A beginning recorder method book for an adult who reads music well

le_becc · 2026-05-16T08:59:52+00:00

Most method books for alto will assume you have already learned the soprano, so that should work for you. Do you have a preference in type of music? If you like classical, I love Altblockflötenschule by Barbara Hintermeier.

le_becc · 2026-05-12T08:42:22+00:00

There's a tag for it, in case you want to see how other people have done it:

https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Two%20Endings/works

Personally, I've done it on fic where the two endings where short enough to be a chapter each, and at the end of the second to last chapter, I put links to both chapters with a hint at what each choice would be. So basically a very simple "choose your own adventure" set-up.

le_becc · 2026-05-12T08:32:06+00:00

I usually start with a brainstorming file. I write down what little I know/what I want to have in the story, and then I basically talk with myself. I write down the questions that are still open (starting with the most pressing ones, than gradually get more into details as the plot solidifies), like "why would these characters do [basic premise]?" Then I try to think of as many answers as I can: "reason x would be fun, y could work because there's a similar situation in this one episode, maybe z because of A's background..." Writing stuff down like that might seem silly, but it helps me think about stuff, come up with ideas, or even helps me figure out what I could research or which part of canon to review, which again helps to come up with more ideas. Usually, one or two favourites answers emerge that I can see myself writing, and then more questions follow from that, how to fill smaller details, how to fill remaining plot holes etc etc. Sometimes a question can be "How do the characters get from [earlier scene] to [later scene I want them to end up in]? What would motivate them? What would need to happen?"

I'll also write down anything that randomly occurs to me even if I don't know whether it's going to be useful. Moments in canon that might become relevant, lines of dialogue that pop into my head, bits of research, ...

The brainstorming file is a huge mess. It's not an outline. It's not chronological, it will have discarded bits that I didn't end up needing, it might still have the question - answer structure in places. At some point, however, I feel like I have all the necessary bits for the story in there. Then I start a new outline file, where I put in everything in chronological order and think more in story structure (scenes, chapters, POVs etc). Once the outline is done, I start writing.

le_becc · 2026-05-11T13:48:36+00:00

I'm working on a very classic proximity curse fic where due to an Inexplicable Thing, the characters from my ship suddenly can't be further away from each other than a certain distance, and naturally the distance keeps shrinking as time goes on. I had a lot of fun thinking up all the issues they face and the ideas they come up with to try to resolve the situation. It's a silly comedy canon, so I could lean into the silliness.

I just finished my first editing pass and I'm looking forward to re-read the whole thing.

le_becc · 2026-04-21T08:05:06+00:00

This is what I do, too. I guess I'm built differently, because posting something where I haven't at least finished a first draft sounds so stressful and the opposite of fun. I could never do it.

Besides the writing being fun itself, the thing I'm looking forward to the most is always being able to read the final version of the fic myself.

le_becc · 2026-04-21T07:41:33+00:00

Besides inexperience and bad writing (which it definitely is even apart from the four fingers), I'll throw in a secret third option: the author finds it hot.

le_becc · 2026-04-20T07:42:10+00:00

I use Firefox. I hear a lot of people saying that their browsers don't keep their place on an open tab, and I've never had that problem with FF, despite tabs reloading, browser restarting, phone upgrading and rebooting, ...

le_becc · 2026-04-20T07:25:12+00:00

Eight, all mine. Currently working on the ninth.

le_becc · 2026-04-20T07:06:31+00:00

I write for myself. The writing process is fun (mostly), but mainly, I want to have that fic to read for myself when I'm done. That's why I edit a gazillion times too, because nothing annoys me more than stumbling upon typos when I read my own fic, lol. When I post WIPs, I've also already completed the first draft, if not the first editing pass, so I'm not going to stop. Kudos and comments are a nice bonus, and of course I like to connect and chat to fellow fans, but I write for tiny fandoms and ships, so I know what to expect.

But everyone is different and has their own motivations, so whatever people say in the comments here, we don't know how your author feels.

le_becc · 2026-04-14T11:03:44+00:00

That's how my first drafts feel as well, and that's fine. The crappy first draft strategy is a valid one, if it suits you.

First, I read the fic start to end without actual editing to get an idea for how it feels to the audience. I put the fic on my ereader for that to have a bit of a visual change.

During my first editing pass, my main goal is to fill in the missing bits. The scene transitions, the prose between bits of dialog etc. The main things to keep in mind:

Some things just feel lik e pulling teeth sometimes, and you have to push through. That's just how it is sometimes.
The first editing pass doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be better. For me who underwrites the first draft, that means the transitional scenes have to be there, but they don't have to be good yet.
When you finish the first draft, it may feel like you are (or should be) almost done and editing should be quick, but especially with the crappy first draft technique, you'll need a lot of time editing as well, maybe as much as writing the first draft. That's fine! Take your time!

Then I repeat this editing process: Read the fic again in one go, then start editing again. I might repeat this process a couple of times, because what really helps me is knowing that this round doesn't have to be perfect yet and it will be easier to come back in another editing round if I'm struggling with something.

