starting a 'Recorder Consort' this year, and I have been asked to sort of 'lead' it. I decided on starting out with the Autos Haka soprano (mentioned above) and Bonsor's books to get me up to speed during the summer. I've NEVER liked the 'squeaky' sound of most soprano recorders, so I REALLY wanted to find one I could live with. There is a lot of richness in this Haka which helps me as I learn (again) how to 'do' recorder, though I am prone (from your earlier review on Plastic Recorders) to want to have a Mollenhauer Adris' Dream soprano - in red- eventually. Thanks for all your help in this area.
I agree low G in the alto is lovely and powerfull sound. I also love trilling mid G-A with just finger 3 in 2345 configuration. My biggest trouble is hitting high F with the right pressure. And high F# doesn’t need to cover the bell
Thank you Sarah because I want to buy Haka recorder and your video is very helpful. Greetings from Hungary 😘
Dear Sarah, I have been playing each day and some days are “good”!and some are “bad”. However I’ve hung in there thinking eventually this 71 year old will get this thing going good. Well, I’ve had a break through! I was having trouble with the notes I was playing and realized I was “blowing”. I thought about how you talk about “breathing” your notes (that day I watched one of your videos where you mentioned that. So I started “breathing my notes” and “breathing thru the recorder” and . . . Wala!! Thanks!! I picked up a new note today (and really am just learning). I practice on a Yamaha tenor and a Yamaha soprano. Both are nice and I like them. But the music I’m making is now a lot more pleasant. For the first time, I’m enjoying the instrument and making pleasing, though simple, music. I’m off and running. -I did order an Aulos 709 BW alto recorder along with a book to learn it. I’m encouraged on this journey. Thank you!
Thank-you for this Sarah and I'm glad you liked your Hakas. I have the alto and, to me, it has a lovely rich, 'reedy' sound that my Yamaha tenor lacks.
I just bought online an Aulos 709B Haka
and started playing it I'm impressed with it and look forward to using it as
one of my main instruments
I’m a lapsed recorder player who only occasionally plays recorder or penny whistle. My main instrument (these days) is a carbon fiber five string made by Fred Gayford. I also have a severed muscle in my rotator cuff and that limits how long I can play my fiddle. So... my recorders and a penny whistle or two are in standby mode. I play Irish music because we have sessions at easy to reach pubs where the food and company is excellent. I’ve probably played recorder longer than any other instrument except the guitar. Concerning the Aulos Haka soprano and alto. It was love at first playing for me. These recorders erased the years of not playing in seconds. Thanks for your review.
Hi,
I'm glad to see a video about the Aulos Haka ! I used this recorders since one year right now, and it's (mostly for the alto) the best plastic recorder i've never played. The sound is really good, it's a best altenatif for people haven't the money for a wood one.
A next video about plastic bass recorder will be great =)
" the best plastic recorder i've never played" 😅
@@baroquer Yes it is, what's wrong with that ?
@@gaetanpalmieri6168 You mean "...I've EVER played"? :D
@@baroquer English isn't my mother tongue ... But I think you have understood what I meant. "C'est la meilleur flûte en plastique que j'ai eu l’occasion de tester."
@@gaetanpalmieri6168 OFC I did...Just kiddin' B) Peace!
I have been playing the Aulos Haka alto recorder for a few months and have a comment on fingering. Another (maybe better) fingering for the high G is T/2 123 -5-7. Also, as someone else mentioned, high F# can be played without closing the bell hole, using T/2 123 45-7 with hole 3 partly open. And you can trill between F# and G using these fingerings (with hole 3 partly open).
Thank you, Sarah! I was wanting to hear your opinion on these! I have the soprano and am planning to get the alto. 😊
Me too!
When I was learning to play the third octave by covering the bell hole with my leg, I found the bell holes on Aulos were harder to seal than other recorders. The Aulos bell hole "dimple" offers less surface area than a "dimple-less" end. Planting the instrument on one's leg on my Aulos required more precise movements, and there was less latitude for error.
But this is not an issue for the 99.99% of recorder players who stick to the first two octaves!
