First Tunes to Play: Easy Songs for Recorder and Band
Three traditional tunes with the fingering under every note: Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb and Au Clair de la Lune. Pick your instrument; each tune is written in your key and plays along with you.
Why these tunes
Each one uses only a few notes, close together, so you can think about the fingers instead of the music. Hot Cross Buns uses three notes, Mary Had a Little Lamb adds one more, and Au Clair de la Lune adds a few lower ones in the middle part.
All three are traditional tunes, free for anyone to play, copy and teach.
On band instruments every tune is written in concert B♭, the key band books start in, so a whole band can play it together: trumpets and clarinets read it in C, alto saxes in G, horns in F, and flutes, oboes and trombones in B♭.
How to practice a tune
- Learn the notes first. Each tune lists the notes you need, with their fingering. Tap one to hear it.
- Play it slowly. Press Play it to hear four clicks and the tune, at Slow (60 beats per minute).
- Play along. Play along keeps the tune going round while you play with it. Move up to Practice (80), then Full speed (100).
- Test yourself. Test me hides the letters and lights one note at a time: name it before you play it.