12-30-2008, 04:57 AM
Avoid the sopranino for a solo instrument. Its high pitch will wear on you quickly. It is meant to be part of a group, filling in a specific role.
The soprano and the alto will both serve you well as a solo, playing for fun instrument. They are keyed differently, the soprano being a C instrument and the alto an F (but I might be remembering that backwards). Get a music book for which ever instrument you get and you'll be fine.
The alto is a more mello tone, being lower and being larger requires more breath. It's not a huge difference, and nothing like moving up to a tenor or bass recorder! I find the soprano a little bit easier to play if just because its smaller size makes fingering easier (smaller distance between holes). If you've played a wind instrument before, the difference will be negligible.
It is fun to pick one of these up and start playing. Easy learning curve.
Once you've got it down and have some tunes under your belt (or fingers), find yourself a group to play with. Gives you a real purpose to keep practicing and improving.
The soprano and the alto will both serve you well as a solo, playing for fun instrument. They are keyed differently, the soprano being a C instrument and the alto an F (but I might be remembering that backwards). Get a music book for which ever instrument you get and you'll be fine.
The alto is a more mello tone, being lower and being larger requires more breath. It's not a huge difference, and nothing like moving up to a tenor or bass recorder! I find the soprano a little bit easier to play if just because its smaller size makes fingering easier (smaller distance between holes). If you've played a wind instrument before, the difference will be negligible.
It is fun to pick one of these up and start playing. Easy learning curve.
Once you've got it down and have some tunes under your belt (or fingers), find yourself a group to play with. Gives you a real purpose to keep practicing and improving.