We've put together our top five questions to consider when buying a new recorder. Answering these questions will help narrow down the selection, helping you to pick the right one. We stock over 700 different recorders so this guide is a great place to start your search! Please do not hesitate to contact us for further advice and guidance.
Whether you are picking the recorder up for the first time, or coming back to it after many years, there are many different sizes of instrument to consider! As a starting point, the most common sizes are the soprano (descant), alto (treble) or tenor recorder.
The soprano and tenor both have a bottom note of C. The tenor sounds an octave lower than the soprano; they play using the same fingering, but the tenor is much bigger! These tend to be the most common choice as many people learn the soprano recorder at school. In terms of learning, this is a great choice if you want to be able to play a variety of music and play in music groups. Lots of folk music and popular tunes can be played easily without going out of range.
The alto has a bottom note of F. Although the finger patterns/positions are the same, they produce different notes. It's usually best to become very familiar with one fingering set (C or F) before learning another. The alto is a great choice for if you want to play baroque pieces and are playing solo.
The Others
That isn't to say that you can't start with a smaller or bigger recorder! We have the full range available in stock and recommend trying out an instrument if you would like to begin with a different size. There are many sizes, but here is an overview of the most common:
There are 3 main types of fingering:
The standard modern fingering used on most recorders is baroque fingering. This is why teachers will often ask you to get a "baroque recorder". If in doubt, this is the option to go for!
German fingering was originally designed for younger players. Sometimes, if you are coming back to the recorder after years of not playing, this is a fingering system you may be familiar with. It’s generally best to avoid German fingering as it can restrict future playing opportunities.
Renaissance fingering broadly covers a whole range of different fingerings – usually varying from instrument to instrument depending on hole configuration and tuning! Renaissance recorders traditionally have wide-bores and single holes, but nowadays instruments in a renaissance style often have standard baroque fingering for ease of playing.
Standard pitch (or modern pitch) is referred to as a440 or a442. This refers to the frequency - 440/442Hz is labelled as an A. When starting the recorder, you want to get a standard pitch recorder. This allows you to play with a piano, other instruments and play in recorder consorts!
Baroque pitch has been standardised at a415. This means that a "baroque A" is one semitone lower than a standard pitched A. Many baroque groups play at a415, and unlike string instruments, you need to have a different, low-pitch recorder to join in.
French baroque pitch is at a392 which works out as a tone lower than standard pitch or a semitone below baroque pitch. As the name suggests it works really well for French Baroque music, giving a warm, sonorous quality!
Renaissance pitch is at a466 which works out as a semitone higher than standard pitch. Its bright sound is ideal for renaissance repertoire and although we don’t sell instruments at this pitch very often, it is most commonly found in ‘Ganassi’ style wide-bore recorders.
Price can sometimes answer this question immediately: on the whole, plastic recorders are much cheaper than wooden ones. To give you an idea here are some starting prices:
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Plastic |
Wooden |
Garklein |
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Sopranino |
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Soprano (Descant) |
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Alto (Treble) |
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Tenor |
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Bass |
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Great Bass |
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Contra Bass |
The main difference between plastic and wooden instruments is the sound. Wooden recorders have a rich, colourful tone quality in comparison with plastic recorders. This is particularly noticeable in higher pitched recorders - sopraninos, sopranos and altos.
Wooden recorders are much more rewarding to play as they allow you to play with more expression. You can get more dynamics and colour from a wooden recorder. There is more resistance in wooden recorders, and often they are easier to play than plastic ones, especially on the lowest notes.
Plastic recorders tend to block up very quickly with moisture, meaning the sound becomes muffled and the instrument is less rewarding to play. Unfortunately this is unavoidable and will keep happening during playing, sometimes every 10 minutes or so. Unlike wooden recorders, plastic recorders can’t absorb the moisture.
This blocking up happens with wooden recorders when you’re playing them in. But when regularly playing your wooden recorder, this will happen less and less. You’ll soon be able to play for hours before your recorder will block up!
If you’re just starting to play, plastic may be the best option for you. You can see how you get on with playing the recorder, whether you enjoy it, whether you’ve chosen the right size. Then when you’re more comfortable with playing the recorder, you can upgrade to a wooden instrument.
One advantage of plastic recorders is they offer easy maintenance. This is especially good for younger players. Unlike wooden recorders, you can just wash them out!
Wooden recorders do require more maintenance including cleaning, drying, oiling and occasional servicing/re-voicing. It’s very simple to get to grips with the required care routine, and our expert staff can guide you through the process if you’re new to wooden instruments.
Recorders come in many different types of wood which all produce subtly different sounds. This is a whole extra decision in itself, and we partnered with Team Recorder’s Sarah Jeffery to compare the different woods and sounds available from one of our leading manufacturers, Moeck:
We stock various recorder makes from all over the world. There are so many different makes and models available that it can be a minefield! It's always best to keep an open mind when choosing any instrument and this is especially true when buying a recorder. Just because you have one make or model for one recorder, doesn't mean that this will be the best choice for a different size.
