Piper's SongbookHow to play F♯ on recorder
Cover the thumb hole. Cover holes 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. Leave holes 4 and 7 open.
F♯ is written in the bottom space of the staff, with a sharp. It is also called G♭. The fingering shown is for a soprano (descant) recorder with Baroque fingering.
Which finger goes where
| Hole | Finger | For F♯ |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb hole (back) | left thumb | covered |
| Hole 1 | left index finger | covered |
| Hole 2 | left middle finger | covered |
| Hole 3 | left ring finger | covered |
| Hole 4 | right index finger | open |
| Hole 5 | right middle finger | covered |
| Hole 6 | right ring finger | covered |
| Hole 7 | right little finger | open |
Tips for a clean F♯
F♯ leaves hole 4 open and covers holes 5 and 6. The pattern feels odd at first because there is a gap in the middle. Keep your right index finger hovering just above hole 4.
F♯ on a German recorder
Cover the thumb hole. Cover holes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7. Leave hole 4 open.
On a German recorder hole 5 is smaller than hole 4. If yours is the other way round, use the Baroque fingering above.
Songs that use F♯
Ring Around the Rosie4 notes: B, A, F♯, DAu Clair de la Lune6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, DJolly Old Saint Nicholas6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, DLondon Bridge Is Falling Down6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, DPastime with Good Company6 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯Pop Goes the Weasel6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, DRow, Row, Row Your Boat6 notes: A, G, D′, F♯, E, DSkip to My Lou6 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯
Learned before it: high D · Next note to learn: low E · Half step down: F · Half step up: G · Full fingering chart