Someone who has more flexible hips than I do, and better balance, might find the Aulos perfectly fine for stratospheric notes!
The Aulos sopranino is very good too - 507B-E I think it's from the Symphony range. I was really impressed by the build quality and the case etc. as well as the sound. I do like these Hakas though - but then you make everything you play sound great Sarah!!!
The bell note is super easy to hit on that model as well
Great series of useful videos thanks. Very envious of your ability with the instruments!
I've been playing the Haka alto for quite a while now and like it very much, I intend to buy the soprano. Mine is the wood effect instrument which does look nice, although the finish is starting to wear off around the holes.
I've read below about the difficulty in reaching the high e and f, and it does take some practice, but I have found that if I trim my left thumb nail to be level with the top of my thumb it greatly helps. Too short a nail and you have inadequate support for the flesh of the thumb when partially closing the rear hole, and too long it will dig into and possibly damage the instrument. Became aware of this when I damaged my thumb nail and was unable to play the high notes with any confidence.
I love these. I practice on the alto, then the soprano feels like no stretch at all. It's wonderfully, and gets me ready to practice stretching on the tenor.
also now I will forever think of "Daphne" and "Allemande" as "the quick brown fox..." of recorder playing.
Hahaaa amazing! 😂
Agree haha, after I learned how to play “Daphne”, I always tend to play it unconsciously whenever I pick up my recorder😂😅. “Allemande” you’re next haha
I fell in love with recorder because of every time she plays Doën Daphne. I thought it can be something amazing after my terrible experience in primary school. Now I'm studying this piece of music.
I ordered a soprano and alto Aulos Haka set. The soprano is very nice! But the alto''s head joint was so tight that I had to use a lot of force to take the head off every time, no matter how I greased it. I could have sent it back, but I bought a Moeck Rottenburgh alto in maple instead (it's a dream recorder for me, I'm so glad I splurged!)
Hi Sarah, Very timely review - almost! I purchased an Aulos Haka alto yesterday! However you have confirmed my research and I am very relieved. I have a wooden recorder which I love but it has been travelling and now slightly battered - so I was looking for a good alternative to play when out camping. Thank you.
I have a few plastic recorders and this one is the best for sure. Even being an amateur like me its easy to see de diference. Considering to buy the soprano one now.
As a College music prof, I didn't want to spend a lot of $$$ because we are starting a 'Recorder Consort' this year (and we have to buy an entire quintet) - I have been asked to sort of 'lead' it. So, I decided on starting out with the Aulos 503b soprano (not mentioned above) and Bonsor's books to get me up to speed during the summer, before everyone else. I've NEVER liked the 'squeaky' sound of most soprano recorders, so I REALLY wanted to find one I could live with. There is a lot of richness in the Aulos which helps me as I learn (again) how to 'do' recorder, though I am prone (from your earlier review on Plastic Recorders) to want to have a Mollenhauer Adris' Dream soprano - in red(!) for my own use, eventually. Thanks for all your help in this area, Sarah- reviews like this are how many of us determine which instrument to consider.
Sarah...You Are so cute! Beautiful alto and soprano recorders too. Your hair , your voice, your recorders, the way you play, everything is perfect in you. Thanks God you are real. Thank you for sharing the power of music in your talented fingers. Greetings from Tijuana!
Hi Sarah ans thank you for this video !!! I've bought the zen on bressan alto ans I am son happy with it. I think it ils the first tome I really enjoy playing on a plastic instrument !!!
I'm very happy with my Aulos alto but very tempted in the Yamaha to compare.
I adore the Dolmetsch Nova Revorders - Mostly the Tenor. I got my tenor 6 years ago and it is just amazing, even after that long time and lots of hours of playing.
Unfortunately, the Dolmetsch Nova recorders are a thing of the past. Aafab in Utrecht (Nl) took over, but they only sell the remaining stock. My Nova tenor got a huge hole in the lower tenon a few weeks ago. It is still playable and it doesn't affect the tone, but this is a dying recorder. However, I would love to have a Nova consort because they really play nice for me.
