Piper's SongbookHow to play low E♭ on recorder
Cover the thumb hole. Cover holes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Half-cover hole 6. On a double hole, cover the larger opening and leave the small one open. Leave hole 7 open.
low E♭ is written on the bottom line of the staff, with a flat. It is also called low D♯. The fingering shown is for a soprano (descant) recorder with Baroque fingering.
Which finger goes where
| Hole | Finger | For low E♭ |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | half covered |
| Hole 7 | right little finger | open |
Tips for a clean low E♭
Cover the larger half of hole 6 and leave hole 7 open. It is easier to find with the side of your ring finger than with the tip.
This fingering is the same on Baroque and German recorders.
Songs that use low E♭
Half step down: low D · Half step up: low E · Full fingering chart