I started learning the recorder (and music!) just about one year ago. When I started, I did not expect to still be at it now.
In the following sections, I will sum up what I have learned over the past year.

Practice

Practice makes perfect… and I am still very far from perfect, but I practice every day.
Even when I do not have much time, I try to give it at least 15 minutes. Although I am often tired after a long workday, I have found that playing the recorder helps calm me down and ease some of the fatigue. I think it has something to do with the breathing.

Getting a teacher

A year ago, I decided to take recorder and basic music lessons. I study one hour per week on both the Soprano and Alto recorders.
The first few weeks were quite difficult, as my teacher is pretty “speedy,” but in the long run, I think it helped a lot – especially with posture, notes, and avoiding bad habits.

One area where lessons helped the most was transitioning to the Alto. The instrument is much larger than the Soprano and felt clunky and hard to use at first. Now it is getting easier to play, although I still prefer the Soprano overall.

Another part where lessons helped a lot is with rhythm, which has been very challenging for me. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel I have improved significantly in the last few months, and I doubt I could have made that progress on my own.

Not optimized practice

Even though I now take lessons and practice daily, I would not say I “optimize” my practice time. I usually play scales and work on a music piece (either on the Soprano or Alto), but I do not follow a structured agenda. I simply want to enjoy playing the recorder.

Going too quickly

One of my main problems as a beginner is wanting to play a piece too quickly. I do not know all the notes yet; reading music is more fluent than before, but still not easy, and my rhythm is very unstable.
Because of that, difficult passages – especially those with many cross fingerings or fast tempo – often turn into a mess.

Even though it seems obvious, I had to learn to slow down and first try to “read” or “understand” the piece before jumping in blindly.

Reading music is still hard

As mentioned earlier, I am still not fluent at reading music, but I have definitely improved. I can now begin to sense where some “musical” changes happen (for lack of a better term).
What I still lack is music theory knowledge. I sometimes do not fully understand what my teacher says… Circle of fifths, Arpeggios, pieces in C minor, D major… are still a bit tricky to grasp.

Rhythm is still the hardest

But it is getting better… I need to practice with a metronome to stay steady, and it is one of the exercises I dislike the most because it is so difficult. Sometimes I think I am doing fine – until I turn on the metronome and realize I am not stable at all.
So, it is better to start with the metronome and turn it off later.

Some good habits

Revisiting previously studied music

I sometimes go back to pieces I played several months ago.
What once felt challenging has now become much easier: my fingers and memory remember the piece, and I am more agile in how I play it.

Recording myself playing a piece again provides a clear example of the progress I have made.

Going to some concerts

Since last year, I have started attending a few classical music concerts (mainly featuring recorders). I find I can now “appreciate” (if that is the right word) pieces much more than a few months ago. Even more so if they involve recorders – I am beginning to understand how they are played.

I also went to a concert with a friend that featured the oud. It was a very different experience, blending traditional and modern music. I still find that I prefer traditional and classical music over modern styles.

Another memorable experience was attending a performance of J.S. Bach’s Saint John Passion, in which a colleague was singing. I sometimes play short Bach pieces on the recorder, but this was a whole different level.
The piece was quite long and hard to follow… but still a worthwhile experience (and my colleague sings very well!).

Playing different composers

In the first few months, I mostly played pieces by Esprit Philippe Chédeville. Some are easier, others more difficult… but many of them feel very similar.
Exploring pieces by different composers has allowed me to experience different styles and rhythms.

Lately, I have really enjoyed playing Vivaldi and Boismortier.

Putting consciousness into the practice

Something I still find difficult is staying focused and mindful while practicing. When I play the recorder, I often go into “auto” mode…
Because of that, I make many mistakes and lose rhythm. There are just so many variables to manage at once – fingerings, reading, tonguing, breathing, rhythm…

I really need to learn to bring more awareness into my daily practice. I face the same issue when doing yoga, so it might be related to synchronizing body and mind.

More recorders

(Not sure this fits under “good habits”.)

A friend also gave me:

• a Moeck Rottenburgh Soprano in boxwood
• a Küng Alto in palisander
• a Küng Sopranino in palisander, which I rarely play – mostly due to lack of suitable music and because it is too piercing for my family

The Alto is much heavier than the plastic counterparts, so I am still learning how to handle it properly.
I play all of them several times a week, but the Soprano more than the Alto, as I truly enjoy playing it.

Since last year, I have also bought a few more plastic recorders:

• Yamaha YRS-402B (similar to the Yamaha YRS-302BIII I bought last year) for Soprano, and Yamaha YRA-402B for Alto
• Aulos 503B for Soprano and Aulos 509B for Alto

I actually prefer playing and practicing with these newer plastic models over my older ones (though they are not dramatically different). I usually take lessons with the Aulos and play the Yamahas at home. The Yamaha YRS-402B is very similar to the Moeck Rottenburgh Soprano (they are based on the same historical model), and their handling and responsiveness are quite close. Of course, the Moeck sounds far better and less “plastic” than the Yamaha, but the vibe is similar.
The Aulos recorders are easy to play in both lower and higher registers, although I sometimes find them too easy – unlike wooden instruments – so I switch between recorders to balance things out.

Overall, I still prefer the Soprano to the Alto. I have a dedicated place at home where they are all stored together.

Onto year two

Over the past year, I have really enjoyed playing the recorder and intend to continue next year – and hopefully the one after that.
Although I could have made faster progress with a more structured practice routine and exercises, I do feel a clear difference compared to when I started. It is progressing at a pace that suits me, and that is fine. I am in no rush to reach some unknown level: I have time, and I am taking the time.

Music is harder than I thought: it requires dedication, daily practice, and passion.
But I love it, so let’s keep going. There are surely more musicians than developers out there!