Piper's SongbookHow to play high F on recorder
Pinch the thumb hole, leaving a narrow crack. Cover holes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. Leave holes 5 and 7 open.
high F is written on the top line of the staff. It is also called F′. The fingering shown is for a soprano (descant) recorder with Baroque fingering.
Which finger goes where
| Hole | Finger | For high F |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb hole (back) | left thumb | pinched |
| Hole 1 | left index finger | covered |
| Hole 2 | left middle finger | covered |
| Hole 3 | left ring finger | covered |
| Hole 4 | right index finger | covered |
| Hole 5 | right middle finger | open |
| Hole 6 | right ring finger | covered |
| Hole 7 | right little finger | open |
Tips for a clean high F
Keep the thumb pinched. On a Baroque recorder cover holes 1 to 4 and 6. On a German recorder cover holes 1 to 4 only.
high F on a German recorder
Pinch the thumb hole, leaving a narrow crack. Cover holes 1, 2, 3 and 4. Leave holes 5, 6 and 7 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 high F
William Tell Overture7 notes: B, G, C′, D′, E′, G′, F′Can-Can11 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, E, D, E′, G′, F, F′The Star-Spangled Banner11 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, E′, G′, F′, CIn the Hall of the Mountain King12 notes: A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, D, G′, C♯′, G♯, B♭, F′Pachelbel's Canon12 notes: A, G, C′, D′, D, E′, G′, F, B♭, F′, A′, C″Rondeau from Abdelazer12 notes: A, C′, D′, D, E′, G′, C♯′, F, B♭, F′, A′, B♭′Wedding March12 notes: G, C′, D′, E, E′, G′, F♯′, F′, A′, C, B′, C″
Learned before it: B♭ · Next note to learn: high A · Half step down: high E · Half step up: high F♯ · Full fingering chart