@@zijdezacht3738 Looking at your name I think you're Dutch, so am I, and I have a Dolmetsch Nova alto for sale, send me a message if you would like to buy it :-) It's a lovely alto, I just seem to pick my Aulos one more.
I have a single Aulos recorder, the garklein, and find that I have to play it extremely loudly in order to bring the pitch up to A=440 - I'd prefer the whole thing to be scaled down slightly so I could be more delicate with it and still play at a modern pitch standard. I wonder if any of their other recorders are like that.
Sarah, Besides a great review, Thanks for the fun alto/soprano "demo" at the end. Very good fun!
Autos is a great make. It’s quite wide bodied and takes a lot of air. I’ve had mine for over40 years. I love it. I do have a soprano but it’s escaped and is hiding out somewhere in my music cupboard.
Hi Sara. I love the Aulos flutes. I have all of the symphony and haka series. an observation, the 702 is Germanic typing. the baroque is 703. and the 509 is better than the 709. the 509 has the best balance between velvety and stridency. on 709, the sound is a little restrained and I can not make the impact I reach with the 509. you should try the 509, no doubt. as for the 503, the soprano, does not have the beauty of the tone of 703. the 703 has the most beautiful timbre of all.
Is the 702 sound beautiful as 703?
Hi Rodrigo, thank you for your advise. Based on it, I bought the symphony alto (509B) and I am totally delighted ; it has indeed a good general balance, it is a bit challenging in the higher register, but thanks to its numerous qualities, it has become my main daily practise instrument. As I deeply disliked the look of the Haka 709B (too brown to my taste), and the 509B has a more classical look, it was a sensible choice. I also have the Zen-On Bressan (alto G-1A) and the Yamaha Ecodear alto (YRA402B) which are really great ABS instruments (I like each of them for different reasons), but I consider them as too easy to play for a challenging and precise practise. For tone stability and sound particularity, the later (Yamaha YRA402B) is difficult to beat on the plastic instrument market.
Coming back to this vid coz I just love recorder reviews, but gurrrl this dress I love the most, it feckin rocks! I remember you wore this for that Christmas vid you did with the monstera in the bkg. It's absolutely gorgeous and makes you look a movie star!!!
Holy feck!!! You teased Estampie in this one!
Do you have any such preferred fingers for the ecodear recorders?
Bless you, Sarah, very nice work with all these presentations... and congrats for your own interpretative skills!
I bought a Haka soprano a while ago. It was a decent recorder but I already had an aulos Soprano, a 303E which cost me £6 new. I couldn't detect any difference between the two so I sold the Haka. I'd be interested to try the alto though. My alto is a Yamaha YRA312IIB which, though a good recorder, it clogs terribly, even with preventative measures. It would be interesting to see a comparison between that and the Haka alto
Hi Sarah, glad that you confirmed my impressions! I have both these instruments, the wood grain is elegant (how much the plastic can be :-). I use the alto as practice alternative to my new Küng Superior. Haka has for me inspiring sound possibilities and the hard training on the pinky is rewarded later by easy playing on the wood instrument 😜. The only thing I dislike is the case which makes quite cheap impression. But...who cares in a fact if the instrument is good?
My alto is an aulos, with a wood grain finish. This video confirmed what I've noticed in my alto. Thanks. The soprano is pretty impressive!
Sarah, Do you think the soprano you reviewed here would blend well and be in tune with other recorders when playing in a consort? I'm having serious tuning issues with my wood Kung and I'm thinking of switching to the Aulos soprano. I really like my Aulos alto and tenor; they are in tune with other instruments. Again, at one point I had "nice" wood alto and tenor recorders but replaced them with the plastic Aulos because of tuning issues.
Hi Sarah. Great channel and amazing/fun personality. 👍. So... Thanks for reviewing the aulos. ... On the video I heard the same sound qualities coming from the instrument that I... don't like.. about them... So..it's not only me...... Mm.. Thanks?....... Of course. In your case I imagine that you manage to magically soften and control those sound features with your amazing technique etcétera. In my case which is the opposite of -pro- I just find other instruments friendlier to play and in sound.... I always think that maybe the thing is that the Aulos are really for great players who have incredible breath and tonguing technique. Not my case at all.. I just play to relax and to have fun.
