Recorder Hero
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How to play high B♭ on the recorder
The fingering for high B♭ on a soprano (descant) recorder, with baroque fingering: Thumb pinched (half open), the left pointer and middle fingers on holes 1 and 2, holes 3 and 4 open, and the right middle and ring fingers on holes 5 and 6.
Very high notes can need a slightly different fingering from one recorder to another: if it sounds out of tune, check the chart that came with your recorder.
⭐ This high note isn't in the free Recorder Hero lessons: it's in the premium lesson High notes. See the song pack ›
Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 5 6 covered
How to play it
- High B♭ (B flat) is high A with two more fingers: keep the pinched thumb and holes 1 and 2, and put your right middle and ring fingers on holes 5 and 6.
- Some recorders sound better with hole 4 covered too (thumb pinched, holes 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6): try both and keep the one that sounds in tune.
Why it squeaks or sounds wrong
- If you hear high A, holes 5 and 6 aren't fully covered.
- If you hear a low note, the thumb is covering the whole hole: open a small gap at the top.
Free, in your browser: it listens as you play and shows which finger to fix.
Other recorder notes
low C · low C# · low D · low E♭ · low E · F · F# · G · G# · A · B♭ · B · high C · high C# · high D · high E♭ · high E · high F · high F# · high G · high G# · high A · high B · top C · top D