High D on the Soprano Recorder
To play High D (D6) on recorder: Left hand: half thumb, 1, 3 · Right hand: 4, 6, 7.
Play along: hear the note for 2 beats, then you play it for 2.
- Thumb hole (half covered)
- Hole 1 (left index)
- Hole 3 (left ring)
- Hole 4 (right index)
- Double hole 6
- Double hole 7
High D wants the narrowest thumb pinch and the fastest air anywhere on the chart, and it will only speak on a well-sealed instrument. If it sounds strangled, try the alternate before changing your breath.
High D wants the narrowest thumb pinch and the fastest air anywhere on the chart, and it will only speak on a well-sealed instrument. If it sounds strangled, try the alternate before changing your breath.
Sound and display
Next moves
Teaching a class? Class mode keeps Stand mode and Test me on the notes your class is learning (B, A, G).
Alternate fingerings for High D
Each alternate has its own link. Send it to a student and the page opens with that fingering on the big diagram.
More for advanced players
Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works
About this note
High D is written D6 and sounds concert D7.
Pinched thumb with holes 1, 3, 4 and both double holes 6 and 7 fully closed — the American Recorder Society fingering. High D wants the narrowest thumb pinch and the fastest air anywhere on the chart, and it will only speak on a well-sealed instrument. If it sounds strangled, try the alternate before changing your breath.
- Primary fingering: Thumb hole (half) + Hole 1 (left index) + Hole 3 (left ring) + Hole 4 (right index) + Double hole 6 + Double hole 7
- Written pitch: D6 · Concert pitch: D7
- Sounding frequency: 2349.32 Hz
What to press, key by key
- Thumb hole (half covered)
- Hole 1 (left index)
- Hole 3 (left ring)
- Hole 4 (right index)
- Double hole 6
- Double hole 7
Alternate fingerings for High D
- Pinched thumb + holes 1, 3, 4 and 6: Thumb hole (half) + Hole 1 (left index) + Hole 3 (left ring) + Hole 4 (right index) + Double hole 6. Yamaha's baroque chart leaves hole 7 open; top-register fingerings really do differ between makers, so try this if the note will not center.
Questions
How do you play High D on recorder?
To play High D (D6) on recorder: Left hand: half thumb, 1, 3 · Right hand: 4, 6, 7. High D is written D6 and sounds concert D7. Press: Thumb hole (half covered), Hole 1 (left index), Hole 3 (left ring), Hole 4 (right index), Double hole 6, Double hole 7.
Is High D written or concert pitch?
The name on this page is the written note you read. On C recorder it sounds concert D7.
Is there another fingering for High D?
Pinched thumb + holes 1, 3, 4 and 6: Yamaha's baroque chart leaves hole 7 open; top-register fingerings really do differ between makers, so try this if the note will not center.
Soprano Recorder fingering data last updated . Every diagram here, in the printable PDF and in the chart image comes from one dataset, so the paper and the screen cannot disagree.