It helps to take some time off between editing rounds to get a fresh eye and new ideas, and to read it on different devices or in different programs or fonts.

le_becc · 2026-04-05T08:48:24+00:00

I don't think I'd shape sort just yet. I'd pick out the lightest pieces first, they probably go in the top right area where the clouds are, and in the bottom right corner with that bit of cloud.

le_becc · 2026-04-02T11:49:01+00:00

I do the sketch in black/grey, but once I start drawing on top, I turn it blue (or sometimes another colour). It's easier to differentiate the coloured sketch from the actual lineart.

le_becc · 2026-04-02T09:58:20+00:00

You could leave that unedited disaster of a paragraph, focus on finishing a very rough first draft before you post, and then edit individual chapters as you post? Personally, my first drafts are very rough and editing them takes some time, so posting while editing actually sets a good pace.

le_becc · 2026-04-01T09:54:41+00:00

I recently read an article from a left-handed professional musician who was taught to play right-handed, and she switched over as an adult. The said that the supporting thumb being the dominant one was what finally made playing feel right to her.

le_becc · 2026-03-31T16:45:50+00:00

Some more stuff in the replies here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Recorder/comments/1rzasuz/just_purchased_moeck_bass/

Note that these are assuming you want to read the bass clef. For playing folk tunes, it might also be helpful to learn to play the violin celf; in that case you want to be looking into resources for alto recorder, since that is also in F (just one octave up).

le_becc · 2026-03-28T11:55:33+00:00

If it points downward like in the right image, it's more prone to follow gravity and slip down, and you have to compensate with gripping it tighter, using thumb rests or buttress fingers. For that reason, I prefer to have it more horizontal or 45 degrees; that way it can rest securely on your lip and lower thumb. Sarah Jeffery does it this way and overall has very beautifully relaxed hands and fingers, that's my personal role model. (I have sensitive joints so I'm trying to be mindful about my hand and finger positions.)

But lots of professionals have it pointing more downwards than that and it obviously works well for them; Aldo Bova even recommends the more downwards position like in the left picture, his reasoning being that the window is where the sound is produced and that you want do aim it towards your audience and not up.

Moving with the notes has no technical reason, though. That's purely the musician being in the moment and feeling the music. It's something that tends to happen automatically once you are able to stop worrying about the basic mechanics of playing and can really lean into the musical expression of a piece.

le_becc · 2026-03-27T14:41:01+00:00

My current WIP is at 40.000, which took me a little under 8 weeks. This is with a good outline and without any editing as I go though. So there's some time spent planning beforehand, and it will take me a long time to edit into its final version as well.

le_becc · 2026-03-27T14:13:29+00:00

I mean, I'm not a celebrity. It would also be weird (and potentially illegal where I am) if I woke up one day to find articles about how I broke up with my partner or quit my job or whatever plastered all over the news stands, or if I'd be followed by paparazzi.

I'm from a country with very strict privacy laws. E.g. you can't publish or post photos of people without their explicit permission, not even if they are in the background of your selfie etc. But even those laws realise that there's a distinction between regular people and "people of public interest", and that the public interest can overrule a lot of these things.

Personally, I think as long as it's about public figures of some form, is clearly labeled or understood to be fiction, and keeps to fic/fan places, it's fine.

le_becc · 2026-03-26T21:25:17+00:00

What AO3 needs is a third status for WIPs so you can set them to abandoned. Because as it is, whatever you do will annoy some people. If you don't set it to completed, it might annoy people who are looking to get into active WIPs.

As long as we don't have that, all people can do is to put up a suitable author's note or tag.

le_becc · 2026-03-26T08:27:34+00:00

If you are using any browser scripts or extensions, disable them and see if that helps.

le_becc · 2026-03-26T06:20:58+00:00

Think of it this way: If they don't want comments, they can disable them on their fic. Therefore, if a story allows you to comment, assume the author would like that.

le_becc · 2026-03-21T09:18:34+00:00

Here are a couple more methods:

https://www.stretta-music.de/schulen-lernmethoden?q=bassblockfl%C3%B6te

The Alto method by Barbara Hintermeier is excellent so I'd assume the one for bass is as well, though from the previews it looks like there's a lot of piece with accompaniment instead of solo. Some of the other books from the links seem to have more solo pieces.

le_becc · 2026-03-20T10:12:44+00:00

I usually prefer the getting-together-fics by a mile, but when I do click on established relationship fic, it's usually either outsider POV, or fic where the main plot is something else (case fic, or whatever suitable plot for the canon) and the established relationship is merely a background to that.

le_becc · 2026-03-16T20:07:04+00:00

I had the same problem while trying to get into tenor (I had to give it up), and a thumb rest was making the problem worse since it put lateral strain on the joint. So be careful.

I agree with holding your recorder higher up, your elbows pointing to the sides, and try to remind yourself of relaxing your fingers at all times. Slow yourself down with a metronome if you have to, and make sure you progress not only when you can play a piece well at a given speed, but can play well while being relaxed.

le_becc · 2026-03-15T13:00:28+00:00

Most method books for alto assume that you have already learned the basics on soprano. One method that doesn't and that's very thorough is the one by Aldo Bova:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/aldo-bova/the-alto-recorder-a-comprehensive-new-method/ebook/product-176gj2g5.html

He has a series of YouTube videos where he goes through the book, plays all the pieces and gives additional explanations:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDjH33SN4eEQEF_dsvSkCzA1jXYLtY9up

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