It is not much more difference between a recorder and a wooden whistle with an extra pinkie hole than the name, other than the thumb hole, which just is a matter of taste. At least if you use german fingering.
well, heck, I liked recorders. I just didn’t like taking the music class for them in fourth grade because I was the only one who could play the darn things. But you all are right, Irish music does sound stupid on them.
Jens_Hope:
You’d better duck!
I had a similar experience to many of you. I too was forced to play the recorder in elementary school. I have never been the same since.
Truth be told, though, back in the third grade I rather liked playing the recorder. What I didn’t like was the way most of my classmates played. (Tonguing? What’s that? Why would anyone want to separate the notes?)
I have never fully gotten over the trauma caused by my experience.
Though I respect the recorder as a musical instrument, and am glad for the wind-instrument experience it gave me, I wouldn’t want to play it regularly for a few reasons:
- That annoying thumb hole.
- That annoying pinkie hole.
- It’s “un-Celtic.”
- It’s so bulky.
I’m with Peeplj on this one. Don’t care if
I piss everyone off but whistle players
having recordophobia is likely being
envious of your cousin because he’s
better looking, more charming, and can
ski better. Enough said! Lay it on me
if you want.
Kelhorn Mike
My good friend Mike:
Although I am sure that what you say is perfectly valid, I must admit I have never seen a recorder (or a whistle, for that matter) ski. I saw one snowboard once, but never ski.
My nephew will start recorder lessons at school this fall. He’s 6. When I was 6 we didn’t get recorders we got FLUTOPHONES. Now there’s an instrument to bash.
what’s a flutophone???
Flutophone…now there’s a word out of the past (which should have stayed there!!!)
Picture in your head a thing that looks like a red and white plastic recorder with a swollen, infected middle.
You get one squeaky diatonic octave (if you’re lucky) in a scale that sort of approximates the one we use when we play music on real instruments.
And those are its good qualities! 
–James (shuddering with revulsion)
Yes, I’m afraid my tolerance does run a little low when it comes to flutophones. It’s my only fault.
You can get one to stomp on on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=857816416
Well, all I can say is…there is a sweet and lovely tone that sounds from my ebony Moeck that just cannot be resisted. However, I don’t ask it to play Irish music…only Renaissance.
Starr
You can still get flutophones at music stores. Still made by the Trophy company. Once you’ve heard one you’ll think a recorder sounds sweet.
I have a picture of myself playing flutophone at Christmas 1968. I’m also too lazy to figure out how to post it here. I know you have to find a place to put it out on the web and then link it. Anybody have a little space I could use and knowledge of how to do it? I’d email the pic to post to a volunteer…
See above post…
[ This Message was edited by: avanutria on 2002-04-12 00:31 ]
AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!
OOOH OOOH!!!
THE HoRrOr! THE HORROR!!!
Pretty bad eh? Even worse, I was faking playing it since I probably got it that day. Many thanks to Avanutria for the post.
Cheers, NancyF
I vote this as the official C&F Christmas picture..FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!What a wonderful photo,I cant stop smiling…It,s just so cool. Mike
Wow.