I have heard my voice on tape, and that was a good decision. My speaking voice is a versatile instrument, but there is something about the addition of music that makes it go atonal and really annoying. I think the problem is what I’m hearing, versus what everyone else hears.

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When I was in grade school we all had to learn to play the “Melody Flute”. I enjoyed it but I’m pretty sure anyone listening to me did not feel the same way. I am not musically inclined… not even a tiny bit. Although I love to listen to music, I couldn’t carry a tune if it were in a bucket.

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Kryten, no problem with the thumbhole here either. But agree that the little finger can be a bit difficult to hit. It’s set up to be half-holed the “easy” way (i.e., without having to “feel” for the note) and my finger only gets across one of them, and then it’s a bit flat and I’m like, “wait a moment, that wasn’t the right note!” sigh. Luckily I don’t play (or teach) recorder for a living, so I just start over and play it right the next time, undoubtedly driving my neighbors as mad as Bryan is being driven by his next door neighbor’s kid :-).

– Badtux the Musical Penguin

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I played an electric bass badly for a while. Short fingers and a total lack of musical talent brought that to end.

I don’t recall having any problems with the thumb hole. I suspect because the thumb and index finger are used a lot with drum work. 🙂 I did have a problem with my little finger though! I mean, come on… who uses it? *sigh* 😉

Oops. Or perhaps I mean oups.

“Steve, even knowing the principles intellectually (and I suspect the kid does have a teacher at school who taught him the principles) doesn’t mean that you can perform on the recorder.” – Badtux

No kidding. Recorder playing may have an intellectual component, but if you don’t know the guts-and-fingers aspect, you can’t play.

“Puffing=you’re doin’ it wrong.” – Badtux

Again, right on the money. It’s either tongue to start notes and stop notes, or tongue to start notes and open the mouth (still blowing steadily until the very moment) to cease… puffing just doesn’t work. The 17th- and 18th-century method writers discussed what initial consonants to use: T and D (the German or French soft D, tip of the tongue just above the upper teeth) were favorite single strokes; in fast, liquid 16th-note passages, “diri” or “diddle” were common double strokes (but not the “taka” popular with today’s brass players… it’s an ugly sound on a flute-class instrument). FWIW, the development of tongue use goes on even today, particularly in the Dutch school. No, I’m not talking about A’dam’s red light district. 😈

Bryan, one’s first encounter with the thumb hole deserves utmost sympathy… sympathy that I admit is difficult to muster. Working in an auto mechanic’s shop should be no limitation; one of my best students ever (technically and musically) worked on oil rigs. And small hands can be a problem on the larger instruments; a few kids even have trouble with alto (“treble” if you’re British) and tenor, and everyone has to stretch on instruments larger than a bass, despite its keywork.

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