This section gives advice on the following topics:
How
To Finger The Note F
How
To Play The Note F
The seventh note we learn, F on the descant (soprano) recorder, lies on the bottom space on the treble clef. Click on the play button in the Sibelius score to hear it. Below that we give the standard fingering for this note, the fingering you would use under normal circumstances.
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Using the standard nomenclature, the fingering for first octave F is written 0 1 2 3 4 6a 6b 7a 7b.
Cover all the holes and, if you are not tonguing too strongly, you should be able to produce a clear bottom C. Now, raise the second finger of the right hand to produce F. Next, moving the hand as a block, lift all the fingers on the right hand off the recorder to give a G and then replace the first, third and fourth finger to return to the note F. Try moving back and forth between these two notes several times. The more difficult movements, those between F and E and between F and D, require considerable control, even more if you try the progression slurred rather than tongued. These three progressions form the basis of our exercise, piece 7a.
Once you are happy with this exercise, try a more extended work, piece 7b which places the note F in a more general context.
F is no more difficult than C but many recorder players are tempted to miss off the bottom little finger in a desire to make the fingering easier. Unfortunately, anyone with acute hearing will be able to tell that the little finger is missing because the note your recorder produces will be noticeably sharp. While some larger recorders (basses and the like) are designed to be in tune with this fingering with or without the bottom finger - this avoids having to use the bottom key and aids speed of finger movement when playing quick passage work - smaller sizes all require the fingering given above which includes the little finger.
