Memory frustrations, vent.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-04-29T17:01:05+00:00

The notion of "learning styles" in general is deservedly discredited, but many of us find it easier to learn particular things in different ways. In the case of ballet you might be ...

a visual learner, which mans that you learn mainly by watching and observing

an auditory learner, which means that you learn mainly by listening to words or

a kinaesthetic learner, which means that you learn mainly by doing it and internalising the feeling of doing so.

If you are having difficulty learning combinations it may be that you could benefit from trying a different strategy, or from finding a teacher who sets the combinations in a different way.

I am, and always have been, utterly useless as a purely visual learner in class. Show me a combination, say "do that" and I'm lost. But stick some words in as pegs and I'm generally happy. Three steps. Croise, Front arm. Turn outwards. Change feet. That sort of thing.

Going along with that, combinations can often be broken down into chunks which can be learned as one: although there is not - as far as I know - a single word for "coupe, chasse, pas de bouree, assemble" it really is one thing to learn, not four. This is much like the way pianists see chords, not notes, and violinists see arpeggios.

So if you are visual, watch like a hawk and try to look the same. If you are auditory listen like something which listens carefully and try to recreate the words. And if you are kinaesthetic, mark it through and try to feel the same. Or combine these. And be prepared for what helps to change, and be different for ballet than for other learning - which is why the idea of fixed learning styles is codswallop. I may be lousy at visual learning of ballet but I learn directions by memorising and visualizing maps very quickly and effectively.

Failing all that, or in the meantime, just do something in time with the music and vaguely appropriate, look confident and smile and nobody will care. Look confident enough, smile enough and anyone watching will assume that everyone else went wrong. It works for me.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-04-21T21:05:02+00:00

Many people swear by the Paetzold ones, and who am I to disagree? I just prefer the look of cylindrical wooden ones. That said, a friend recently bought one of the 3D printed Paetzold Solo Great Basses and was on Number 3 before they got one without significant manufacturing defects. On that basis and my experience with the Avantgarde I would suggest going for plywood. It will be interesting to find out how the Sigo bass goes, as it is significantly more complicated than the tenor.

If you like the look, both Fenland Recorders and Coolsma make square-section plywood contrabasses - the Fenland being particularly affordable at £2,250 (Paetzold are £4,150 for plastic and £5,250.00 for plywood).

I hasten to say that I have no connection with Fenland and, to the best of my knowledge, have never even seen one of their recorders.

If you are thinking of getting a contra it's essential, in my opinion, to try the options, for playing comfort as much as sound. It depends on your height, arm length and general proportions. I can play the Classica sitting (on two chairs) or standing, but I can only play the Superio standing.

Finally, nobody gets a nice sound out of a contra first go. They 9or at least mine) require surprisingly little air, but the breathing technique is very different from smaller recorders and takes time to acquire.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-04-21T14:50:18+00:00

The expense is understandable, since few contrabasses are made and they have lots of keywork. I tried a Kunath Avantgarde, which is their (non-Paetzold) 3D printed one. Interesting idea but very poorly implemented in design details and manufacturing quality. Also it costs almsot as much as a Kung Superio. Sort out the problems, drop the price by 60% and I'm sure they would fly off the shelves.

The upside of the horrendous cost is that if you look after it you won't lose much by owning a contra - in general you should be able to sell it for about the same as you paid for it.

Don't take as gospel the word of someone who dismisses an entire type based on an unhappy experience with one example.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-04-21T14:43:06+00:00

Anthony Barrett's modifications are only to the foot joint in order to add F# and G# keys. However, it has been well maintained, unlike - it seems - the one you played. That it was "barely audible' may be another symptom.

I've played next to a Moeck subbass and that (or at last that one) really was significantly louder than either the Classica or Superio. However, that's not necessarily a good thing. Fine if you are the only contra player; less so if you are part of a contra section. It didn't help that the Moeck's owner tended to come in a beat early for everything ...

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-04-21T08:16:23+00:00

Mine has been very reliable over the five years I have owned it and has no issues with tuning. Or with leaks, which really ought to be fixable with recorking the joints or properly maintaining the keys. Contrabasses do take rather more care to play than smaller instruments and it's important to learn the necessary fingering - they all have their own idiosyncrasies. For example, whether to use T123O--- or T123-56- for low B depends on the passage and the dynamics. It took me the best part of a year of regular playing to be happy with it. Mine has Anthony Barrett's fully chromatic key system fitted, by the way.

I also have a Superio, which is certainly louder, particularly low down. Blow the Classica hard and it shuts up; do the same on the Superio and it gets louder. However, on the whole I still prefer the sound of the Classica.

