To some, they bring back happy memories of their school days. Some will see them as the reason they are now playing packed-out arenas. Others will remember the screech and do a little shudder.
Recorders!
Many of us pick one up at school, manage to just about play "Twinkle twinkle little star" and then tell the world that yes, we are in fact, musicians. But why should the fun stop there? After all, recorders can be serious business. With the right amount of practice and patience, children can take those simple nursery rhymes and start their own musical journey!
That musical journey is one that we at Warwick Music Group know well. We have performed, we have practised, we have taught and we have even designed and built our own instruments. And while we're not going to give all of the credit to the recorder, a lot of us created some of our first musical sounds on the beginner woodwind instrument.
So let's explore the ten top reasons why picking up a recorder is worthwhile for you or any other budding musician.
#1: Recorders are affordable
Imagine your child wants to start learning an instrument. They might want to learn to play the drums, or maybe they've seen Wednesday Addams making cellos look cool and moody. Wonderful news! But an expensive way to start learning to play music.
Recorders, however, typically retail for well under £20 ($25). A good quality plastic recorder can even be found for less than half this price. Compare that to the cheapest student cello at Gear4Music and you'll realise that recorders are a savvy investment. Children can learn the basics of making music and progress onto other instruments, without a large, expensive and difficult starter instrument gathering dust in the attic. Speaking of...
#2: Recorders are portable
There are not many musical instruments that can comfortably fit in a school bag, but that is one of the reasons why recorders are so popular among students.
Portability is often overlooked for beginner instruments. The ability to take your instrument to and from the classroom gives children more opportunities to practice, in both a group setting and individually. Recorders are lightweight, giving kids plenty of time to work on those scales!
#3: Recorders are accessible
Most recorders are manufactured from lightweight plastic or wood. This makes them a fantastic choice for young learners. Heavier musical instruments can present difficulties for all children. Such a compact and lightweight instrument can help some learners with physical disabilities create their own musical moments.
Heavy, bulky instruments can be a major barrier to progress for new starters, making recorders a brilliant beginner option.
#4: Recorders are widely available
Some instruments require careful hunting down. Some instruments are only available from specialist retailers. Recorders are so popular and affordable that they can be found in all sorts of stores.
This gives you lots of options when it comes to choosing the right one. And if you get bitten by the recorder bug and one is not enough, you won’t have to search too far.
#5: Recorders are easy to play
Beginner instruments are designed for beginners, and there is a reason why these woodwind instruments are such a staple in the classroom. Producing a note on a recorder requires little in the way of physical effort: recorders are designed for easy blowing. The fingering system allows for a simpler route into musical notation than many other instruments.
The most common recorder for beginners is a soprano recorder, tuned to the key of c. For non-musicians, this common key is a great fit for beginners. It is often the first scale learned by pianists, as it contains no sharps or flats. It also enables learners to play along with simple songs and popular music.
#6: Recorders can develop the fundamentals of music
Learning to read music? Check. Exploring the basics of rhythm and pitch? Check. Practising posture and performance? Check.
The recorder ticks a lot of crucial boxes for musical beginners. Best of all, these skills are transferable. Players who start out on the recorder can take these building blocks of music and apply them to other instruments. Other woodwind instruments such as the flute and clarinet are obvious choices. But all other instruments, from percussion to piano, use notation and pitch and more.
For young learners, the skills learned from playing the recorder can also help with wider learning. Learning to play an instrument has a host of benefits, from encouraging creativity to boosting coordination and language skills.
#7: Recorders are versatile
The first notes on a recorder for many might be popular nursery rhymes, but don’t let that fool you. Traditionally, recorders are associated with baroque and Renaissance music. So if you’re someone who likes to host banquets and balls, the recorder can provide the perfect soundtrack.
Other players who progress further with the recorder might experiment with jazz or folk music. Plenty of rock and pop songs feature the recorder too. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin might be famous for its medieval melodies and guitar work, but listen out for John Paul Jones on the recorder!
#8: (Some) recorders can be sustainable
Recorders are usually made from either plastic or wood. Manufacturing with these materials, plus the delivery of millions of instruments across the world means that recorders, like lots of other musical instruments, can leave a big carbon footprint.
This was one of the key reasons for taking our own environmental expertise and creating pCorder, the world's first carbon-neutral recorder. By manufacturing our revolutionary recorder from tough but recyclable ABS, it will provide years of musical fun but skip the dreaded landfill. We even ship pCorder in a box for life to give learners a carry case: that's music delivered smarter!
#9: Recorders are built to last
A quality wooden recorder, with the correct upkeep and professional maintenance, could last for decades or more. A pristine plastic recorder could last for a lifetime. The best recorders are built to stand up to the rigours of daily use. Plastic recorders are easy to clean and maintain. You can even wash them in soapy water with the dishes - a musical rarity among other instruments!
#10: Recorders are cool
You don't stick around from Medieval times unless you're doing something right. An instrument that is fun to play, that is portable enough to get the party started wherever you are, and that can be heard on some of the biggest songs of all time? What's not to like?
Check out this playlist from The Guardian featuring the recorder in some classic pop tracks:
Is the recorder the right beginner instrument?
There are so many reasons to pick up a recorder. This beginner instrument is fun to play, easy to pick up...and hard to put down!
Some new starters may feel confident enough to dive into music-making with another instrument, such as a guitar, keyboard, or brass instrument. But playing the recorder can make the adjustment to these instruments even easier.
Recorders also have a great sound in their own right. With practice, you could be making magical Medieval memories before you know it.
Recorders are a fantastic gift for younger children who are trying out an instrument for the first time: accessible, perfect for young hands, and providing the gratification of creating a sound.
Many musicians have hit their very first notes on a recorder: those first notes could be the start of something very special.
- If you want to find out how to keep your instrument hitting all the right notes, check out our article on how to look after your recorder.
- Figuring out which kind of recorder to start on should be your first step, so find out which recorder is best for beginners in this article.
- Is wood good or is plastic fantastic? Find out for yourself with our article comparing wooden and plastic recorders.
Adam is the Content Manager at pBone Music. This should mean that he’s the ideal person to write about himself, but he finds boasting in the third person a little awkward. He honed his word wizardry with a degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Leeds. He has since written copy for clients and businesses across the land, from awards to something beginning with “z”. He also spent a number of years as a musician. He has written pop songs and even jingles for kids, performed more first dances at weddings than you could shake a pBuzz at, and once played a gig for a pie company at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester. When he’s not reminiscing about those good old days, you might find Adam enjoying the football (although as an Everton fan, that can be difficult). He also loves spending time with his partner, Jen, and his family and friends, and sincerely hopes they feel the same way.
