Sound Quality: Finding the Center of Each Note
Recorder Technique Essentials
Adapted from my article in American Recorder, Vol. LXII, No. 2 (Summer 2021)
In my previous article, we explored breathing and how to build support for the recorder. Now we’ll take it a step further and connect that breathing to sound: how to find the “center” of each note, how vibrato works, and how we can shape the air to give more expression.
Open inhalation on the recorder
Before we play, it’s useful to practice an “opening up” exercise for your inhalations:
Step 1: Exhale with a gentle “fffff” until you’ve reached the end of your breath. (Even then, there’s still about a liter of air left in your lungs!) Then open your mouth in an “oh” or “ah.” The diaphragm will relax and spring back to its neutral position, pulling the lungs open so that fresh air flows in naturally.
Step 2: Add one more step: after opening, inhale a little more, lowering the diaphragm further. This is abdominal breathing, and it helps us take in more air in a short time—exactly what we need for a long musical phrase.
Now take your recorder. Balance it with the right hand (plus lower lip and right thumb; sometimes also the right little finger), while the left hand rests on your stomach or waist to feel the breathing. Blow out as before, then open your mouth and this time let the new breath flow straight into the recorder.
The next step is to play a long tone, still focusing on the feeling of diaphragmatic support. The goal is simple: whenever you play, your tone stays stable and centered, free of breathing problems.
Vibrato: less is more
The basic recorder tone should be smooth, like a lake without waves. In early music, vibrato is an ornament—not something continuous. A constant vibrato is like playing with a constant trill, and often it’s uncontrolled, coming from the throat instead of the breath.
There are two kinds of vibrato we use on the recorder:
Air vibrato: a gentle wave in the airflow—less, more, less, more. Try it without the recorder first: “ffffFFFFffffFFFF.” Then with the recorder, begin slowly until your abdominal muscles learn the motion, and gradually increase speed. Keep it regular, and never let it tighten your throat.
Finger vibrato (flattement): shading the edge of a hole or creating a “shadow” with the finger. The slight covering lowers the pitch, so the average pitch sits between open and half-covered. To balance this, you blow a little more, which creates a natural swell and release. Flattement was described in 1707 by Jacques Hotteterre, and is mostly used in French Baroque music.
Finding the center of each note
Every recorder note has a “center” where it resonates most. To me it feels like the sound is singing around my head. Long tones help us find this center.
The best exercise is a slow scale of long tones, but even a few chosen notes (low, middle, high) will do. Imagine two horizontal lines: between them, the pitch is perfectly in tune. Near the top line it gets forced and harsh; near the bottom it turns weak and dull. The true center is a small circle between them, and that’s where the sound blossoms.
Shaping the air: slow/fast, broad/thin
For low notes, the air needs to move more slowly; for high notes, faster. But this doesn’t mean blowing “harder” or “softer.” Think instead of air speed: light and fast, like an arrow flying, for the highs; slower and steadier for the lows.
In addition, the air can feel broad or thin.
This gives us four possibilities:
Slow, broad
Slow, thin
Fast, broad
Fast, thin
Each combination creates a different character. Thin air suggests piano, a lighter touch. Broad air adds warmth and space. Explore these options and notice: how does each feel in your mouth? Where inside do you sense the shape of the air? Is it the same for every note, or does each one need its own adjustment?
Recorder and voice
Playing the recorder has much in common with singing. Both use very little resistance, rely on subtle airflow, and resonate in the body. For the recorder, keep the jaw neutral, but otherwise the same principles apply: breath, space, and resonance.
It takes time to master, but working carefully on sound transforms the recorder from a “school instrument” into something truly sublime.