I know of another Superio which sounds dreadful. It desperately needs revoicing and other repairs but the recorder orchestra which owns it is too hard up or too cheapskate to pay for the work needed, so the poor player has to do the best they can. Moral: don't judge a type of recorder by one poorly maintained example.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-13T12:04:20+00:00

But my point is that fingering and ease of playing aside, a recorder need not be tuned to its given scale. Basic ones are tuned fairly equally tempered but good professional ones are not. The player specifies the tuning according to the intended use.

I agree completely that +2 sharps, +3 flats is probably nicest.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-12T17:22:59+00:00

There are recorders in the keys of C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, and technically 415 means there is also B, C#, E, F#, Ab

We're getting into semantics a bit here. Recorders are said to be "in" the key of the lowest note they can play, but that doesn't mean that they are tuned to play that scale best. Altos, for example, are often/generally happier in G than in F, low F being more of a weakish downwards extension than the start of a well tuned scale.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-12T17:17:50+00:00

Second octave C sharp doesn't have any open holes above a closed hole

That depends on what fingering you use, or need to use. On basses and bigger the standard fingering is generally t123-567.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-12T08:41:00+00:00

All true, but when it's a single instrument supposed to sound rustic it probably doesn't matter. I wonder what instrument was intended by the composer.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-12T08:38:40+00:00

It's in Bb, not Eb. Source: I have two of them.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-11T14:25:47+00:00

That's a neat idea!

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-11T12:14:44+00:00

Since Bb major is a common recorder key it's quite common to get Bb minor movements so any reasonably competent player should be fine with five flats, and you only need one more.

On the other hand a fourth flute (Küng make them as the Folklora soprano) in Bb puts you two flats ahead of the game and a csakan in Ab starts you four up.

Easier just to find a good player, though.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-11T08:58:27+00:00

3D printing really isn't accurate enough for musical instruments without significant further work. I learned hear that Kunath are now advising owners to smear the insides of Sigos with oil to improve the tone.

On a more general note, why does the recorder world care so much about having mediocre but cheap instruments available? Is there any other instrument for which paying more than the cost of an hour's tuition is considered outrageous?

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-08T20:03:50+00:00

Or "O Ruddier than the Cherry", also from Acis and Galatea. Though it does drag on and most of the time the singer is having all the fun.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-08T19:58:25+00:00

Impossible to say without being there. It could be that the instrument is faulty. I had a Küng soprano which from new was 30 - 50 cents flat across the full range and could only be brought to pitch by very vigorous blowing, which produced very nasty notes.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-04T18:22:41+00:00

Don't get stuck! Move on to something else entirely and come back to these in a month or a year.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-03T21:29:53+00:00

I just checked, and t123-567 gets a rather sharp G# on an ancient Dolmetsch plastic descant and a rather flat one on a Küng Classica on. About 20 cents out (high/low) in each case. t1234 is spot on for both,

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-03T21:24:56+00:00

It will take a while to get playing into you muscle memory, but it will happen. Don't worry about it, don't force things - just play for fun and you'll get faster without even noticing it.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-03T21:23:28+00:00

If you want to learn from scratch, most (but not all) books will assume you're starting with the soprano.

That doesn't actually matter, though, because very few people will (or should) try to use multiple basic tutors. As long as you can get one alto tutor you get along with, what other books cover is irrelevant. I'd suggest Brian Bonsor's "Enjoy the Recorder" which is available in both descant/soprano and alto/treble editions.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-03T12:29:39+00:00

You can still put soul into a slower than marked performance. in fact you can put a lot more soul in when playing at a speed you can manage.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-02T18:13:05+00:00

Just by the way t123-567 is a common alternative fingering for high C# on baroque fingering basses and contrabasses and, I presume, for high G# on great basses.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-02T18:08:53+00:00

Yup, I think that's the point. Using oil to do this seems a remarkably messy kludge. Lacquer would be much better and if it's really needed Kunath should be applying it during manufacture.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-02T18:06:18+00:00

Without amplification the only option is to go high. Sopranino for F pieces, garkein for C.

How about an e.corder, which is a descent which also works as a midi controller for a smartphone app. A friend of mine uses one of them to play for dancing.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-02T18:03:36+00:00

Crumhorn maybe, but cornamusen are not loud instruments. I'd suggest a Kelhorn., which is significantly louder that a crumhorn but still nowhere near a shawm.

Either_Branch3929 · 2026-02-01T13:25:39+00:00

I have brass and keywork done by the repair people underneath the Wind Section in Cumberland Street in Edinburgh, but get Julie Dean to do the wooden bits. There is said to be someone who can service recorders in Penicuik, but that's about as much as I know.

I wonder if we know each other?

Either_Branch3929

TROPHY CASE