But... Your review clarified.
I'm a fan. I'll donate.👍
Nice. I have a Yamaha alto YRA12Biii and its a good instrument but I feel the bottom G and F need babying to get a clear tone, especially F which so wants to crack
Hey Sarah, can you share what model is the soprano recorder you have here? I have one soprano recorder and have been playing it for a long time but this Aulos soprano you have in this video is just wonderful. It's not pitchy!
It's clearly stated in the title of the video, and she says it more than once. Please read and listen...
Hi Sara, I've just started learning to play the recorder and the sound is, so far, is less than terrific. It is not much different than a penny whistle. Since the disagreeable sound couldn't possibly be related to my playing, I hope, I figured it must be my recorder. So, I started to look around for a new soprano recorder. I chose to listen to your video for guidance. I decided to take your advice and get an Aulos soprano recorder. But wait, I have an Aulos soprano recorder! But it’s not exactly like yours. The difference between yours and mine is that mine has white at the top and bottom but no white in the middle.
My question: Is there a difference between your recorder with 3 white places and mine with only 2? If there is a difference, I’ll be happy to buy another Aulos with three white areas. Thanks in advance.
I have taken the plunge and bought one. I think it must be the wood grain one because it is not shiny. I think I would have preferred a paler 'wood' . I actually do not like the feel of it. It is heavier than I expected, which is odd because I am normally a tenor player. I am still struggling with the fingering. Why oh why don't recorders transpose?. I got mine from Just Flutes who included the P&P in the deal and it came very promptly. It came very cold. so it is playing better and better. Cork grease is yellow, which is very off putting. Oddly I find the stretch for the right hand little finger difficult but when I get it right the low F is very juicy, I would like a tenor version that plays Cs like that!! I am finding the top F and CSharp rather hit and miss but when it happens it is good and clear, I am pleased with it.
I'm one of the people responsible for this video ❤️
Thank you for the video. Please, review plastic bass recorders, too!
Wow. Great video. This is not really a beginners instrument; to reache far into the 2nd octave you need some skills. I have my 709bw now a year. At first I didn't use the thumb rest at all; but after a light injury I got used to it. You can buy the thumbrest without a recorder, and it will fit other recorders too without damaging.
Would you say the 503B is a better beginners instrument?
Ewan Jobe I really don’t know. On my Dolmetsch Nova tenor I can reach 3 C’s and D’s. On my Aulos Haka alto the D of the second octave and when I’m not too tired the E. The third F is a matter of luck, and usually the odds are not too good. I don’t dare to think about even higher. :)
On my wooden recorders no problem. When I talked with the specialists at Thomann, they said that the Yamaha recorders are harder to play than the Aulos, but I only had the Haka, I’ve never played on an Aulos Symphony.
I have a tenor Aulos recorder, but I don't know if it is the Haka version. I just know it has a good sound that blends well with the other recorders in my church ensemble. But I am no where near the level of Sarah. I used to play an Adler tenor wood recorder and could not get the range of notes that I can with the Aulos tenor. Hope that helps.
No, so far only soprano an alto size for Haka models. Curious about blending, I find their sound to stand out in front of other recorders, best for solo or combination with other instruments; for ensamble playing I prefer the Symphony series
The Aulos alto 709 BW and the soprano 703 BW have the simulated wood grain finish which does look better (although they play exactly the same as the regular plastic in my opinion). They can be bought from Sweet Pipes sweetpipes.com/product-category/recorders/aulos-recorders/page/2/
I personally like the Aulos Haka models for solo work. I find it hard to make the soprano blend in an ensemble.
Which do you think is better? Aulos A709Bw or Aulos 509b-E?
Oh, I just read comments from Antique Sounds Workshop that said the Aulos 500 series is more in tune than the 700. After playing the 700, do you think the tuning is an issue?
