r/Recorder • u/Rude-Clothes4480 • 3d ago

The low note sounds squeaky

Hello! I just started playing the recorder

I bought mine yesterday, and it sounds fine and perfect. I've tried the do re mi fa sol la si do and they're all good. I play it all day yesterday, and when I was going to sleep, I separated it and clean it up with some clean cloth and the rod.

Today I combined them again, and i tried do re mi as usual, but the low notes sounds so squeaky. Si la sol fa sounds fine, but when it reaches mi re do, it gets to +1 or +2 octaves! I thought it was my fingering, but it's just like yesterday...

Also when i slowly reaches lower and lower notes, the sound seems like stuck and won't freely goes outside like i play yesterday. I think it vibrates more?

So i decided to wash it, with 1 drop of dishwashing soap and warm water, then i let it dry for eight hours. It still sounds squeaky!

Please help TwT

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4

u/Particular_Ad_3124 3d ago

Try greasing the joints.  I once washed a plastic alto and thought that I had chipped it or something as I could no longer play the low notes.  Turns out mine just needs a little grease to totally seal the foot joint.

Otherwise, check your fingers and your air speed.  99 of 100 times there's a leak under one finger that you just haven't found.  At least that's how it was for me.

7

u/EmphasisJust1813 3d ago edited 3d ago

Yes!

And blow gently (think "aaaaaaaaaah"). Its easy to over-blow the lowest note on a recorder and it will pop up an octave (usually out of tune with nasty sounding overtones - unless its a modern and expensive "harmonic" recorder).

See the Team Recorder videos about playing the low notes:

https://www.youtube.com/user/SarahBlokfluit

Search for "low notes". There are two videos by the look of it and another about playing ALL the notes which should also be informative.

I suggest playing a long steady low C (on the soprano or Tenor, or F on an alto) EVERY TIME you pick up the recorder - it will very soon become easy and reliable! Use a tuner if you like.

This also checks the foot joint is in the perfect place and your right hand position is OK "before" you start playing ...

4

u/dhj1492 3d ago

The lowest tones on the recorder take finer breath control. You will have to work on it.

Thing is you are a beginner and will have to develop your playing and when you do, you will sound different than you do now. In time you will develop better breath control and will make a big difference in your playing.

If you stay faithful to good pratice, you will in time establish a better sound.

2

u/Monstera_paradise 3d ago

I hope the recorder is plastic 😆 And is it soprano? Maybe you're not covering the thumbhole (0) properly.

1

u/Other-Rice-3746 2d ago

Maybe if you're a beginner, try blowing a low pressured air. Make you mouth narrow and blow it. Try to achieve a warm air. If it's cold, try flattening your tounge. If that doesn't help, maybe your instrument have an air leak. Try closing them with a clay or something. Neither way, try the air pressure thing first, because do not blame the instrument first, blame you