We have a large range of instruments in stock and available to view on our website or in our showrooms. Our expert staff are always on hand to help you compare the different manufacturers and woods, and you can select different criteria using the search functions on our website.
We find the best place to start can be setting a budget. This, along with your answers to the questions above, will give you a good selection to choose from. Some recorders will feel comfortable instantly, so the kinetic feel can play a big part in helping decide on make/model. Each make and model has different advantages – some are louder, some have stronger bottom ranges, some play easier in the upper register etc. Other factors that can help narrow down the make/model choices are the wood, the recorder being in three pieces, and the keywork.
Once you have an idea of the above, our expert recorder specialists can talk you through your selection of recorders. We will be able to help narrow down your selection by discussing which would work well for you. Contact us here and we'll start the process!
We recommend trying recorders before making a decision as they vary so much. Even two supposedly identical instruments can sound subtly different!
If you can't make it to Saltaire, Snape or one of our pop-up shops, we can always send three or four recorders directly to you on approval. You can then try them from the comfort of your home to make sure you choose the best one for you. It also means you can take them to any groups, or venues where you play and see what works best for you!
Team Recorder’s Sarah Jeffery partnered with us on several recorder comparison videos in 2020. You can watch another of her comparisons here:
Couldn't find what you were looking for? Please contact us and we'll do our best to help!
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These are instruments designed by a player of distinction with other professional performers in mind. The collection includes 6 string viols after Richard Meares, a Barak Norman 6-string viol, 7 string bass after Bertrand, a tenor viol after Jaye, treble viols after Jaye and Hoskins, violins after Amati, Stradivarius, Guarnerius & Steiner, violas after da Salo & Stradivarius and cellos after Montagnana, Amati & Stradivarius. Markku also oversees the production of the snakewood baroque bows which are made in the workshops of Zhuge Hua.
“Since I started the business there have more than 2000 instruments sold. When I began I asked Wang to always make the instruments as good as possible, using only the best materials available, as there are enough low quality instruments in the world and we don’t need more of them. Perhaps the most flattering comment I have heard is by the leading American luthier William Monical after he saw 7 string bass viol by Wang: “These instruments will be the Jayes and Meares of the future.” He was not paying attention to the nationality or ethnic origin of the makers, but only to the workmanship and materials used. My Instruments can also be commissioned with an antique varnish, the finish has a touch so that the instruments don’t look brand new. Also available are a limited number of viols with carved pegbox and scroll.”
All Lu-Mi instruments at the Early Music Shop are strung with Aquila strings and set up in-house by our own experienced viol technician. Please call or email a member of the EMS team for further advice or information, we are happy to help..!
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There are two main types of harp – lever harps and pedal harps. Lever harps are diatonic and have levers on the strings which can raise the string by a semitone. Pedal harps are fully chromatic and have 7 pedals, one for each note, which can raise each string by two semi-tones. Here at The Early Music Shop we specialise in lever harps.
It's most common to start learning on the lever harp and later progress (if you want!) to the pedal harp. Many people stick with the lever harp due to size and cost! Lever harps are suited to folk music and classical music, and are sometimes known by their Celtic name "clarsach".
Lever harps come in a variety of sizes with two main options – knee harps and floor harps. Smaller harps tend to be knee harps, which are very transportable and can be played on your knee. Larger lever harps are floor harps, as they sit on the floor and you lean the harp against your shoulder. (A few smaller floor harps come with legs which you can screw into the base of the instrument.) It is always possible to place a lap harp on a stool or table, making it a floor harp.
There are also basic and specialist types of harp that don't have pedals or levers. Unless you are playing very specific repertoire like medieval music, it's always advisable to get a lever harp, as this gives greater possibilities of repertoire, keys and accidentals.
There are lots of harps available with various number of strings. The most common lever harps range between 19 and 40 strings. A pedal harp generally has 47 strings, though different number of strings are available with these as well.
A smaller harp isn't necessarily for beginners. In fact, smaller harps can be harder to learn on! The number of strings determines the range of notes available to you. 22 strings offers a 3 octave range, whereas 38 strings offers over a 5 octave range. A common middle-ground is 34 strings; this is the minimum number of strings required for graded music exams with ABRSM and Trinity (Grades 1-2 with ABRSM may be done with 27 strings).
That's not to say that fewer string harps don't have their advantages. Given the price of harps, it may be that you want something smaller and more affordable to start on, to see whether the harp is the instrument for you!
Why are you learning the harp? What music do you want to play? Will you be travelling lots with the harp? These are great questions that will help decide on the best number of strings for your harp. If you are learning the harp to take graded exams, and to move onto a pedal harp, go for 34+ strings. If you want to learn and play the harp as part of music therapy, go for something smaller like 22 strings. In terms of travelling about with your harp, as a general rule fewer strings mean a lighter harp. It isn't always true as some harps are specifically light-weight, but is always true of bulkiness!
