Recorders in Music Education

The material on this site was developed by a teacher for both the music specialist and for the classroom teacher with little or no music experience. The Nine-Note Recorder Method, a comprehensive book providing a full year of music instruction at the elementary level.

Many songs include lyrics for well-rounded music instruction. This 20th anniversary edition includes simple accompaniments on glockenspiel, xylophone, or resonator bells.

Schools, universities, and groups may request a free review copy.
Email penny9note@gmail.com

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The Teacher Lesson Plan Manual contains 35 lesson plans, meeting National Standards for K-6 Music Education. Bound, 50 pages with a 62-page unbound Appendix of resources. Free with classroom order.

Some schools schedule a short unit for learning to play recorder. In that instance, purchase the Five-Note Recorder Method, which is specifically designed to be used for an 8- to 15-week course. Then you save money by paying for what you can use. Another advantage: If you offer a continuing recorder club to serious students, this flows seamlessly into the complete program, Nine-Note Recorder Method.

For bulk purchases of soprano (or alto) recorders, I recommend the baroque Angel soprano recorder in a blue case from Peripole. It is an excellent instrument at an affordable price.

Upper elementary grades may continue learning soprano recorder using the intermediate, Beyond the Nine-Note Method.

Junior high schools could offer an alto recorder class with the ALTO Edition of the Nine-Note Recorder Method. Playing recorder can be less stressful to students going through physical changes than chorus. Older students often prefer learning alto recorder; it seems a more grown-up choice than soprano.

High schools may offer a recorder ensemble for fine arts credit. Soprano and tenor recorders use the same fingering so transitioning to tenor is as simple as stretching fingers to cover holes of a tenor. Alto players easily learn bass with the Nine-Note Recorder Method for Bass Recorder. Then play consort music available in beginning (correlated to Nine-Note) and intermediate (correlated to Beyond) volumes.

Great link: Recorders and Ensembles

Elementary Music Education:
CHIME TIME: Music for the Primary Classroom