The FJH Recorder Song Book for Everyone 1: Recorder Method Book

A journey through musical cultures and eras that never condescends. You move from simple folk tunes and original melodies that sit comfortably under the fingers into classical excerpts and world music, with each piece building on skills already secure. The inclusion of lyrics and ensemble writing means students feel like musicians collaborating, not students completing exercises.

Elementary and early middle school recorderists discovering their voice on the instrument for the first time. This method works equally well in pull-out lessons, classroom music, or beginning band settings where recorder serves as a stepping stone to band instruments.

• Sing the melody first on vocal practice days before picking up recorders. Students who hear the phrase shape and text connection tend to phrase with more intention.
• Use the chord names to invite a pianist or guitarist into rehearsals. Accompaniment transforms solo lines into real ensemble moments and gives your group immediate context for their part.
• Let stronger players lead the three-part ensemble passages, then rotate roles so every student experiences melody, inner voice, and bass line responsibilities.
• Print the fingering chart reference for each new note and keep it visible during first reading. Students reference it far less once they've seen the position anchored on the page it appears.

Build your full-year curriculum around this sequence, moving through the book steadily rather than jumping between pieces. The cumulative structure supports consistent progress reports and natural performance opportunities as new ensemble features emerge. Consider reserving the three-part passages and rounds for spring concerts, when your ensemble has accrued the reading fluency and confidence to balance independent parts.

• Reading melody in treble clef with increasing rhythmic complexity
• Mastering recorder fingerings across the full playable range
• Playing duets while maintaining independent part accuracy
• Reading and performing three-part ensemble voicing
• Recognizing and playing music from multiple cultural traditions
• Connecting sung melody to instrumental execution
• Responding to SOLO and ALL ensemble designations during performance
• Playing rounds and understanding canonic structure