Western Musical Instruments - Music CBC Grade 6 Notes

• Descant Recorder
  
  • Playing The Scale Of C Major
    
    • Playing The Notes C And C1
    • Note C1
  • Playing The Lower D And D1
    
    • Note D1
  • Playing Note E
  • Playing Note F
  • Playing Simple Melodies On The Descant Recorder

Descant Recorder

Playing The Scale Of C Major

• A C major scale consist of the notes C D E F G A B C.
• The scale of C major starts with C and ends with C1.
• All the notes of the scale of C major can be played on the descant recorder.

Playing The Notes C And C1

•  To play note C on the descant recorder, cover the hole with your fingers
  
  1. Back hole – left thumb
  2. 1st hole from the top – the left index finger.
  3. 2nd hole from the top – the left middle finger.
  4. 3rd hole from the top – the left ring finger.
  5.  4th hole from the top – the right index finger.
  6.  5th hole from the top – the right middle finger.
  7. 6th hole from the top – the right ring finger.
  8. 7th hole from the top – the right little finger.
• The right hand thumb should be used to support the descant recorder.
• Note C has a low sound or pitch.

Note C1

• To play note C1 cover the second hole from the top with your left hand’s middle finger and the back hole with your left thumb.
• All other holes should remain open.
• The right hand thumb should support the descant recorder
• Note C1 and C are different in pitch.
• The pitch of C1 is high while C is lower. C1 is called higher C

Playing The Lower D And D1

• To play note D the descant recorder, cover holes from the top with fingers except hole seven
  
  1.  Back hole – left thumb
  2. 1st hole from the top – the left index finger.
  3. 2nd hole from the top – the left middle finger.
  4. 3rd hole from the top – the left ring finger.
  5.  4th hole from the top – the right index finger.
  6.  5th hole from the top – the right middle finger.
  7.  6th hole from the top – the right ring finger.
• The right hand thumb should be used to support the descant recorder.
• Hole seven is not covered when playing note D

Note D1

• To play note D1 cover the second hole from the top with your left hand’s middle finger and the back hole open.
•  All other holes should remain open.
• Move the left thumb slightly below the back hole to support the recorder together with the right hand thumb..
• The pitch of D1 is high while D is lower. D1 is called higher D

Playing Note E

• To play note E on the descant recorder, cover all the hole from the top except holes six and seven with your finger
  
  1. Back hole – left thumb
  2. 1st hole from the top – the left index finger.
  3. 2nd hole from the top – the left middle finger.
  4. 3rd hole from the top – the left ring finger.
  5.  4th hole from the top – the right index finger.
  6. 5th hole from the top – the right middle finger.
• The right hand thumb should be used to support the descant recorder.
•  The sixth and seventh hole are open.

Playing Note F

• To play note F on the descant recorder, close the top four holes with your fingers
  
  1.  1st hole from the top – the left index finger.
  2. 2nd hole from the top – the left middle finger.
  3. 3rd hole from the top – the left ring finger.
  4. 4th hole from the top – the right index finger.
  5.  6th hole from the top – the right middle finger.
  6. 7TH hole from the top – right little finger.
• The right hand thumb should be used to support the descant recorder.

NOTE; all holes are closed except the 5th hole from the top.

• Playing the scale of C major ascending and descending.
• The scale of C major is made up of motes C D E F G A B C1.
• The mark on the last note C1 indicates a higher C
• When playing the major scale is played note after note, that is from C to C1 it is played in ascending. The pitch of each note becomes higher towards the higher C.
• When the major scale is played note after note, that is from C1 to C is played in descending. The pitch of each note becomes low becomes low as you move towards C

Playing Simple Melodies On The Descant Recorder

Song: Old Mac Donald had a farm

Playing The Kenyan National Anthem On A Descant Recorder

Playing The Descant Recorder In A Duet

Playing in a duet
SONG: Baa, baa, black sheep