The recorder’s range in notes and hertz
| Sounding | Written | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical low | C5 | C4 | 523.25 Hz |
| Practical high | D7 | D6 | 2349.3 Hz |
| Extreme high | G7 | G6 | 3136.0 Hz |
The soprano is written an octave below its sound; the alto and tenor read at pitch. Fingering charts stop around two octaves and a tone, and good players reach higher.
Written and sounding pitch
The recorder is a transposing instrument: it sounds an octave higher than written. So the range on its part is C4–D6, while the notes you hear are C5–D7. The transposing-instrument tuner reads out the written note as you play.
Range by size
| Size | Sounding | Written | Span |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soprano (descant) | C5–D7 | C4–D6 | 2.2 octaves |
| Alto (treble) | F4–G6 | F4–G6 | 2.2 octaves |
| Tenor | C4–D6 | C4–D6 | 2.2 octaves |
Instruments with a similar range
The instruments whose normal range shares the most notes with the recorder’s:
- Violin · G3–E7 27 notes shared
- Viola · C3–D7 27 notes shared
- Erhu · D4–A7 27 notes shared
- Mandolin · G3–D7 27 notes shared
- Xylophone · F4–C8 27 notes shared
- Piano · A0–C8 27 notes shared
Tune it, play it
- Recorder tuner — tune by microphone, with the recorder’s own target notes.
- Play a recorder online — the same range, playable in your browser.
Songs that fit the recorder
36 songs from our public-domain library fit inside the recorder’s range, each written out in the notation recorder players read:
- Hot Cross Buns
- Lightly Row
- Going Home (New World Largo)
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Happy Birthday
- Ode to Joy
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat
- Jingle Bells
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
- Yankee Doodle
- Silent Night
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of a recorder?
The recorder’s normal range runs from C5 to D7 — 523.25 to 2349.3 Hz, about 2.2 octaves. At the extremes it reaches C5–G7. Its part is written C4–D6, because it sounds an octave higher than written.
What is the lowest note on a recorder?
C5 (523.25 Hz).
What is the highest note on a recorder?
D7 is the top of the normal range, and G7 (3136.0 Hz) is reachable at the extreme.
Sources
- The chart behind our playable recorder, itself checked note by note against published charts.
- Wikipedia, Template:Vocal and instrumental pitch ranges