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Squeaking is one
of the most frustrating obstacles beginning recorder players
encounter. Whether it is a continuous squeak or an
occasional single one, squeaks ruin good songs.
Fortunately, there is hope. Generally, there are
three main culprits of the squeak: Fingers,
Air and Bubbles.
Leaky fingers are the most common cause of squeaks. You must
make sure that your fingers are completely sealing the hole.
Always play with flat fingers, never curved ones.
Imagining you are being finger-printed when you play may help
you to flatten your fingertips. Also, (according to the
size of your hand), the tips of your fingers will reach, or
possible hang over the side your recorder.
Sometimes, squeaks occur when
changing notes. This is due to one of your fingers moving
enough to barely unseal a hole. When this happens, it is
often the left thumb or your
first finger that is moving.
Repetitive practice moving between notes will help train
your fingers not to move.
If your fingers are sealing the holes tightly and you are still
squeaking, you may be blowing to
hard. Remember, you want to blow softly, almost
like whisper, when you are playing. You may also want to
check that you do not have too much of the
mouthpiece in your mouth.
The tip of the mouthpiece should be in-between your lips, not
touching your teeth!
Occasionally, a small condensation bubble may become trapped in
your mouthpiece. These squeaks typically occur after
you have been playing on your recorder for awhile, usually
longer than 15 minutes. To clear condensation bubbles,
place the recorder in your mouth as if you were about to play
and inhale, sucking air up though the recorder and into your
mouth. Any condensation bubbles will be gone! |