recorder method online : bassg sharp / a flat
Dr. Brian Blood


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First Octave: E :: D :: C :: A :: G :: F :: Bb/A# :: B :: Eb/D# :: F#/Gb :: C#/Db :: G#/Ab :: Second Octave :: Third Octave


This section gives advice on the following topics:

How To Finger The Note G sharp
How To Play The Note G sharp


How To Finger The Note G sharp

The twelfth note we learn, G sharp on the bass recorder, lies on the bottom line of the bass clef but has a sharp sign before it, in the key signature at the beginning of the stave or on a G earlier in the same bar. The enharmonic equivalent to G sharp is A flat in the equitempered scale - that is, both notes have the same fingering. 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.


Legend: = hole covered = hole uncovered = pinched thumbhole

Recorder Thumb 1 2 3 4 5 6b
6a
7b
7a
Bell
Bass in F
Contra Bass
  -----left hand------ -----right hand-----

G#
standard


Using the standard nomenclature, the fingering for first octave G sharp, or for the enharmonic equivalent A flat, is written 0 1 2 3 4 5 6a.

How To Play The Note G sharp

Play the note A on the bass. Now lower the third finger of the right hand so that it lies only over the nearer of the two small holes on the bottom hole of the middle section. Low G sharp, in common with most of the low notes on the recorder, needs as much respect as low F sharp. Do not blow too much air into the recorder nor tongue too strongly. With the low F sharp we talked about altering the double hole offset to make finding only one double hole easier. Here we cannot move the offset and so hand rotation is a helpful trick in this case. Slightly rotate the wrist laterally, clockwise to the back of the hand, so that the third finger is moved further away from the double holes. By making it more difficult to cover both the double holes you are more likely only to cover the one you need for the G sharp. Try moving between A and G sharp and then alternately between A and G natural and A and G sharp. Once you are happy with both progressions you are ready to try piece 12.


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