Here you’ll find quick answers about recorder, practice, and early music, plus links to videos/articles for deeper help.
If you don’t see your question, you can reach me via the contact page.
Questions & Answers
Recorder
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If you’re an adult beginner, starting on alto (treble) is often a comfortable and musically satisfying choice, with lots of repertoire available. Starting on soprano (or even tenor, although it is large for the hands) is also valid—especially if you already own one. If you’re unsure, choose the option that makes it easiest to practice regularly. Soprano is common and feels familiar to many people. Alto often supports a warmer sound and sits beautifully in early music repertoire. If you’re starting from scratch as an adult, alto is a lovely “home base,” but there’s no wrong choice.
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No. A good plastic recorder can be excellent for learning and daily practice. Wooden recorders offer different colours and response, but they require more care. Start with what supports consistency and ease. Many professionals still use a plastic Yamaha or Zen-On alto recorder for their warming-up.
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Yes. The recorder has a rich professional tradition—solo, chamber music, and deep early music roots. In fact, the recorder as you know it, is a copy of an original Baroque instrument. Just make sure you’re not playing a German model, which is an invention from the 20th century to make certain fingerings easier but in fact compromises the quality of the sound. There are also Renaissance models, which have a different, “wider” sound and work with some other fingerings. There are even 20th century models, such as the Paetzold recorder, or the Helder recorder.
Like any instrument, it can be played on an amateur level or with great artistry. The recorder is deceptively easy: when you blow, sound comes out of it, but to really produce a good sound, you need excellent breath support and subtle use of the air and its resonance - very close to how singers work.
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If you’re learning recorder seriously—especially if you want to play early music, use modern method books, or play in ensembles—choose a Baroque (English) fingering recorder. Baroque fingering gives more reliable tuning and response across the full range, especially for chromatic notes, and it’s what most teaching materials and professional players assume. It’s the copy of the original Baroque instruments.
German fingering was designed in the 20th century to make one early note (often F natural) easier for beginners, but it creates compromises later: several cross-fingerings and chromatic notes tend to be less in tune or less stable, and the overall sound is not as good.
If you’re buying a new instrument, pick Baroque. And even if you already own a German instrument, switching to Baroque sooner rather than later usually makes learning smoother and your musical experience much better.
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First, check the label/description: many instruments say “Baroque” / “English” or “German.” If it’s not written anywhere, you can test it with one quick fingering:
Try playing F natural (on soprano/tenor in C, or the equivalent note on your instrument).
If F natural works well with just 1–2–3–4 (no extra holes), it’s likely German.
If F natural requires a cross-fingering (often involving opening another hole, like adding hole 6 on soprano), it’s likely Baroque.
You can also look at the hole sizes: on many recorders the hole sizes around the middle differ, because German fingering changes them to simplify that F. But the fingering test is the easiest and most reliable.
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If the recorder is a wooden recorder or has a wooden block (such as in the Bernolin resin recorders), warm the instrument gently with your body heat (especially in cool rooms and in winter) and begin with simple, soft playing. A gradual start helps the recorder respond better and reduces moisture-related clogging.
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A big part of recorder care is keeping the windway clean. Before playing, it helps to have a clean mouth (for example: brush your teeth or at least rinse with water), and avoid sugary drinks/foods right before you play.
After playing, dry the recorder: use a cleaning stick (with a small hole) and a cotton cloth, and gently swab the inside. Then store the instrument safely—away from heat and direct sun.
Wooden recorders need extra care (humidity awareness, careful drying, and oiling). On my Learn page you’ll find tutorials on oiling (often about twice a year), cleaning the block (often once a year), and other maintenance topics.
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Clogging is usually moisture + temperature. A gentle warm-up with body heat (especially in winter) helps a lot.
If it clogs in the moment: you can cover the labium with a finger (on top of it, not inside—the labium edge is fragile) and blow to push moisture out of the windway. In performance situations, a quick suction/blow “reset” can work as an instant fix (not elegant, but effective).