I have a few different recorders in that make but have trouble with the one of the Aulos trebles I have as it clogs up a lot, it gets a weird sound like muffled and low after playing just one song. I wash it correctly, I wash all my recorders in a big wash once a week and just with the cleaning rod and lint cloth the other days I play them. So for my bass I got a Thomann which arrived this week. I am hoping I did the right thing choosing that make. I have used Aulos recorders for 29 years. One thing I dislike about the Aulos treble is there is not flap and I find it so hard rfor my baby finger to reach the bottom hole. I am in my 30’s but have small fingers, kid sized fingers. My baby fingers do not bend, their knuckles are at the side of them and have bits of bone missing from them. can you buy flaps to put on a recorder? Or would I have to buy one with the flap already on it?
I’m so happy to see this review. I really liked both the Alto and Soprano myself (Not that I know much #beginner), but I’ve been dying to know what you thought about them.
The Aulos A709Bw recorder belongs to the Haka series? Is it a good recorder?
What key for my 1st recorder or an all purpose one?
Muy buena review! Me encantaría que en otro video hablaras acerca de la Zen-on GA 1
And has this overtaken the Yamaha as your favourite (I've just put in a big order of Yamaha trebles, tenors and basses for school!)?
I have both Aulos and Yamaha recorders as well as a few others. Yamaha recorders are beautiful instruments, so don't be concerned if she likes the Haka recorders. Have you seen her collection? She loves all her instruments.
MsBettyR.
I come from the school band Yamaha experience so I'm like the automatic follower of that brand. Ive learned there are so many other great plastic recorder makers, & was starting to feel pressure to research more, but your comment makes me feel more relaxed about my recent automatic Yamaha purchase (and the next one I'm already thinking about!)
Well I'm not worried so much as interested. I've had Aulos recorders since about 1980 (when the choice was that or Dolmetsch) and always thought they were the best and sounded gorgeous, especially the tenor.
That was until I picked up a Yamaha descant recently and it just felt as though I were handling quality, perhaps because it's heavier. I also felt it would last longer at school!
I've been using wooden instruments myself for the last few years, so as I've lost touch with plastic, this kind of info is useful for school purchases. I might just buy one, just to compare!
I just ordered a Haka treble from Amazon UK - a bit surprised they weren't stocked by Thomann and a bit disappointed I couldn't find a tenor anywhere.
MsBettyR. Yes, I love all Sarah's instrument videos.
My Haka alto has arrived and I'm pleased with it except for two things:
1 My arthritic wrist makes heavy weather of the low notes and the only way I can get them is to move the thumb rest so that my right hand thumb stretches upwards ( I think like the left hand thumb on one of Sarah's wooden tenors - was it Raffi or something like that?). I think the fundamental problem is a finger 6 that is an inch longer than finger 7. My wrist doesn't want to bend towards the thumb to get my hand at a right angle to the recorder, which accentuates the difference in length. Stretching my thumb up seems to help.
2 My other gripe is that low F sharp seems too high and I have to go very quiet to get it in tune.
Hello, and what about Aulos Haka BW (not only B)? It is more expensive and with wooden effect. Is it better instrument? Can you compare it?
I recently upgraded to the haka alto in wood grain effect and although it looks matte it actually feels much more slippery than my shinier looking plastic-finish haka soprano. Weird!( I use your tip of licking my fingers a bit to compensate.) I started out on a bottom-of-the-range plastic yamaha, then after a couple of years getting the hang of the fingering I switched to the cheapest aulos (which sounded much nicer) and then a couple of years after that I got the haka. I am finding it far easier to play the high notes on the haka, and am able to add dynamic differences that escaped me on the cheaper models....but oddly I marginally preferred the sound of the lower register on the cheaper aulos. My friends have definitely noticed the difference and reckon the haka sounds a lot nicer than my previous altos. I think it will be a very long time before I feel I have sufficiently mastered the haka to justify upgrading any further.
Thank you so much for the review.
It was really interesting to see how you set about testing a new instrument.
Personally I find the Aulos Haka recorders to be more suitable for solo work; they don't tend to blend in well in an ensemble, particularly the soprano. The Aulos 509 alto does blend in more. Of course it also depends on what instruments the other players are using.
