ok so i was having a discussion with our guitarist about what a recorder is...is it a very siumple flute or is it somthing on its own...i'm going to put this on the flute forum too and see if there is any difference of opinion between the two
What makes it a flute is the way it makes it's sound. All sounds are caused by a vibrating medium. On a clarinet it's a reed. On a trombone it's the lips of the player buzzing. On a guitar it's a string. On a drum it's the skin. So what is vibrating on a flute that makes the sound? On all flutes the vibration is a column of air. So pop bottles, pipe organs, police whistles, german flutes, modern concert flutes, and recorders, in fact, rely upon the resonating air column to create the sound and therefore are flutes.
Although belonging to the woodwind family, the recorder differs in many ways to a flute. Firstly, it is held vertically, it doesn't have any keys and comes in a number of different sizes (keys are added to the larger models).
Inside the windway of a recorder is a block, which splits the air creating the sound.
The recorder is in general a flute with a different mouth piece. The flute has a slot of an openning where it takes effort on your part to position your mouth correctly and blow correctly. The recorder has a mouth piece design that directs the flow of air for you.
I noticed that the recorder has quite a few fingerings that are nearly the same as the flute But I've always pictured it closer to a clarinet, because of the way it is held. However, I never really thought that recorders were really an 'musical' instrument, because anyone can pick it up and get a tone. Flutes, clarinets, all other instruments besides percussion require a little bit of practice to get the tone right. Also, it's mainly used to get elementary schoolars used to the treble clef.
By that I guess you don't consider the guidar an instrament because anyone can just pick it up and get a tone as well. Actually they can get six depending on which open string they pick.
In that sense, I was talking more along the lines of wind intstruments. I should have added strings in there, but I hope you get what I'm saying. It's really more of something you put elementary students on to get them accustomed to the concept of wind instruments. Helps out tremendously when you get on an actual concert instrument. Although don't often go that low on the treble clef on a flute, many other instruments have that range on the scale
you know it is interesting the flute forum almost all said it was a flute there is more contraversy about it on this one...when i posted this i thought it would be the other way round
jamjar jacob
The recorder has been around for centuries. It has always been a serious instrument. Beginning with the Renaissance period, composers wrote music for it with different instrument combinations. Vivaldi is a great example.
The sad thing is that most people who play the recorder today just play "with it".
Why not check my new recorder forum and learn more.
Its relative to the flute, it falls into the category of winds, as does the flute, but it is its own instrument. Ask anyway what a flute it and they can tell you, ask anyone what a recorder is, and generally they too will be able to tell you.
Thats two cents to put in your pocket... or toss on the ground, either way, but its shiny :D
Has no one heard the 4th Brandenburg concerto? Such sweet music from a duet of recorders (and the violin which doesn't count). Does anyone have the music for that?
searching...
But I've always pictured it closer to a clarinet, because of the way it is held. However, I never really thought that recorders were really an 'musical' instrument, because anyone can pick it up and get a tone. Flutes, clarinets, all other instruments besides percussion require a little bit of practice to get the tone right. Also, it's mainly used to get elementary schoolars used to the treble clef. 
