Recorder Hero › Songs

Easy recorder songs for beginners

21 well-known songs for the soprano recorder, from three-note first songs to tunes that use every note. Each one has the notes with their rhythm, a fingering chart and tips, and you can practice it in Recorder Hero, a free game that listens as you play.

Start with the first lesson

How to choose your first recorder song

The easiest songs use only a few notes that sit close together, so your fingers barely move. On the recorder that means starting with B, A and G: the left hand only, with the thumb covering the hole at the back. Songs like Hot Cross Buns and Au Clair de la Lune use just these three, and they're the classic first songs in schools.

Next, add high C and high D (still the left hand) for songs like Mary Had a Little Lamb, Ode to Joy and Jingle Bells. Then the right hand joins in for low E, low D and F#, which open up Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday and Yankee Doodle. Last come low C, F and B♭, for songs like All My Little Ducklings and Go Tell Aunt Rhody. Low notes need very gentle breath and every hole sealed, so leave them until the left-hand notes feel easy.

The songs below are grouped by how many different notes they use:

First songs: three notes or fewer. Perfect for the first week.
Easy: four or five notes, a step up once the first three feel easy.
A little challenge: six notes or more, with low notes, F# or high notes, and quicker rhythms.

Tips for learning a new song

Learn the new notes first. Play each one on its own, slowly, until it sounds clear, before you try the tune.
Say the letters out loud while you look at the notes, then play them without rhythm.
Go slow, then speed up. A song played slowly and right teaches your fingers more than one played fast with mistakes.
Practice little and often: ten minutes a day works better than an hour once a week.
Squeaks? Blow more gently, and check that your fingers cover the holes completely with their soft pads.

First songs

Easy

A little challenge

🎁 More songs, in song packs

Besides these free songs, we offer song packs to buy: Christmas carols, children's songs from around the world, half-holes and sharps. Each one has a free song to try.

✓ Buy once, keep forever — no monthly subscriptions.

See the song packs ›

The notes, at a glance

low C

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 covered

low C#

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 4 5 6 covered, half of hole 7 covered (one of its two small holes)

low D

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 4 5 6 covered

low E♭

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 4 5 covered, half of hole 6 covered (one of its two small holes)

low E

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 4 5 covered

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 4 6 7 covered Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 4 covered

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 5 6 covered Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 5 6 7 covered

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 3 covered

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 4 5 covered, half of hole 6 covered (one of its two small holes)

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 2 covered

B♭

Thumb hole covered, holes 1 3 4 covered

Thumb hole covered, hole 1 covered

high C

Thumb hole covered, hole 2 covered

high C#

Thumb hole open, holes 1 2 covered

high D

Thumb hole open, hole 2 covered

high E♭

Thumb hole open, holes 2 3 4 5 6 covered

high E

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 3 4 5 covered

high F

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 3 4 6 covered Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 3 4 covered

high F#

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 3 5 covered Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 3 5 7 covered

high G

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 3 covered

high G#

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 4 covered

high A

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 covered

high B♭

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 5 6 covered

high B

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 2 4 5 covered

top C

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 4 5 covered

top D

Thumb hole half covered (pinched), holes 1 3 4 6 covered

The full recorder fingering chart, with tips for every note ›