Recorder Types and Sizes
Main Recorder Types (By Size & Pitch)
Source: American Recorder Society
Recorders are categorized from smallest (highest pitch) to largest (lowest pitch): The most common sizes are Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass, but there are even smaller ones : sopranino and garklein.
- Soprano (Descant): The most popular beginner instrument, pitched in C. It is used in schools due to its small size.
- Alto (Treble): Pitched in F, offering a warm, mellow tone. Highly favored for solo literature and is often considered a great choice for adults starting out.
- Tenor: Pitched in C (one octave below the soprano). Often used by adults or advanced players.
- Bass: A low-pitched instrument in F, often featuring keys to help reach the holes and a “bent neck” (bocal) to blow into.
- Great Bass/Contrabass: Larger, lower-pitched instruments added to modern consorts for deeper range.
Devices for Organizing and Playing Music
Going Paperless: Switching to a digital setup eliminates heavy binders and endless stacks of paper, using pdf files.
Using an iPad running forScore, or other tablets or notebooks using MobileSheets or other software, makes it simple to organize music by categories, setlists, libraries. Most apps include a feature to scan paper music into pdf files.
To keep things entirely hands-free while playing, bluetooth pedals on the floor lets you flip pages with a quick tap of your foot. The pedal pictured here is a PageFlip Firefly.
Rio Grande Recorder Society 