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Hi, I have recently bought a budget tenor recorder. I have a challenge that means I have difficulty with stretching my fingers (Left ring, right index).
Surely someone has come up with a simple mechanism to add keys to these holes to facilitate this. I know that a number of makers and fixers offer a service/instrument that has keys, but they are high end instruments, and not appropriate in my case.
Any suggestions please?
Hi Phill, I’ve been primarily a Tenor player since 1963 and have in the last few months purchased new plastic and wooden Tenors, which in this Pandemic was a bear of a task. Trying instruments in a music shop is far better than buying without trying on the Internet, which feels like flying paper airplanes made of money out the window every time I hit, “Confirm Your Purchase.”
Without this ‘plague,’ Tenors are problematic instruments anyway in good part because each maker is following their own thinking as to how to bring out all the notes needed with an even volume over the instrument’s entire range while permitting fingering by (whatever is meant by) average hands.
Unless you’re under 4’ 11” (150cm) tall, you should be able to play most all Tenors – and your current Tenor – if you try some of the standard techniques most experienced players employ. Past hand injuries are excluded here.
First off, you need a chair with no arms and to sit towards the front of it with your spine ‘bolt upright.’ No leg crossing, feet on the floor, knees wide enough for the instrument between them. No cheating on all this. You must be relaxed upon that foundation. Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your elbows should rest gently touching down at your sides. There should be just enough room between your wrists and your body so that your left thumb is free to change position as needed and that your right hand can move across, forward and back as you deal with the double holes of the lowest two notes. Many people feel, including me, teach that that’s the correct technique for dealing with those lowest notes. It’s the wrist not the fingers moving.
Your music should be on a music stand with the center of the page at eye level so that your chin us up as if you were looking toward the horizon. With your instrument up at that height, your wrists are the least twisted when reaching for notes and your fingers are therefore free to spread wide freely. It’s all about a good foundation and good yet relaxed alignment.
Everyone assembles their instrument so that the holes are in line below the fipple. I don’t anymore when playing Tenor. I find that holes slightly to my left help straighten my right wrist improving the reach of my right hand fingers and especially my right pinky.
You mention the reach of your left ring and right index fingers. There is a good deal of improvement to be developed after a few months of playing. Gently playing! There is much to be had by really ‘feeling’ the holes not ‘slapping’ at them. Not ‘feeling’ the holes isn’t the same as too little stretch between fingers, but it does help orient your hands for unimpaired range of finger motion. Your fingers will be gently curved while playing. Learning to play with a gentle touch of the finger pad over the hole is good technique that also improves your note attacks.
I’ve heard from too many people that additional keys (usually for those same two of your fingers) is very often disappointing and expensive – over $100 USD per key. Everybody told me I’d be unhappy with a keyless Tenor. The reach between almost every keyed and keyless Tenor is just about the same. The key lets the instrument be made longer with the lowest holes placed further down. The result is louder low notes – more even a volume level over the entire range. I find a keyless Tenor more intimate and pleasant to play, and I don’t have to protect the key or worry about the pad… but I should mention that my ancient 50-year old keyed wooden Tenor has never needed any work. My ancient plastic keyed Tenor clicks like a tap-dancing troupe walking across the stage. Someday I’ll pad its up position better. Yeah, I know I’m off your topic, but the subject comes up in these discussions very often as a solution to consider.
I can’t think of anything else. If I do I’ll add another posting. The most common successful solution with Tenors is to help the player, not alter the instrument. Yes, you have to reach for it. But no. It shouldn’t hurt. If it does, you’re either doing something wrong or you shouldn’t play Tenor. Human hands are absolutely amazing and can do just about everything. Ask Michelangelo or Leonardo. — k —
Hi Ken,
thanks for your in depth response. I accept that I should try to follow experienced player guidance, and will continue to practice, practice, practice.
My real point is that for a ‘simple’ instrument I would have hoped that there was a ‘simple’ solution to the left hand/right hand challenge in the form of inexpensive add on keys. I only paid £40 for my instrument, so paying silly money to add keys, or sillier money for keyed instruments does no make sense. I just want to be able to play because I like the sound.
If anyone out there owns a 3D printer, add on keys should be simple. I considered getting key assembles for a saxophone and grafting onto my tenor, but they are in a league of their own in terms of complexity (and not readily available!)
I am reminded of my first guitar – a gift given by my brother some 55 years ago – and made of plywood, where my first capo was a pencil and a rubber band – perfect for a ‘play in a day’ student. That is the kind of solution I am looking for (and like!)
Ahhh. Then I offer you an image that contains all the information needed to make the modification yourself with some wood, brass, and glue. The filled hole can be redrilled anywhere around the ‘tube’ that’s needed as long as it’s the same diameter and distance from the fipple as the original hole.
Kelischek Workshop will put plastic keys on a Yamaha or Aulos tenor barrel for $35/key: link:
https://www.susato.com/collections/comfort-key-retrofitsI had it done and they are quite good. If your tenor recorder is not either of those brands, you could probably call them and ask them about your brand. You have to send them the barrel anyway (even with Aulos and Yamaha), so maybe they can do it for you with a different brand (perhaps somewhat more money?)
Richard,
thanks for the link. I had found other options too.
Main problem(s) are the cost and wrong country. As I already noted only paid £40 for the instrument …
I will continue to practice, practice, practice, although my time is limited. I had considered getting a bass recorder, but, tempting as it is, I am stymied by cost.
I have already fallen into the trap of paying too much for guitars, so loathe to repeat that mistake … I have 12 of them – and of course can only play one at time! Last one I bought … paid more for the case!
I have some keys from a Yamaha bass on the way, will see what I can do … and post note(s) here.
The great thing about prototypes (see previous post) is that they look promising but NEVER work. My prototype key is way too big!
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