Piper's SongbookHow to play low C on recorder
Cover the thumb hole. Cover holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
low C is written on the first ledger line below the staff. The fingering shown is for a soprano (descant) recorder with Baroque fingering.
Which finger goes where
| Hole | Finger | For low C |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | covered |
| Hole 5 | right middle finger | covered |
| Hole 6 | right ring finger | covered |
| Hole 7 | right little finger | covered |
Tips for a clean low C
Low C is the hardest note on the recorder because every hole has to be sealed, including both halves of the two double holes at the bottom. Use the soft pads of your fingers, not the tips, and blow very gently. If it squeaks, one hole is leaking: check them one at a time from the top.
This fingering is the same on Baroque and German recorders.
Songs that use low C
Learned before it: high B♭ · Half step up: low C♯ · Full fingering chart