Harps are expensive – unfortunately there's no escaping that! But there are some more affordable harps as well as lots of finance options which help to make more expensive harps accessible to more players.
As a general rule, price does reflect quality. Less expensive harps tend to have a smaller, less rounded sound than more expensive harps. The levers can be harder to operate in comparison with more expensive harps. However, they can be great starter instruments to help you decide whether the harp is for you. You can always upgrade when you're sure!
To give you an idea of price, here are some starting prices of some of the harps we stock:
No of strings | EMS Heritage Harps | Salvi Harps |
12 | £135 | - |
19 | £365 | - |
22 | £425 | - |
25 | - | £1595 |
27 | - | £1695 |
29 | £875 | - |
34 | £1350 | £2190 |
36 | £1095 | - |
38 | - | £2890 |
40 | - | £4290 |
There are three types of strings: nylon, gut and synthetic.
Nylon is the most common for lever harps. Nylon strings produce a bright sound and are more durable and less expensive than gut strings.
Gut strings produce a warm sound and are the most commonly used strings on pedal harps. They can be affected more by changes of temperature and humidity, so are much more likely to break.
The synthetic "BioCarbon"© strings combine the roundness and power of gut strings with the robustness of nylon strings, and while they are slightly more expensive, they are likely to last a long time.
We find the best place to start can be setting a budget. This, along with your answers to the questions above, will give you a good selection to choose from. Some harps will feel instantly comfortable to hold and play, and this is a big factor in helping decide on make/model.
Each make and model has different advantages – factors that can help narrow down the make/model choices are the wood/finish, the type of case supplied, and the design of the levers.
Once you have an idea of the above, our expert early music specialists can talk you through your selection of harps. We will be able to help narrow down your selection by discussing which would work well for you.
We recommend trying harps before making a decision and our Saltaire and Snape showrooms both have a large range of instruments on offer. We recommend contacting us in advance of a visit to make sure the right instrument(s) are available in the showroom you wish to visit.
]]>Searching online is a great way to start researching your new instrument. There is a wealth of information available, with lots of websites and blogs giving advice on which make and model is best.
Perhaps ask advice from professional teachers or performers on your instrument. If you don't know any, instrument societies are a great way of putting you in touch and offering advice themselves.
Speak to staff at a specialist music shop such as The Early Music Shop, which is staffed by musicians who have significant experience of buying and playing instruments, as well as decades of experience helping other people find their new instruments. If you need help selecting the perfect instrument from our range, get in touch today, and we'll be delighted to assist.
As the saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is! Sometimes it's possible to find an amazing bargain, but you really need to know what to look for and what to avoid.
There are lots of cheap instruments around, which are usually of poor quality, so be wary of simply picking the cheapest instrument. Read reviews from others!
Previously-owned instruments can be a great way to get your hands on a more expensive – even unique – instrument for less. All of our previously-owned instruments have been thoroughly serviced and restored by our specialist technicians for that extra peace of mind.
When it comes to instruments, it can often be a good idea to stick to well-known brands. Make sure the brand/make you're choosing has a good record of making your instrument. They have often developed and improved their models over decades or even centuries!
An indicator of a good brand for your instrument is either one that has models in different price ranges or is stocked by a specialist music shop. At The Early Music Shop we have established close relationships with a whole host of instrument makers and brands – we even act as the appointed UK dealer for a few. Browse our ranges of recorders, woodwind and brass, strings, keyboards and percussion today to find out which instruments we have in stock!
When deciding on an instrument, it's always good to set a reasonable budget. It will really help narrow down your search. Your budget should be reasonable in the sense that you can get what you want for that price. There's no point setting a budget of £500 for a pedal harp!
This is where asking advice from specialist shops such as ours comes in handy. We'll be able to tell you the price ranges of instruments, and what you get for different price bands. If there is something specific you want the instrument to have, or be able to do, it may be that the starting price is higher than you thought.
When it comes to instruments, pricing is usually a good indicator of quality. Sometimes it can be worth investing more in an instrument which will continue to serve you well as you develop as a musician.
There are many different options for financing instruments, from payment plans to specialist loans and grants for musicians. Take a look at our blog for more information on the options we offer to support musicians with their purchase.
When you're searching for your new instrument, be open-minded. Look at more than one model or more than one brand. If you have the opportunity, try different instruments and compare them. At The Early Music Shop, we have an approval service so take advantage of that if you are unable to visit us in person!
It's your instrument – you've got to choose something you'll love! At the end of the day, as long as the instrument plays well and is suitable for what you need, anything else doesn't matter. Instruments are such personal things. An instrument you've been recommended, one that ticks all the boxes, might not be the one for you. If you don't love it, you'll end up not playing it.