Whistle/recorder hybrid-- any interest?

[Adrian]

@cutterpup

@fearfaoin

What is the difference between recorder and “Renaissance recorder” fingering?

Baroque recorders, the ones most people are familiar with have ten holes with the bottom two being double holed with the notes requiring either both or just one of the holes be covered. They also have a narrow bore and depending on the maker a curved windway. A Renaissance recorder has a wide straight bore and only eight holes. They had been designed for a smaller range of notes but with a totally different tone and volume (these babies have outdoor voices only). In order to increase the playing range some rather intricate fingerings were designed. The German fingering was designed to be a modification of the baroque and to eliminate as much as possible the cross fingerings. It is not as comprehensive as the baroque and will only sound on key with recorders designed for it. Most players learn at least baroque fingering in C and F.

@Adrian

Susato whistles I have and like. Is the Susato Renaissance recorder a really inferior instrument?

IMHO it is inferior. It doesn’t sound like a whistle either, but is a half-step above the white yamaha. Most people think of a white yamaha when they see a recorder. Many brands Aulos, Zen-on and even Yamaha make fairly good plastic recorders. And most players have one to use as a practice instrument to keep from overplaying (and ruining) their much more expensive wooden ones.

Judy

Judy

Thanks. It’s good to hear form someone who has played one.

As for the fingering I had not realised until today that there are substantial differences between historical renaissance and baroque fingerings. Out of interest do you know what system the Susato system uses.

Till now we have only used Baroque instruments but my wife has ordered a $1,000 rosewood Mollenhauer Modern recorder which is somewhat of a hybrid of Renaissance and Baroque recorders (according to the makers) and has a very strong bottom as well as having a full three octave range. The alto she is having made has an E foot so it can play a semitone lower than the usual alto F. The modern descant can be fitted with a B foot, but that will have to wait for us. Someone at the London Recorder Centre told us the modern recorder is becoming quite popular now with its three octave range.

Thanks for your help.

[cutterpup]

Hi the Susato has eight holes and uses baroque fingering, so that some half-holing is required. $1000 is out of my league right now for one recorder.

Judy