The Recorder, An Excellent Musical Instrument!
Good music teachers in Jamaica and I’m sure many other parts of the world have come to realise how great the simple wind instrument – the recorder can be.
As most true recorder players know, the recorder belongs to a consort of various sized recorder family, which had a medieval history involved. The most popular one from the consort is the soprano recorder.
Playing of this simple instrument has its benefits:
- Development of finger muscles
- Increase the use of eye-hand coordination
- Developing skills of sound discrimination
- Sight reading skills become improved
- Sequencing and logic are developed
- Increased concentration
Additional benefits are:
- Identifying pitch
- Analysing sounds
- Creating and composing melody
- Arrangement skills are developed
- Improved confidence in performances
One of the main things about the recorder is that for students who are very musically inclined, they are able to transition to other instruments such as the piano, flute, saxophone, steel pans and other wind instruments. There are those however, who have gone on to do voice whether it be choral, solo or with an ensemble of one sort or another. Another main benefit is the positive academic consistency.
Research has shown from Japan that children who were exposed to music early in one form or another develop self-confidence or develop a stronger sense of self thus transferring positively into academic performance. As for me, I have seen similar results with my students at Westwood High school over the years with good academic performance achieved by those who seriously engage in the learning of music.
Therefore, parents are encouraged to make the sacrifice in getting their child or children involved in music. Research cannot be wrong about the benefits and results good music has on children. The recorder was the starter instrument of a very famous musician from the Third World Band. He has transitioned to his now chosen instrument, which is the guitar although had become a cello player.
As stated earlier, the recorder is a good starter instrument in music. The benefits are clear. Most of all, it is very affordable too! Let us encourage all primary students to use it and let us hope that the powers that be implement better infrastructure to improve the current primary education music programme.
Let the recorder play!