Piper's SongbookHow to play low D on recorder
Cover the thumb hole. Cover holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Leave hole 7 open.
low D is written in the space just below the staff. The fingering shown is for a soprano (descant) recorder with Baroque fingering.
Which finger goes where
| Hole | Finger | For low D |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | open |
Tips for a clean low D
All the holes are covered except the bottom double hole. Low notes need much less air than you think: blow as if you were warming your hands. If you hear a squeak, check your right ring finger.
This fingering is the same on Baroque and German recorders.
Songs that use low D
Ring Around the Rosie4 notes: B, A, F♯, DTaps4 notes: B, G, D′, DHush, Little Baby5 notes: B, A, G, C′, DOld MacDonald Had a Farm5 notes: B, A, G, E, DAmazing Grace6 notes: B, A, G, D′, E, 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, D
Learned before it: low E · Next note to learn: high E · Half step down: low C♯ · Half step up: low E♭ · Full fingering chart