If your recorder clogs regularly, you can try an anti-condensation fluid (many recorder makers sell it). It’s essentially a mild surfactant solution that reduces water beading in the windway. I’d recommend buying the official product if you can.
Frequent clogging can also be a sign of grease or dirt in the windway, which is why cleaning the block about once a year (or more, depending on use) can help. You’ll find recorder maintenance tutorials on my Learn page.
Technique & Practice
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Think “steady stream” (like a river) rather than “more air.” Because the recorder gives you very little resistance, the work is often about the sensation of staying open and supported for as long as possible, instead of pushing.
On my Learn page I share a tutorial on using air, with specific breathing exercises. In the end, it’s about learning to play in the centre of each note—finding the air speed and support that lets the recorder resonate most freely. You can also read my articles on breath control and good sound.
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Clarity comes from timing and precision, not force. Keep the air flowing—your “motor,” like a river—and let the tongue sit on top of that flow. Think of the tip of the tongue as very small but exact: a tiny, clean touch rather than a big movement. The tongue interrupts the air gently; it shouldn’t feel explosive like a spoken consonant.
The embouchure also matters. A helpful image is the French “u” (or saying “ee” while shaping the lips as if you were giving a kiss). This keeps the middle of the tongue relaxed but focused, so the sides don’t wobble and the articulation stays stable.
If it feels harsh, try less pressure and a slightly slower tempo until the coordination is easy. A good test is: make sure you can play the passage fully slurred first, then add tonguing without changing the air.
Read my article about articulation — and watch my articulation tutorial on the Learn page.
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First, check your finger posture. I like working with rounded fingers—meaning none of the finger joints are locked. Finger movement should be small, relaxed, fast, and efficient (think Swiss clockwork).
Second, stabilise the instrument. I recommend using a third point of support: the right little finger whenever it isn’t needed for a hole. This helps you avoid gripping with the left hand—especially the left thumb—which often slows everything down and creates tension.
Then, train your brain: it needs to know exactly what to ask your fingers to do. In tricky changes, name the fingers that lift and land (thumb = 0, fingers = 1–7). This builds clear “instructions” and improves muscle memory quickly.
Finally: practise in short patterns, stay relaxed, and increase tempo in small steps. If it falls apart at speed, build a slower “repair version” first, then test faster again.
A simple check: record yourself briefly from the side. If your shoulders rise, your jaw tightens, or your left thumb squeezes, speed will feel harder than it needs to.
Read my articles on posture and coordination here — and watch my posture tutorial on the Learn page.
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Consistency matters more than duration. Even 10–20 minutes most days can bring real change if you’re focused. Choose one small goal per session (sound, articulation, one phrase) and stop while it still feels doable.
Read my article on daily study structure or watch my tutorial on the Learn page.
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Possibily—but with some conditions. In recorder playing (and especially in early music), vibrato is best understood as an ornament, not a constant “default” sound quality. Used constantly, it can blur pitch and character.
When using vibrato, be careful not to produce it from the throat. Throat vibrato often brings tension and usually points to missing breath support. A free, resonant sound comes first; vibrato comes second.
Instead, we use forms that stay out of the throat, such as air vibrato (gentle waves of air, not pushing), and, in French Baroque style, what is often called flattement (finger vibrato).
You’ll find more in my article on vibrato — and in my vibrato tutorial on the Learn page: [link].
Music, Mind & Movement
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It’s about making music with more ease, attention, and connection—by including the body, breath, and awareness as part of practice. The goal isn’t “fixing yourself,” but building a kinder, more effective relationship with learning, performing, and being on stage.
For me, body and mind are not “extras” next to technique: they are your instruments too. That includes mindful attention, healthy movement, and practical ways to prevent unnecessary tension and injury—so you can keep making music with freedom over time. You’ll find tutorials and tools on my Learn page.
I also work with performance presence and movement in space through interdisciplinary approaches (including Viewpoints). It can be a playful way for musicians to explore stage presence, awareness, and how the body communicates—without turning music-making into acting.
