New To Recorder

[jvestal]

Hello everyone,

I've been browsing these forums for the past couple of days. I decided to take recorder up again. I'm a drummer by nature, but I used to play trombone, and when I was a kid I fiddled with an old plastic recorder we had.

I was wanting to learn how to play a new instrument, and settled on recorder again. So I ordered a cheap plastic one off of Musician's Friend (along with a djembe drum which I had really wanted), so nothing out of my pocket really except a couple bucks if I didn't like it.

After playing it for a while, and learning B, A, C, & G on it, I'm thoroughly convinced I'm actually going to seriously consider taking it up. I have a soprano, and will be looking to buy a soprano/alto set. I'm looking for the under $100 range as I'll upgrade to a better quality flute once I've got more spending cash, and I really know I'm going to pursue it beyond pure hobby.

So down to my question - anyone have any suggestions for makers?

Thanks!

Joshua

[Ceili_whistle_man]

Hi Joshua,

Welcome to the mad world of whistling!!

Just a few questions...Are you sure you are meaning 'recorder' and not whistle?...as in 'tin whistle', or Irish whistle?
You mention this also...I'll upgrade to a better quality flute ....?
There are many ex recorder players here on C and F who will probably be able to point you in the right direction. You may even be lucky enough to be offered one from one of our posters who has seen the error of his ways and has now found a way of getting rid of his r------r

Happy hunting!

[jvestal]

I assure you I mean quite well recorder also known as flute, flauto dolce, etc. And I called it a flute, because I consider it as such. Just has a fipple on it.

Thanks for the reply and greeting!

-Joshua

[MTGuru]

The Yamaha Rottenburgh faux woodgrain plastic recorders are actually fine starter instruments. Nice sound, good intonation, very responsive. Capable of holding their own with far more expensive recorders. Courtly Music sell the soprano and alto as a pair for $49.95, a real bargain IMO. I used these for a performance of a Benjamin Britten opera a few years ago, and they did very well indeed.

Courtly Music: http://www.courtlymusicunlimited.com/Yamaha.html

(See very bottom of the page for the soprano/alto bundle.)

Aulos also make nice plastic instruments. For mid-level wood recorders, Mollenhauer and Moeck are probably the pre-eminent makers.

[jvestal]

Thanks!

The Yamahas are most definitely in my price range. I've found Yamaha generally makes fairly decent instruments. The second trombone I had was a Yamaha, played quite well. I tend to buy accessories for my Pearl kit from them too. Good, reputable company.

I'll do some more searching around, and then maybe see if the same holds true for their recorders.

-Joshua

[Yuri]

MTGuru, did you manage to play an entire Britten opera on a recorder??!! Gosh... That's some achievement.
... But I certainly second the Yamaha historical choice. (Difference is that these models are actual reproductions of real historical recorders, apart from the material, rather than just a generic tube for kids to blow spit bubbles from.)

[MTGuru]

Sure, Yuri, between singing and acting and playing all the parts, I was very busy!

The piece was Britten's one-act "Noyes Fludde", which calls for an SAT recorder choir throughout the orchestration. My Moeck rosewood Rottenburgh was out of sorts, so I switched to the Yamahas without losing a step. They're a phenomenally good value for the money, IMO.

My favorite part of the experience was sitting next to the percussionist, who was playing a rack of coffee mugs, as called for in the score. Who knew they had coffee mugs on Noah's Ark? But that's another story ...

[jvestal]

Okay, I have placed my order for the Yamahas. It seems to be quite the deal, as other merchants I seem to find are selling the alto alone for $48. So I look forward to getting the package in the mail, and playing an actual instrument with correct tone.

[Tim2723]

I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised with the Yamahas. They are very nice instruemnts for the money.

[garysibio]

The Yamaha tenor is also a great instrument and, the last I looked, was under $100. The only problem with it is that, unless you have very large hands, it can be difficult to play.

Dolmetsch's Nova series is another excellent, inexpensive series of recorders.

Gary

[jvestal]

Well I'm a bigger guy, so I'm thinking the larger hands won't be an issue. Haha.

-Joshua