Piper's SongbookHow to play high G♯ on recorder
Pinch the thumb hole, leaving a narrow crack. Cover holes 1, 2 and 4. Leave holes 3, 5, 6 and 7 open.
high G♯ is written in the space just above the staff, with a sharp. It is also called high A♭. The fingering shown is for a soprano (descant) recorder with Baroque fingering.
Which finger goes where
| Hole | Finger | For high G♯ |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb hole (back) | left thumb | pinched |
| Hole 1 | left index finger | covered |
| Hole 2 | left middle finger | covered |
| Hole 3 | left ring finger | open |
| Hole 4 | right index finger | covered |
| Hole 5 | right middle finger | open |
| Hole 6 | right ring finger | open |
| Hole 7 | right little finger | open |
Tips for a clean high G♯
High G♯ needs the thumb pinch and different patterns on Baroque and German recorders. Use the diagram for your system.
high G♯ on a German recorder
Pinch the thumb hole, leaving a narrow crack. 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 high G♯
None of the songs on this site use this note yet. It appears mostly in more advanced music.
Half step down: high G · Half step up: high A · Full fingering chart