Which recorder to buy for a 6-year-old boy? With nice high quality sound.

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

I have seen on the internet lots of recorders. Does anyone think that Aulos 205 is a very good recorder? www.amazon.co.uk/Aulos-205-Descant-Recorder-Yellow/dp/B000SQC13A?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Which recorders you would not buy?
I do not want to buy just any recorder for a beginner because the bad sound might put my son off playing recorders.
I have read that there are recorders with different sounds. How can I know which one is which.
Thank you.

[EdithWeston]

That's a perfectly good one.

If he likes it, upgrade to a wooden one - but I really wouldn't do that until he's a bit older (or perhaps he doesn't lose/break stuff as often as mine do).

[DCSsunhill]

Aulos is the most popular brand with the schools, or the Yamaha 24subuk. To be honest, I would ask the music teacher at school as they are normally asked to buy the same recorder, for tuning purposes.

[AllYourCakeAreBelongToXmas]

I'd buy an Aulos. They're decent recorders, for plastic. I learnt on them, and am currently teaching dd on one, and it sounds really sweet. If you want a really nice school recorder when he gets better, though, try a Moeck Flauto 1 (maple wood body, plastic top joint). Gorgeous mellow sound. But, it's 30-odd quid, so prob a bit much for a complete beginner.

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

Oh, thanks. I have just found a link (I should have looked for it before creating this thread) where it is said that descant recorders are aimed at children because of its small size.
mmdelrosario.hubpages.com/hub/recorder
So, now I know that we need a descant recorder.
I just need to find out which one to buy. If the above is good then I will go for it. I have not seen the wooden ones but I do not want to buy anything expensive at the moment.

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

They are not learning to play music in Y1 yet, so I want to buy it and figure out how to teach him. I have ordered Hornby recorder set from Argos (inc. a book), so hopefully it will help us too. The Hornby one is for my younger son. I need to get two recorders otherwise they will fight.

The reason why I am looking for a recorder is because my DS1 wants a trumpet. He is too young for it yet. I have been advised to start with recorder or flute. I showed him both instruments on youtube and he like a recorder. I prefer the sound of clarinet though :)

[EdithWeston]

I was going to suggest Aulos (or Yamaha) before even opening your link.

You need to avoid gimmicky garish-coloured or brightly painted one's (often found in general toy catalogues) as the quail is variable. Wooden ones are much more expensive, and best to wait to see how well he gets on with it.

It definitely has to be a descant, BTW. If he is keen, then you get the others later. I started with descant and added tenor, and sopranino and treble. Avoid the last two for a beginner as they are in a different key and require different fingering; tenor will probably be too big until the later primary years.

[Theas18]

I'm a recorder player, the kids are excellent recorder players and we all have a heavy early music interest.

THis:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-Descant-recorder-Blue-/360399100899?pt=UK_Woodwind_Instruments&hash=item53e975dbe3

and it's mates in different colours (including the boring black/cream) are thought to be the best instruments for the money and easily OK to grade 4-5 or higher. THey are lovely to play and tuning is good and consistent within the instrument and between instruments because the manufacture is very consistent.

I started with Aulos but not they aren't particularly well regarded.

DH teaches music at school and he has a yamaha descant I got from ebay just like this except his was bought from some clever person who has mixed up 3 recorders and so he has a tri colour one LOL

[EdithWeston]

You can get part-sized clarinets these days. If he learns that, then it'll be easy to swap to a sax, which is cool. Best to wait until he has all his front teeth though.

[Theas18]

Don't get a wooden recorder for a child below at least grade 4 standard. It'll either be rough as anything, or if it is a "proper one" it'll need careful treatment or it'll be rough as anything anyway LOL.

Youngest DD (12) has her own wooden treble but she still has a yamaha plastic descant or borrows a recorder from her teacher.

(Moves away from thread whistling and refusing to even contemplate the amount of £££ we have invested in recorders.......)

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

Yes, clarinet is nice but he has only got two big teeth, so we will wait and see.

I have checked the wooden recorder and it is indeed pricey. This shop sells the musical instruments and you can even listen to them www.thomann.de/gb/moeck_23_sopran_flute.htm

Theas18, you say that Aulos are not well regarded. Are they are worth than Yamaha in your opinion or about the same?