Mihaela Mack I think I remember reading a similar comment somewhere else when I was deciding whether or not to buy the haka, but it's not something I need to worry about as I'm pretty sure I'm the only recorder player on the small tropical island I currently call home. :-)
Tamar, you never know, you might become a trend setter! You can become a recorder advocate and influence some people to take it up and even start an ensemble. The Aulos Haka recorders are fine instruments, much better than cheap wooden recorders.
Hello.
Please can you tell me the exact net weight of this Aulos 703B?
Do you by any chance also have any of the following and can you also tell me their weight?:
- Aulos 503B
- Yamaha YRS-302BIII
(I know you have this one too)
- Yamaha YRS-402B
Thank you so much. 👍🏻
Thx for the great video. Very helpful. That being said...I know that no one will believe me until the end of time - people tend to believe anecdotal evidence over empirical, scientific fact based conclusions but OK, here it goes: there is absolutely no difference between wood and plastic as far as sound. It's indisputable hardcore science. Craftsmanship and other structural differences determine the sound of a wind instrument, not its material. Acoustic studies that look at the actual sound waves produced, and using the Laws Of Physics (not even blackholes and powerful galaxies can overcome the laws of physics), shows there is only one conclusion: a wind instrument's sound has nothing to do wth its material but rather its unique structure. In fact wood will give you pitch issues due to weather condition - plastic will not. My hope is that a third more environmentally sound material will be available.
I don't know if you are still interested a year later, but this is not my experience. I own two soprano recorders, one in a softish wood (maple) and a second one in a harder wood (rosewood). Hardwoods are more expensive, but I paid the extra money because I liked the brighter sound. On the other hand, I bought the first, maple one because its sweet sound reminded me of the wooden recorders I had played in childhood - quite different from, e.g., an Aulos Haka (which I also tried).
@@gerardvila4685 I know you won't believe me but it's all in your head As far as sound. They did a double blind experiment with professional recorder players and time after time again and again, these highly seasoned pros could not tell the difference - in fact they would often and randomly choose the cheap plastic over the expensive one thinking's it was the wood model. Acoustics is a field of physics. And the acoustics of a wood recordert - how it makes sound, it's sound wave form, it's vibrational cavity (there is none on a recorder) is identical to a plastic recorder.
@@GrootsieTheDog Thanks for answering. Of course acoustics is part of physics. And I have studied physics. But there are several ways of doing physics. Are you aiming to explain 99% of what is going on? That is usually enough to make a physicist happy. Or are you aiming to determine what happens to, say -70 decibels - that is the kind of figure they aim at in high fidelity amplifier design, which translates to maybe 99.97% accuracy (not sure of the figure but you get the idea). In order to get that level of quality, you have to take into account other effects that are relatively small energy-wise, but nevertheless can make all the difference to our listening experience because our ears are extremely sensitive. Now there are three possible explanations for the difference in sound quality between recorders. First, your explanation, that it doesn't exist. But I don't buy that because in my case, notonly can I hear it, but my wife remarked on it, and she is not interested in recorders at all! Second there is the possibility that the differences are due to subtle details in manufacture. But that doesn't jibe with recorders of different woods from the same manufacturer sounding different. Third is that the acoustic reflection, absorbtion and conduction characteristics of the various materials are VERY slightly different. Not enough to stand out in a physical study, but perceptible by the person playing the instrument hours at a time. That said, I would be interested to read the study you refer to - do you remember where you read it?
Not so sure about that. The attack on my plastic recorders can be quite unpleasant and grating if I play with a T consonant. This is not the case with my wood recorder. Different materials resonate, absorb and reflect sound different amounts and at different frequencies. So I'm not sure the science is necessarily settled. That said, a crappy wood recorder definitely can sound worse than a good plastic instrument (particularly in the area of tuning).
@@davidm1922 they did studies with professional recorder players and time and time again they couldn't tell the difference between plastic or wood recorders. They couldn't tell by the sound and they couldn't tell by the way it played. That's why they have not only double blind studies but oft n triple blind studies are needed because we are easily influenced (and fooled) by our conceptions and misconceptions. And often those perceptions influence studies and that's why they need to be triple blind. I'll admit, when I'm playing an instrument that looks and feels beautiful I think it sounds beautiful and I play better. But that's aesthetics and our emotional connection to that. The fact is the same knowledge of physics that allows us to place telescopes that see the first stars of the universe is the same foundational principles that allow us to understand why wood and plastic recorders are no different if they are constructed with the same quality.
