Why is my recorder out of tune?
Originally Answered: Why are some notes on my recorder out of tune? You need to explore alternate fingerings. Often adding an additional finger or half hole below the regular F fingering will correct things. There are lots of resources on the web, look for recorder fingering chart.
Do recorders need to be tuned?
When a note hole is completely covered, the pitch is fixed, meaning it has a definite tone that does not shift. When a recorder needs to be tuned, the mouthpiece must be adjusted or changes to the finger position over the note holes must be shifted.
Why is recorder not in orchestra?
From the time of the classical period, when works by Mozart and Beethoven became popular, orchestras began to develop, but due to its limited volume, the recorder was unable to hold its own.
Is it possible to tune a recorder?
Work on the recorder’s holes A note that is too low can be tuned by moving the hole up the instrument (towards the windway) or by enlarging it. Inversely a note that is too high can be tuned by moving the hole down the instrument or by reducing its diameter.
What is the tuning of a recorder?
For some time now, the Moeck recorders have been tuned at a1 = 442 Hz (Hertz i. e. vibrations per second). It used to be a1 = 440 Hz, which proved to be too low for piano accompaniment. Pianos today are generally tuned to 443 – 445 Hz, which our recorders can even reach when they are warmed really well.
Can you tune a recorder?
Is there a recorder in an orchestra?
The recorder was well known in Europe by the Middle Ages. In time, the recorder was replaced in the orchestra by woodwind instruments that were newer or being enhanced, such as the oboe and flute. Our contemporary interest in historically informed performance has returned the recorder to the concert stage.
Is the recorder a bad instrument?
For most of us, a plastic recorder was the first musical instrument we encountered back in elementary school, and for that reason it’s something we tend to think of as a childhood toy. However, the recorder is actually a serious instrument, with a rich history that goes back to ancient times.
Is the recorder a serious instrument?
Is it possible for a recorder to sound good?
When played by a good musician, a recorder can sound wonderful. It’s a solo instrument. Or you can have a quartet of recorders in different registers (soprano, alto, tenor or whatever).
How does a recorder change pitch?
A larger volume vibrates more slowly, for lower pitch; a smaller volume vibrates more quickly, for a higher pitch. For most woodwinds, the player changes pitch by opening and closing holes along the instrument’s length. Without keys, there can only be as many holes as the player has fingers to cover them with.
Why are most recorders not well in tune?
One of the most disheartening aspects of recorders and other historical woodwind instruments, at least from our multiple points of view as designers, dealers, and performers, is that most instruments are not very well in tune as delivered by their makers.
How did the recorder musical instrument get its name?
Thus, the recorder cannot have been named after the sound of birds. The name of the instrument is also uniquely English: in Middle French there is no equivalent noun sense of recorder referring to a musical instrument.
What causes a musical instrument to become out of tune?
The pitch may become flat, and become out of tune with other instruments. The instrument may not produce a good quality sound. The windway may become clogged with condensation. Breakage can occur in wooden instruments. In winter, rooms indoors can often become dry. Care is needed, as this can also cause breakage in musical instruments.
How is the sound of a music recorder affected?
The pitch and volume of the recorder sound are influenced by the speed of the air travelling through the windway, which may be controlled by varying the breath pressure and the shape of the vocal tract. The sound is also affected by the turbulence of the air entering the recorder.