Recorder Karate

1st year Recorder Program

What is recorder karate?

• A program that helps us learn recorder in a step by step way

• You earn “belts” as you progress through the program

White – Hot Cross buns

Yellow – Gently Sleep

Orange – Merrily We Roll Along

Green – It’s Raining

Purple – Old MacDonald

Blue – When the Saints

Red – Twinkle, Twinkle

Brown – Amazing

Grace

Black – Ode to Joy

History Of the Recorder

• Whistle type instrument – ancient family of instruments called internal duct flutes

• As early as 12th century

• 3.5 million plastic recorders manufactured each year

The Recorder Throughout History

• The recorder is the most highly developed member of the ancient family of duct flutes.

• Here is the oldest existing picture of one.

• It’s from 1315!

There it is…

• The oldest surviving complete instrument dates from as early as the mid-thirteenth century.

• It is worth almost $1,000,000!

Maybe, I’ll

take the money…

• The second oldest existing recorder is from the 14th century and was found in northern Germany.

Ach, du lieber

Himmel!

YUP, in a latrine!!!

• Recorders from long ago produced a tone which was sweet and keen.

• In general, it had a small range. The bigger the instrument, the fewer notes it could play.

• During the fifteenth century, instrument makers began producing choirs of recorders and other instruments in many sizes.

• There are many existing examples of recorders of this time.

• They sounded bold and rich and the high notes were just as strong as the low notes.

Renaissance Recorders

• During the Baroque age, the recorder became important as a solo instrument.

• Makers of recorders were busy trying to improve the recorder. The shape changed and became more tapered. The range got bigger.

• Recorders were also members of the orchestra at this time.

AND THEN, THEY DISAPPEARED…

•BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTED TO PLAY THE FLUTE!

• The flute was louder.• The flute had more notes.• The flute ABSOLUTELY TOOK

OVER!!!

And then recorders reappeared!

• Recorders began to make a come back in the 1890s in Germany.

• The German Recorder Movement was started by Peter Harlan. He taught all of his young students the recorder, so that they could learn how to make music.

• Factories that made recorders began to flourish.

• Arnold Dolmetsch, who came to England from France in 1883 to study at the Royal College of Music, loved the sound of recorders.

• He bought an old recorder at an auction in 1905 and taught himself to play the recorder.

Maybe he should have bought a razor, too…

• His son lost the recorder in 1919 on Waterloo station.

• Arnold began making his own recorders!

• Do you think he let his son have another one?

Aaawww…PLEASE,

Dad!

• The recorder’s popularity spread to the United States in the early 1900s.

• Instruments were made cheaper and became more readily available to students.

• They are used in many classrooms throughout the United States and Europe.

Skills learned on Recorder

• Fingering skills• Embouchure

development (mouth shape)

• Breathe support• Articulation skills• Development of the

inner ear

How to hold the Recorder

• Thumb hole in the back and 7 holes down the front

• Left hand is ALWAYS at the top closest to the mouth piece– Thumb on back hole, three fingers

on first 3 holes• Right hand is on bottom

– Thumb is used to balance four fingers on last four holes

• Cover wholes completely with whole finger not pads– Recorder warts

• Hold at 45o angle

• Make sure to sit up straight

How to Play the Recorder

• Place mouthpiece on lower lip DO NOT BITE

• Blow softly – steamy window

• Squeaks – blowing too hard– Air leaks around fingers

REMEMBER TO:

• Put the LEFT hand on the top• Put all fingers down – FLAT• Cover the thumb hole entirely• Sit up straight and breathe deeply• Remain relaxed• Blow gently and steadily

New Things to Learn for White Belt Song

Time Signature

• How many beats per measure

4 beats

quarter

notes

• 2 beats of silence

Half Rest

Counting

1 2 3 4

New Thing to Learn for Yellow Belt Song

When you see this symbol, take a breath. Try only to take a breath every 2 measures

New Things to learn for the Green Belt Song

1 &2 & 3 & 4 &

Dotted half note = 3 beats ( A dot after a note gets half the value of that note and makes it that much longer)

New things to learn for Purple Belt

New Things to Learn for the Blue Belt song:

A TIE is a curved line which connects notes of the same pitch. Only the first note is played and then it is held for the total value of the connected notes.

New things to learn for the Red Belt Song:

Sharps, when placed at the beginning of a line, tell that all of the notes for that note are sharp. This is called a key signature.

New things to learn for the Brown Belt Song:

Single eighth note = ½ beat

Dotted quarter note = 1 ½ beats

Fermata placed above a note means that the note is held a little longer than its usually count

Time signature – 3 quarter notes per measure