I have both the Aulos 509BW Soprano Wood Grain, 709BW Alto Wood Grain, they look like a Rose Wood Finish which i really Like their looks, they have a satin finish Not Shiny, I just wish that Aulos had Made a Tenor, and Bass in their Wood Exterior Finish. Sound wise, I really like the HAKA's recorders, and the wood grain 312 and 314 Yamaha's also have a Very Nice sound to them. The Aulos 509B Alto, and Yamaha 300B, are shiny, and to my ears Not as pleasing, as the Aulos Haka's and Yamaha's 312B and 314B Altos, I love the No nonsense appeal of Plastic and its durability, and Longevity, Zero maintenance besides a dip in a dish pan of dish soap and water every so often to keep things sanitary. I play Saxophone and Clarinet. Love that with a Recorder, there are, NO REEDs!!!!!! to deal with, Light Weight!!!! My Tenor SAX weigh's over 20 pounds that's very heavy on the neck and shoulders for an hour or two at a time. When Compared to a 6 Pound Light weight, Yamaha Bass YRB-302B, or Aulos Bass A533B, Love both of those Bassets.
Hi, I would like to know which method do you recommend to teach children from 6 to 12 years old. Thanks
I've literally just ordered this recorder thanks to this vid... thought it was about time I upgraded from my £9 Alto recorder 😅
Yay enjoy 😘
@@Team_Recorder it arrived 3 days ago and I'm in love... such a good instrument.
I was wondering if you had advice about the left hand thumb nail length, because I'm already carving out a substantial groove already 😅 I can't seem to find information on that.
Hi, what hz is this in please? I've tried to find out on the internet but can't find anything
440-442
tyvm 😁@@Team_Recorder
It was just today I realized my Aulos alto was in the haka series. I didn't know because it didn't have the word "Haka" on it.
I am also a recorder player, in this case from spain! I am subscribed =)
Hi,
I'm a novice.
Is there a difference between aulos soprano 703BW and aulos haka soprano 703BW?
no
Have u ever try the plastic recorders recently released by Taiwan company Music Garden?
Yes! I included them in my video 'which plastic recorder should you buy'
Sarah Jeffery / Team Recorder Recently they released a transparent descant and alto
I recently made a removable bell key for my Aulos Haka alto recorder since I don't like using my knee for high F# and A: th-cam.com/video/NKiLo3_f73U/w-d-xo.html. Although high F# can be played on the Aulos Haka without closing the end hole, a better quality (and better in tune) F# can be achieved by closing the end hole. The removable bell key can be modified slightly to fit other alto recorders.
Great review! 0:54 I bet the fingering chart for the alto recorder is only in the first two octaves (although the recorder plays in three octaves). Why? One reason perhaps is “Because the recorder fits the (two-octave) range of the human voice very well." 😉 🎼 ♫
Sarah, If you want, please recommend best fingering for high F# and above
Any chance you can direct me to sheet music for that version of Allemande in Cm?
Bach: hz.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/6/64/IMSLP05673-Bach-partita-flute-allemande.pdf :)
Amazing Sarah...I got it in about five seconds! Thanks a lot.
Sarah that link is for the Am version, for the Cm version you need: hz.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/5/5a/IMSLP352331-PMLP13663-BWV_1013.pdf
Impressive. I've never considered Aulos to be very good. But the Haka ones seem pretty good.
Where did you buy them? :)
where can I buy a soprano delivered to NZ no dealers here :(
I just spotted it on Amazon so you should be able to order it without problems. It's a very lovely soprano! I'm in the Netherlands and ordered mine online as well.
