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Alternate Fingering Chart for Recorder

First Octave: B3 to B4 / E4 to E5

This fingering chart includes both basic fingerings and alternatives that are more appropriate in some passages. Some alternate fingerings are designed for fast passages, while others modify the tone, color, or pitch at normal and extreme dynamic levels. The fingerings apply to all sizes (sopranino, soprano, treble/alto, tenor, bass, and great bass) of both English and German recorders unless specified otherwise. Note that the fingerings apply to the lower set of notes for C instruments (soprano, tenor, and great bass) and to the upper set of notes for F instruments (sopranino, treble/alto, and bass).

 

Note (C/F)

Written

Fingering

Description

Src.
B3/E4 T 123|4567x Partially cover bell hole with leg. FC

C4/F4

C1/F1 T 123|4567 Basic.  

C#4/F#4

C#1/F#1 T 123|4567 Basic.  

D4/G4

D1/G1 T 123|456- Basic.  

Eb4/Ab4

Eb1/Ab1 T 123|456- Basic.  

E4/A4

E1/A1 T 123|45-- Basic.  

F4/Bb4

F1/Bb1 T 123|4-67 Basic for English models.  
T 123|4--- Basic for German models.  
T 123|4-6- Good for tremolos with D4. CH

F#4/B4

F#1/B1 T 123|-56- Basic for English models.  
T 123|-567 Basic for German models.  

G4/C5

G1/C1 T 123|---- Basic.  
T 123|--6- Flat, good for tremolos with D4/G4 or F4/Bb4. CH

Ab4/C#5

Ab1/Db1  T 12-|456- For English models. Depending on intonation of particular instrument, use one of these three fingerings as a basic fingering.  
T 12-|45--
T 12-|456-
T 12-|4--- Basic for German models. WB

A4/D5

A1/D1  T 12-|---- Basic.   
T 1-3|456- Easy to squeak.  Use in combination with similar Bb4/Eb5 fingering.  
T 1-3|45-- Use as turn with B4-C5/E5-F5 trill. EM
T -23|45-- Easy to squeak.  

Bb4/Eb5

 Bb1/Eb1 T 1-3|4--- Basic.   
T 1-3|4-6- Use in combination with similar A4/D5 fingering. WB
T 1-3|-56- Sharp.  
T -23|4--- Use in combination with similar fingerings for C5/F5 and D5/G5.  
T -23|4-6- Use in combination with similar fingerings for C5/F5 and D5/G5.  
123|45-- Basic.   

B4/E5

B1/E1  T 1--|---- Basic.   
T -23|---- Use in combination with C5/F5.  
Continue to Second Octave >>

 

Special thanks to Nicholas Lander for providing many of the recorder fingerings found in this site.  Many fingerings are from his article, Fingering the Recorder, which can be found in his Recorder Home Page.

 

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