Tone-quality

The important pre-requisites for good tone quality have already been described in the chapters on Basic physiology and Breathing and Posture. In order to make progress in the area of tone quality all breathing exercises should be practised extensively and regularly. On this basis, which by the way has to be continually reviewed, attention can be paid to the recorder notes. The holding of long notes of different pitches is a well proven method of concentrating on the sound alone without being distracted from other technical problems. A pleasant tone will always be obtained if body and instrument merge into one. The note from the recorder should appear as if it issued from the body itself. (See the chapter on Basic physiology).

In order, however, to experience this unity, instrument and body should be regarded as separate entities at first. A recorder should be connected to an air pump (as was the case in an experiment carried out by a product testing company). The stream of air pushed into the instrument by the wind channel breaks at the labial edge. That part of the air stream reaching the inside of the recorder begins to vibrate, and varied high and low notes are created depending upon the number of holes that are closed (in effect resulting from the length of the air column). When a machine is used instead of a musician, the tone can only be changed by varying the pressure of the air or by changing the construction principles of the instrument.

The human being, however, provides a second body of resonance. Let us observe the human being without the instrument. It is commonly known that a singer can improve the tone of his voice (i.e. make it more variable) through specific training. To this end he uses the body's resonance areas: the skull and chest cavities. The recorder musician should also try by using only his voice to explore the various possibilities (see exercises below). If the recorder is used after such an experiment, it will be seen that the tone of the recorder can be enhanced if these areas of resonance are consciously used. The only difficulty might be experienced in the transitional period from singing to blowing when the vocal chords are no longer used. If such a situation occurs breathing exercises 11 and 12 should be introduced.

In order to attain the described correlation between body and instrument, it is helpful whilst playing long notes, to let the concentration alternate, between recorder and body, and then to concentrate on the flow of air (see breathing exercises) or to develop a concrete conception of the intensity of the articulated vowels, and consequently the sound.

• Hum with the eyes closed. Experiment with different intensities of tone (high, low, loud, gently vibrating). Conclude with a deep and if possible free resonant humming, whilst resting one hand lightly on the chest area in order to feel the vibration.
• Develop syllables such as "moh, mur, men, mih". At first one syllable per breath should be sung and then dual combinations. Finally the complete vowel series. (Holding one hand on the chest or the head).
• Notes which are sung on the following vowels "u, o, a, e, i" begin softly and are held for a long period. Attention should be paid to starting softly and practice should be at various pitches.
• The same exercises without sound.
• Repeat these mouthed exercises whilst imagining blowing into a recorder.
• Try to imagine and articulate different vowels whilst blowing one note on the recorder.
• Check tones at all levels for the possibility of using different vowels. Recognize preferences but still practice extremes as, for instance, high notes blown softly (on u and o) and low notes abruptly. Try combinations of vowels and various shrill and soft (t and d) notes.
• Play combinations of notes (legato) with varied expression.
• Check the above, practice by playing tunes slowly (see chapter on articulation).