Soprano recorder fingering chart
Find a note. Learn the fingering.
Selected fingering
Beginner's Guide
Everything you need to know to read the charts and start playing!
Hand Position
Left Hand on Top: Your left thumb goes on the single back hole. Your index, middle, and ring fingers cover the top three front holes.
Right Hand on Bottom: Your right thumb just supports the back of the recorder (no hole!). Your four fingers cover the bottom four holes.
Reading the Circles
- Covered:Press down fully to seal the hole tight.
- Open:Lift your finger completely off the hole.
- Half-open / Pinched:Back thumb hole: Keep it pinched with your thumbnail, leaving a ~1/4 slit open (this helps you hit high notes!)Bottom double holes: Leave the hole half-open by covering just one of the two tiny openings.
The Dot & Types
Did you know there are two types of recorders? They look almost identical, but some notes are played differently!
If you see a Dot next to a note, it means the fingering is different between Baroque and German recorders. Click the dot on the note to learn how to check which recorder you own!
Sounding Pitch
The soprano recorder sounds one whole octave higher than the notes written on the music staff. When you play the lowest note "C", it actually sounds as a high C5!