Orr: Basic Recorder Technique Vol 1 - C Recorders

Hugh Orr's recorder method for C recorders (soprano and tenor) consists of two books - Basic Recorder Technique Volume 1 and Basic Recorder Technique Volume 2, each available separately. Players will need both books to cover the full range of the recorder.

This book is intended for players who already read music, and its common-sense approach is great for adults - though it is also good for younger students. It's also a wonderful supplement for intermediate and advanced players looking to clean up their technique, note by note and interval by interval. 

As the cover of the book suggests, Orr concentrates on interval studies and clean technique, and includes many pictures to illustrate correct hand and finger placement, with many notes about finger action. The pace is careful, and the early introduction of low C and its neighbors is relatively unique to this method, and designed to tackle the issues of the right hand head-on.

Volume 1 introduces notes in this order: G, A, B, C, D, low C, low D, low E, low F, Bb. All use either a fully closed or fully open thumb hole.

Volume 2 begins the study of  the "half-hole" technique for the thumb hole. Notes introduced in Volume 2 are: high E, low F#, high F, high G, high A, high F#, G#, C#, high B, high C, high G#, high Bb, high Eb, and high D, for a total of 2 octaves and one note. The low Eb/D# and low Db/C# are not addressed.