To expect my neighbour to stop her son playing the recorder in the garden?

So that's two well-known adult recordists, then - only one of whom was there playing solo.

I'm not saying that they can't be played well, but they are very, very niche. They're obviously very easy to play badly; plus the breathing that makes it smooth and pleasant to listen to is an art that the majority of young children just don't find at all easy to master for a very long time.

I think a large part of the problem is that barely any children are actually given the recorder to play because of any intention that they can learn, improve and make skilful music; the majority are given them - and usually cheapo, shrieky ones too - as nothing more than a noise-making toy.

Maybe if parents gave their children a half-decent one and taught them themselves or arranged for them to have lessons, it would be very different. How many parents give their children a piano and just tell them to repeatedly bash the keys wildly and aimlessly?

I know it's just my personal opinion, but even the bloke playing solo in the woods sounded irritating to me - skilled as he obviously is. I'm not convinced that it works that well as a solo instrument.

I could give you a performance worthy show on the recorder, if asked to. It can be done with a good quality recorder. I'd prefer it to a saxophone. A good quality recorder ensemble, with different types of recorders, can also be quite good.

It doesn't necessarily; but in general, I think musicians who are able to end up going professional are a pretty good yardstick of what many people would consider to be beautiful music.

Fair enough, though. How many well-admired amateur musicians who play solo recorder do you know of? If you saw a sign outside a pub advertising that they had a soloist on the recorder playing this Friday night, would you feel just as much of an urge to attend as if it were a guitarist, pianist, vocalist, saxophonist etc.?

Why do you think more adults don't routinely play the recorder in their spare time?

YANBU. My next door neighbours son is part of a musical theatre group. Good for him, you say. Try living next door to a shout, screechy teenager. I can't wait for the day he goes to find fame and fortune on the London stage. NB. His mum is convinced he has a gift. More important for me, London is a long, long way away.

Rubbish. The recorder is absolutely a great instrument in the right hands, though of course bigger recorders are generally easier on the ear than the descant recorders usually used in primary schools.

Recorders are the perfect starter instrument: they are very cheap, need little if any maintenance, and, though lightweight, are virtually indestructible!

When mine were in primary I was lucky enough to only get five minutes of torture a day🤣. I’ve never heard of a child practicing for that long!

Our old neighbour’s eldest child used to sing in the garden. All day long on the weekends and every night after school. She had a great singing voice but holy shit it was annoying. It was clear her mum was fed up too hence her being sent in the garden to sing at the break of dawn.

Several of us (surrounding neighbours) would kind of shout a few times ‘ok enough now’ when it had been going on ages and she’d stop or go inside but her mum never ever told her to stop or considered anyone else around. I was so glad when they moved.

Normal noise of kids playing and having fun absolutely fine but a shrieking recorder or kids just screaming for no reason, nope. If mine are being horribly loud or squealing, shouting etc they get told to stop or they’re coming inside, if they don’t stop then in they come.

When next door's children have been shrieking fairly loudly, I give them a blast of Beethoven's 9th on the recorder. I need to improve on those bum notes!

Just chat to the kid.

Suggest how cool it would be to play the drums

😀

He usually goes for about 30–40 mins, sometimes longer if he’s “composing” (his word, not mine).
Oh my god he’s so cute!!! Composing!!!! (Sorry!)

You’d hate to live next to me I have a budding drummer, a violinist and a chanter player ( introduction to bagpipes looks a lot like a recorder). Luckily I have no neighbours.

My 10 year old has a keyboard and drums (but has headphones to not disturb neighbours) plus a recorder and saxophone (with no earphones) but he's hopeless at practising so probably only 10 minutes each week of "music". Now his loud mouth is another thing .... along with the football "I'm hurt" acting. He is reminded constantly and doesn't resort to performing outside but I reckon still not beyond a 10 minute annoyance once or twice a week. I on the other hand experience the loud tv and music/radio and yapping dogs daily all through the day whilst trying to WFH from my neighbours so it all evens out!

30-40 minutes is fine. Outdoors is a bit inconsiderate though. Don't bet he'll outgrow it. It was a gateway instrument for me and I went on to become semi-professional and teach it, among other things.

Based on the fact he’s kept it up for a few weeks and seems to be actively trying to play it rather than just making a racket I think I’d try live and let live?

Unless this is his mother’s revenge for something you do. You don’t have any yappy dogs do you? 😂

DD is never, ever allowed to play her recorder in the garden

Ever.

I would NOT wish that on the neighbours

Is it just three blind mice or has he extended his repertoire to twinkle twinkle little star and london’s burning?

@Alonero
Did you mention bathing kids 🤔 ?

Just remember in a few years it will be your turn to chuck them outside with a recorder or some other noisy bit of kit. 😆

He will soon get bored with it.

He might take up the drums instead of course .......

Just get some earplugs, you bloody old misery!

Agreed

I think you just have to live with it. He's not playing "I will always love you" by Whitney Houston on loop 24/7 - remember that case of a noise complaint, now that was warranted.

What music does he play? What a joy.

I could play everything on the recorder - match of the day music, all the hymns every Duran Duran song upto and including seven and the Ragged Tiger. I know the neighbours complained but it was long before ASBOS.

Satan’s whistle was the best description I ever heard of a recorder. Might have been Vogue Williams.

Bit odd to let the child play in the garden I must say. I enjoy my next door neighbour’s DD violin. She started poorly as we all do but really persevered and is doing v well. I love the Christmas pieces in summer too. But that’s a muffled indoor rendition… 😂

ABBA? How about “Thank You for the Music”?

Yeah, no. Nobody thinks the recorder is a pleasant noise and likely not his parents either, seeing as they’re sending him out to the garden.