Video transcript
The Arts Unit @home Art Bites - Playing the recorder - 2. Gently Falls the Rain

[synth music]

SUSAN SUKKAR: Hello, everybody. Are you ready for our next recorder lesson? I am. Let's go over the notes that we already know first.

The note B, A, and G. Now, we are using our left hand on the top of our recorder, and we have our right hand at the bottom. The thumb is on the back hole, and the first finger over the front hole. Let's play some Bs. I'll play first, and then you play along with me.

[recorder plays]

Your turn.

[recorder plays]

Sounding great. Add another finger, and we're making the note A. Have a listen.

[recorder plays]

Your turn.

[recorder plays]

And add another finger, and we're making the note G. Have a listen.

[recorder plays]

Your turn.

[recorder plays]

Well done. And have you remembered to tongue each note. Because if you don't tongue at the beginning of the note, it will sound like this.

[recorder plays unpleasantly]

And we would like it to sound ...

[recorder plays properly]

So, the thing that you're doing is saying a very gentle, 'too' or 'doo,' whichever one feels best for you. 'Too, too, too.'

[recorder plays]

Very well done. Now, we're going to learn another tune using those three notes. There's so many tunes that we could learn. But this one is called 'Gently Falls the Rain,' and it uses B, A, and G. Have a listen to the first phrase of the tune.

[recorder plays]

Does that remind you of something? Yes, it's quite similar to 'Hot Cross Buns,' isn't it? Let's play that together. The rhythm is different to 'Hot Cross Buns,' B, B, A, A, G. Let's have a try.

[recorder plays]

(SINGING) 'Gently falls the rain.' Well done. Now, the next phrase is great, because it's exactly the same as the first phrase, so we're going to do it again.

[recorder plays]

And again.

[recorder plays]

(SINGING) 'Gently falls the rain. Gently falls the rain.' Now, once we've done that, we're going to stay on the low G, and we're going to learn this phrase.

[recorder plays]

So, it starts on G, and there are two Gs, two As, two Bs, and then we finish off on an A. Try it with me.

[recorder plays]

And do it again.

[recorder plays]

And the last phrase is the same as the beginning, so that's easy.

[recorder plays]

Well done. Can we put all of that together? Let's learn the different patterns. We have, (SINGING) 'Gently falls the rain.' And then we do that again.

(SINGING) 'Gently falls the rain.' Then the next phrase is (SINGING) G, G, A, A, B, B, A. So, (SINGING) 'Sounds so gentle on the roof, sounds so gentle, that's the truth.' And then we go back to (SINGING) 'Gently falls the rain.'

Can you be very, very clever and play it through with me, together? We're starting on the B. We'll do it really slowly this time, so that you can follow along.

All together on a B. You ready? Left hand on the top, thumb at the back, first finger on the first hole. B. Let's go.

[recorder plays]

Well done. Do it again.

[recorder plays]

Stay on the G.

[recorder plays]

Repeat.

[recorder plays]

Repeat the first phrase.

[recorder plays]

Well done. Now, let's play all through again, but without me interrupting and speaking to you. We'll do it twice. We'll do another slow time, and then a faster time.

Ready? Nice and slowly, starting on the note B. Left hand on the top, thumb, first finger, and remember to tongue all your notes with a gentle 'too.' Let's go. Ready?

[recorder plays]

How did you go with that? Any squeaks at all? Well done. Let's try it now a little bit faster.

[recorder plays]

Well done. And now you have another tune to practise, so have fun with that. And I'll see you next time.