Folk songs on recorder

22 free folk songs on recorder, sorted from easiest to hardest. Start with When the Saints Go Marching In, which uses 5 notes. Folk tunes were passed on by ear before anyone wrote them down, so you may know a slightly different version. Every song has letter notes with a fingering under each note, sheet music you can play along with, and a tip for its hardest bar.

Left hand only

B, A and G plus high C and high D. Your right hand only steadies the recorder.

When the Saints Go Marching In5 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′

Both hands

The right hand joins for low D, E and F♯. No thumb pinch yet.

Amazing Grace6 notes: B, A, G, D′, E, D Au Clair de la Lune6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, D Molly Malone6 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, D Swing Low, Sweet Chariot6 notes: B, A, G, D′, E, D Oh My Darling, Clementine7 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, D Whiskey in the Jar7 notes: B, A, D′, F♯, E, D, C♯′Home on the Range8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, D Red River Valley8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, D Simple Gifts8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, D

Thumb pinch

High E, F♯ and G, which need a pinched thumb hole.

Oh! Susanna6 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, E′Auld Lang Syne7 notes: B, A, G, D′, E, D, E′Sakura Sakura7 notes: B, G, C′, F♯, E′, G′, F♯′Ai vis lo lop8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, E′Loch Lomond8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, E, D, E′Morning Has Broken8 notes: B, A, D′, F♯, E, D, E′, C♯′Soon May the Wellerman Come8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, E′The Irish Washerwoman8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, E, D, E′Drunken Sailor9 notes: B, A, G, D′, F♯, E, D, E′, C♯′La Cucaracha9 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, D, E′Shenandoah9 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, D, E′, G′, F♯′

Cross fingerings

F, G♯, B♭, low C♯ and the highest notes.

Danny Boy12 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, E′, G′, F♯′, A′, B′

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