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

Meant to say worse and not worth.

[EdithWeston]

We've got one of each, but the Aulos is a very old hand me down. Our two are about the same, but the old Aulos feels a bit sturdier and has certainly stood the test of time. I don't know if a new Aulos would be the same (bowing to Thea's greater expertise). But for a young beginner, I'd say either is fine.

[southeastastra]

reading this thread makes me think neither of my sons have learnt the recorder :( it's sad in a way, we all played z cars at our school on the recorder

i will have to get one for the 10 year old before it's too late!

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

I am trying to find a one piece-recorder. The one from amazon is a three-piece.

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

I find it hard to find Aulos 1-piece recorder. What did you buy?

Here is what Alous manufacturer says:
Which is best for my classroom, 1 piece, 2 piece, or 3 piece recorders?


One piece recorders are best for beginning players and classroom settings. Why? Because younger players might have a tendency to turn the bodies (the joints) and make changes to the tuning. Older, more accomplished players, and their teachers will appreciate the 2 and 3 piece recorders for playing in ensembles because of the ability to change tuning and gain more precise intonation.

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

I have found a one-piece recorder
www.musicroom.com/Search/Find.aspx?lx_pagesize=20&params=fh_view_size%3d20%26fh_refview%3dlister%26fh_refpath%3dfacet_23%26fh_reffacet%3dprice_en_gb%26fh_location%3d%252f%252fmusicroom%252fen_GB%252fcatalogue%253e%257bmr_catalogue%257d%252fbrandid%253d322%252f10.0%253cprice_en_gb%253c15.0%26fh_eds%3d%25c3%259f

Should we buy a one-pice as recommended by Aulos or can we try with Aulos 205 (the three-piece, 30 cm)? There is also Aulos 303a www.djmmusic.com/items.asp?bc=Aulos&sorton=price%20low%20to%20high&gclid=CJmk2YTFvK0CFQUOfAodHyAl_w


I am really really thankful for all your comments! Many many thanks!

[BrigitBigKnickers]

I am a recorder player (and teacher ) and always recommend the Aulos 205 (the cheaper 303 does not sound as good.) Strange anothe poster said they were not well regarded- I have always found quite the opposite.

I can see that a one piece might be practical for large groups of 5 and 6 year olds but they really don't sound as good.

Avoid Dolmetch like the plague- they have a horrid flat tone and always sound rather out of tune.

My recorder groups are often praised for their tone quality which is partly due to the fact that I go to great pains to teach them the correct breathing technique but also down the instrument.

[BrigitBigKnickers]

PS the other problem with a one piece is that the little finger holes might not be in quite the right place whereas the three piece can be adjusted to suit different length fingers.

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

Thank you BrigitBigKnickers. Your comments are very helpful. I am glad to hear that Aulos 205 is a better recorder than the one-piece. It is easier to find suppliers for the 205.

[DeWe]

For the recorder players:
Dd2 has a lovely wooden recorder built for her to play with one hand. We'd like to get her a proper case to protect it at school, but all the cases seem to be built for the recorder to be taken apart before being put away. Other than the likelihood of her losing part if she takes it apart, it specifically says in the information not to.

Has anyone any idea where were could get a reasonably priced hard case for one?

[MustStartExercising]

Clarinets aren't the same fingering as a sax though.

A Sax is are the same fingering as a descant recorder more or less (and is indeed v cool)

Clarinet is the same is a treble recorder.

[BrigitBigKnickers]

Partly true-the lower register of the clarinet is indeed almost the same as the treble recorder but the middle register is the same as the descant (also a clarinetist)

[BrigitBigKnickers]

Out of interest DeWe - How is it possible to play the recorder with only one hand?

[CointreauVersial]

DD2 uses the one I had as a child - it is 40 years old! It has a lovely tone, and still has my name tape sellotaped to it.

[Lovefruitsandvegs]

The Aulos recorder has not arrived yet but we have got two Hornby recorder sets from Argos. When the Aulos arrives I will give it to my older DS and I will get his Hornby. Hopefully with the help of Recorder from the Beginning book I will be able to teach all three of us how to play a recorder.