Piper's SongbookHow to play Amazing Grace on recorder
Amazing Grace uses 6 notes on the soprano recorder: B, A, G, high D, low E and low D. The first line goes D G B G B A G E D.
- Notes
- 6: B, A, G, high D, low E, low D
- Level
- Both hands
- Time
- 3/4, about 80 beats a minute
- Source
- Words by John Newton, 1779; tune "New Britain", printed 1829
Amazing Grace recorder notes with letters
Each box is one note, with its fingering underneath: filled holes are covered, a half-filled hole is half covered or pinched. Wider boxes are longer notes. A ′ mark means the higher octave, so D′ is high D. Bar lines are drawn as thin rules.
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Letters only, for printing or copying
- D | G B G | B A | G E | D
- D | G B G | B A | D′
- B | D′ B D′ B | G D | E G G E | D
- D | G B G | B A | G
Sheet music
Written pitch for soprano recorder, which sounds an octave higher. Press play to hear it on a recorder sound; the slow setting plays at 60% speed.
Fingerings for the notes in Amazing Grace
Hole 0 is the thumb hole on the back. Holes 1 to 3 are for the left hand, 4 to 7 for the right. These are Baroque (English) fingerings.
How to practise it
It is slow, so the hard part is breath. Breathe before each line, and hold the high D in the second line for its full five beats without letting the note sag.
Learn one line at a time. Play it slowly until every note is clean, then join it to the next line.
About the tune
John Newton's words were published in 1779. The tune everyone sings with them is "New Britain", first printed in 1829 in the shape-note songbook Columbian Harmony, and paired with these words by William Walker in Southern Harmony in 1835.
Questions
Is Amazing Grace easy on recorder?
It is a good second or third tune. Both hands play, and the low notes need gentle air.
What notes do you need for Amazing Grace on recorder?
B, A, G, high D, low E and low D. Tap a note to see its fingering on its own page.
Do these fingerings work on a German recorder?
Yes. Every note in Amazing Grace uses the same fingering on Baroque and German recorders.
More recorder songs
Notes checked against New Britain as printed in The Southern Harmony (1835), transposed to G. Last checked 6 October 2026.