The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #166378   Message #4000163
Posted By: leeneia
10-Jul-19 - 12:53 PM
Thread Name: Buying recorders (descant & treble)
Subject: RE: Buying recorders (descant & treble)
Thanks for the clicky, Jack.

Mo, do you really want a treble (alto) recorder? It is in the key of F, with lowest note being F. This means it can't play most dance music, because it can't go low enough. It also has a different fingering system, with every note on an F recorder being different from its mate on a C recorder. What this means is that it's easy to suddenly and discordantly switch systems in the middle of a piece. We call this an 'instrument attack.'

Now, if you have been playing other woodwinds, that is probably not a problem, but if you are a true beginner, and if you don't have that much spare time, then I suggest starting with a descant (soprano). Later, if you want to expand, get a tenor, which has the same fingering. I have small hands, and I can play a tenor just fine.

Plastic tenors seem to clog fast; get a wooden one.