Talk to orpheus music in Australia, who are recorder specialists.
orpheusmusic.com.au/42-aulos-recorders
Just bought a soprano version so great timing thanks for your reviews
Aulos is so good! I am actually struggling finding a decent plastic tenor! The one I’ve got has a horrible sound and tuning, I have never been able to use it during concerts yet! Do you have any brand for a plastic tenor? :)
Asmr Whisperer I know this is an Aulos video, but I absolutely LOVE my Yamaha tenor. Very strong and stable sound from bottom to top of the register. I think it runs about $90ish which is comparable to the price of the Aulos tenor.
I find the Yamaha plastic tenor to be quite good. I did not like the Aulos plastic model that I once tried.
Thanks guys. I was actually thinking about Yamaha or Aulos since I have a soprano and alto by Aulos and I know Yamaha is good. Any particular model from Yamaha you feel to suggest?
Asmr Whisperer I wish I could say I have tried the nice wood ones, but I don't have the money for them yet...😔
Anyway, the model I have is the YRT-304B, which might be their only plastic tenor, not sure. Even if it is, it's a good one!
Asmr Whisperer, the plastic tenor that I use from Yamaha is YRT-304B II made in Japan. It does take a while to get used to its size though.
I've got the alto, in the "wood" finish which is less slippery and also less shiny. I find it really useful for situations when you don't want to take a good wood instrument, eg holiday, where it could be knocked, it's raining, it needs to be left in a hot/freezing car the rest of the day, etc. For a plastic instrument, I like the tone, the range, the dynamics and the tuning (mostly). The mouthpiece is quite big, but no big deal. What I don't like is, as you mention, tuning on the top notes, which limits it as a practice instrument. I'd also differ a bit on the case - it works fine but just looks a bit drab 70s junior school to me.
hi Sarah i found a video awhile back , a teacher was pushing his students and people on the internet to not buy yamaha brand recorders because he thaught that aulos made a better sound due to its rounded airway , what is your thought about the diference of a straight or flat airway compared to a rounded or curved airway ?
Just to note that there are Yamaha models with curved airway.
Is it me or the Haka range is just hard to find?
Amazon sells them too.
I have three broken Aulos recorders. I recently found that all Aulos recorders carry a lifetime guarantee. Since superglue has failed, I tried to contact Aulos about the guarantee. I found they had a very limited website and when you click on the contact link you get taken to a US retailer called rhythmbwnd.com. I emailed them and they didn't reply - and anyway I live in the U.K. Does anyone know if Aulos has a U.K.headquarters that might be able to sort out guarantee issues?
anche io ho l'aoulos alto mi trovo perfettamente benissimo ed è stupendo suonarlo bravissima TVB. 😍
On shiny plastic recorders: burnish them with extra-fine sandpaper to reduce their gloss.
DISREGARD!! Dear Sarah, I just found your video on . .. . tuning!! ha ha! SO I'm bad! Thanks for the video on tuning. Dear Sarah, You've mentioned from time to time that you "tune" your recorder. I can't remember ever viewing a video by you on how to "tune" a recorder. I am about to receive my 4th recorder (I'm a beginner on the search for the perfect recorder for me) and it will be a Aulos 709 BW Haka recorder. Could you produce a video on how to tune a recorder? At any rate, thanks for all you've done to help me in my pursuit of music via a recorder. 😀
Haha, glad you found it!
Does anyone think the better plastic recorders like the 709B will ever be considered "professional" instruments?
Dear Ms. Jeffrey, how much do they cost? Not many retailers in India. Regards? Harry
rhythmband.com/aulos-bass-recorder-bocal-style/ I believe they deliver worldwide
Oh yes, I forgot to include that! The alto was €36,90 and the soprano was €16,90.
Does anyone know the meaning of the word Naka?
FWIW as a fashon stylist, Your look in this video really suits you, as well the video of you in the track suit top.
I mean its just my opinion (you do you), just sayin'.
Your so good
I would like to see a review on the best wooden recorders from $25-$100.
I've had a few along the way, but don't recommend them. In my experience the cheap wooden recorders are like the super cheap plastic recorders in her review - hard to play in tune. They also seem to fog up pretty quickly.
I think you're way better off buying a good plastic recorder than a cheap wooden one. Among other things, you'll practice more because it's easier to play...