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Playing (or singing) tends to overuse some muscles again and again, while others barely get used. Over time this can lead to stiffness, “knots,” fatigue, and sometimes pain or overuse issues. Movement helps by keeping the body more balanced and resilient—so playing can stay comfortable and sustainable.
A practical approach is to treat movement as part of your practice routine:
Before playing: warm up the body (mobilise joints, activate larger muscle groups, wake up breath)
During practice: take short movement breaks to reset, stretch, and release tension
After playing: a brief stretch or gentle release to come back to neutral.
Movement while playing should stay minimal and efficient: as relaxed as possible, with good alignment and support (for example: head over heart, heart over pelvis). Even small shifts—how you stand, breathe, release, and balance—can change sound, timing, and confidence.
On the Learn page you’ll find videos with stretching and specific exercises.
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Start by noticing tension rather than fighting it. Use shorter practice bursts, slower tempo, and frequent resets. Often tension reduces immediately when you simplify the task: fewer notes, clearer intention, softer dynamic.
A useful principle is: the way you practice determines what you practice. You’re training your brain to remember how to play—and that includes relaxation. So if you practice while tense, you’re also practicing tension. This is why practice sometimes has to go slower than you would like: you need to go slowly enough that your brain can actually follow what you’re doing.
Try working with awareness: listen with both ear and body. How does it sound—and how does it feel? Over time, good coordination becomes more automatic, which gives your mind space to focus on music rather than control.
A few practical ideas:
isolate variables (for example: only fingers + air)
play a passage all slurred first, then add tonguing later
practice in small groups of notes you can play without tightening
keep attention on the air and how it carries everything
You can find more in my technique basics articles and video tutorials .
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When you’re stuck, the goal is to make practice feel possible again. Choose one tiny focus for today—one phrase, one sound quality, or one gesture. Keep it short (5–15 minutes), and end with something musical you enjoy. Progress often returns as soon as the nervous system stops feeling pressured.
A simple structure helps a lot:
Warm-up first: even a 2–3 minute routine can reduce resistance and get you moving (and research on habit formation supports that small, consistent starters lower the “activation barrier”).
One clear goal: decide what “better” means today (steadier air, cleaner change, calmer body).
Small loop: work in tiny sections you can do without tensing, then connect.
To prevent getting stuck repeatedly, zoom out:
set a weekly goal (e.g., one piece, one technical focus) and a monthly goal (a recording, a run-through, a repertoire milestone)
work with a teacher/coach when you need direction—often one session can reset weeks of confusion
create gentle accountability: plan a music date with a friend, a studio class, or a low-stakes performance moment
On my Learn page you’ll find a tutorial on how to structure your practice session.
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Often, yes. Nerves are a normal biological response, and they tend to change the body in predictable ways—especially the breath. When we get nervous, we often start breathing higher in the chest, which can reinforce the primitive “fight or flight” alarm. The aim isn’t to eliminate nerves, but to stay connected to sound and meaning while they’re present.
A few practical tools (choose one or two—don’t try all at once):
Slow down slightly. Move a little slower, speak a little slower. Your nervous system reads this as safety.
Use supportive self-talk. Remind yourself: “I’m prepared. I know this music.” Saying it calmly can “nudge” the brain away from panic.
Widen your awareness of space. Feel the space not only in front of you, but behind you and above you. Let that space become the place where your sound can live. A simple trick: imagine a gentle circle around you (about 1–2 meters). Let it be a boundary and a home base—“this is my space, and this is my moment.” Then let your sound fill that space.
Reframe the moment as sharing. You’re telling a musical story. People enjoy being together and listening. Your way of telling it is unique.
Defuse the catastrophe. Ask: “What’s the worst that can happen?” Imagine it, and notice it isn’t life or death—and often it wouldn’t feel so terrible from the audience.
Return to the body. Feel your feet on the floor, breathe lower (towards your centre rather than your chest), check posture, reconnect to balance. These are skills you can practice long before the concert.
You can read more about this subject on the Articles page and watch my tutorials on the Learn page.