SP2318 - The Sweet Pipes Recorder Book - Alto - Book 1

Nice little instruction manual for Alto recorders. It has a collection of tunes more interesting than the dreaded Hot Cross Buns and Three Blind Mice. Easy to follow. You can find many people on YouTube playing/teaching along with it - which is handy if you're not good at reading music and need to *hear* what's being done. It's a shame there's no second book for Alto in the series. The other book that says it's Book 2 is for SOPRANO, not alto.

Very satisfying! As others have pointed out, this is not a book for the very beginning musician; it presumes ability to read music. Thus, it was perfect for me. Within a few lessons, you feel like you are transported back in time, perhaps to the royal courts of England. No ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ or “Hot Cross Buns’ (thank Heaven!), but rather, tunes from old English and French Christmas carols and melodies composed by Praetorius, Susato, and others. The exercises are short, which is appropriate for a ‘Book One.’ Each lesson presents a new note (with a new fingering combination to get used to) and a couple of pages of exercises carefully chosen to practice the new skill. I hope ‘Book Two’ becomes available; I was sad to reach the end of this delightful and inexpensive little volume. The last several pages are devoted to ensemble pieces. Highly recommended.

Just the thing for teaching yourself to play alto recorder. You still have to read music first, hoeever.

I learned how to play a soprano recorder as a child, like so many other people. Many years later, I decided to take up recorder again, but I liked the slightly lower range of the alto, so I bought that, as well as The Sweet Pipes Recorder Book to learn how to play it. If you've never read music at all before, you'll need another source to walk you through the very basics. Even with some musical training throughout grade school, I had to look up a couple of notations that I couldn't remember. Still I think this is a good introduction to the alto recorder and solid book for learning how to play it.

Great addition to our music book collection.

nice and simple

I got this book and another one, both highly reviewed, to help me learn the alto after playing soprano for a few years (self-taught). This book was the one that worked best for me. (The other book switched back and forth between playing the soprano and the alto which was just confusing and annoying.) The melodies in this book are beautiful, and the fingering exercises are short and fun while still effective. The other reviews here are spot on. Get this book!

This is an excellent book for learning alto recorder. It's highly recommended by recorder experts.

Uma introdução muito legal para a flauta doce contralto.

Arrived in very good time, is required for an on line course

This is an excellent book for beginners who already know how to read notes.

This book is excellent for adults with musical background. In my case I played bassoon in public school 25 years ago, and dabbled in piano (never exceeding level 1). This method introduces a new note, then gives you 30ish lines to practice it, all is which are selections from actual music. The book has exposed me to I've loads of medieval, Baroque and Renaissance recorder music through these pieces. I hope to come across the full versions of them in time. It took just over a week for me to move through everything, and I've now started volume 2 where I'm moving at a much more moderate pace. As you near the middle of the book, consider complementing it with Alto for Two for some fun duets.