Recorder Hero
Made by Head Arcade ›Recorder Hero › Fingering chart › high E
How to play high E on the recorder
The fingering for high E on a soprano (descant) recorder, with baroque fingering: Left thumb half covering the back hole ("pinched"), the left pointer, middle and ring fingers on holes 1, 2 and 3, and the right pointer and middle fingers on holes 4 and 5: low E's fingering with the thumb pinched.
high E
Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 3 4 5 covered
How to play it
- High E is low E an octave up: keep the same fingers down and pinch the thumb, bending it so its nail rests in the hole and leaves a small gap at the top.
- Blow a little more firmly than for low E. The pinch is what lets the note jump up to the high octave.
Why it squeaks or sounds wrong
- If you hear low E, the thumb is covering the hole completely: open a small gap at the top.
- If it squeaks wildly, the gap is too big: roll the thumb back a little.
Free, in your browser: it listens as you play and shows which finger to fix.
Songs with high E
- Frère Jacqueslow D, G, A, B, high C, high D, high E
- Morning Mood (Peer Gynt)high C, high D, high E, high G, high A
- Brahms' LullabyA, B, high C, high D, high E, high F#, high G
- Silent Nightlow C, low D, low E, F, G, A, B, high C, high D, high E, high F
Other recorder notes
low C · low C# · low D · low E♭ · low E · F · F# · G · G# · A · B♭ · B · high C · high C# · high D · high E♭ · high F · high F# · high G · high G# · high A · high B♭ · high B · top C · top D